'Walk It Off' New Year Guided Walk - Bird Watching for All

Despite the thundering rain right through the wee hours of this morning, we had a cracking turnout for our first monthly guided walk of the year. And thankfully the weather decided to be kind.

Expert volunteers Colin Sedgwick and Alastair Hughes-Roden guided us, whilst I happily tagged along with the visitors. We set off through the wildlife garden, seeing only a dunnock, a few woodpigeons and hearing a robin. We weren't to know the reserve had plenty more in store for us.

Teal (Andy Hay www.rspb-images.com)

We walked along the Tame, keeping keen eyes on both the river and Forge Mill Lake, and quickly the birds obliged. We had helpful hints from Colin on how to tell our teal from our shoveller and our gadwall from our goosander, with glimpses of great crested grebe and a sparrowhawk along the way. The lapwings were pretty and plentiful, as always, and we played 'Where's Wally?' with the snipe on the bank of the island. We also discovered that the rumours about Stumpy the one footed oystercatcher returning to Sandwell early this year, were true.

Oystercatcher (Tom Marshall www.rspb-images.com)

After a fantastic close up of a goosander making it's way downstream, we headed to the hide to hang out with the cormorants, being serenaded by a song thrush along the way. Along with those who'd already obliged our binoculared gaze, we were treated to a dancing grey wagtail and a kingfisher flying along the bank, most helpfully, in line with the lake's numbered posts. Not to mention, an important looking grey heron.

Kingfisher (Mike Richards www.rspb-images.com)

On returning to the visitor centre, we sipped our hot chocolate and took a seat to enjoy the bird feeder show. Great tits and blue tits, goldfinches and greenfinches, long tailed tits and coal tits, reed bunting and jays, bullfinches and chaffinches. All topped off with perhaps the cutest of them all, a willow tit.

Snipe (Tom Marshall www.rspb-images.com)

For anyone new to starting a 'bird list' for 2016 (such as myself), it was a pretty brilliant start to the year. And the knowledge and enthusiasm Colin and Alastair have is infectious, making bird watching exciting and enjoyable for adults, experts, children and even for amateurs like me.

In total, we saw 45 different species of bird along the way. Here is a list of every single one of them...

Dunnock
Robin
Magpie
Woodpigeon
Carrion crow
Black headed gull
Shoveller duck
Teal
Greenfinch
Coot
Moorhen
Gadwall
Great tit
Blue Tit
Cormorant
Grey heron
Lesser black backed gull
Great crested grebe
Sparrowhawk
Mallard
Lapwing
Oystercatcher
Goosander
Pochard
Wren
Grey wagtail
Wigeon
Snipe
Tufted duck
Canada geese
Mute swan
Muscovy duck
Pied wagtail
Starling
Kingfisher
Reed bunting
Bullfinch
House sparrow
Song thrush
Chaffinch
Long tailed tit
Coal tit
Jay
Goldfinch
Willow tit

If you like to get outside and fancy knowing a bit more about the winged creatures you might see and hear, our monthly guided walks are a brilliant introduction to birds and the local area. They run from Nature's Reach visitor centre on the first Saturday of every month, starting at 10 am. It's just £3 for RSPB members and £5 if you're not a member.

Blue tit (Ben Hall www.rspb-images.com)

Our next walk, Winterwatch Walk, is coming up on Saturday 6 Feburary and you can find more details out about it HERE. 

Thanks for taking the time to read our blog and we hope to see you at Sandwell Valley soon.

Jenny Stevens (Connecting People and Nature Intern)

Nature's Reach Christmas and New Year Opening Times

We're happy to say we're open over much of Christmas and New Year but our elves will be having a little break, so please take a look at our opening times before deciding when to visit. And don't forget, while the visitor centre might be closed, there is access to the reserve at all times, other than Christmas Day, when footpaths will be shut to the public.

Credit: Kaleel Zibe (www.rspb-images.com)

We'll be running Christmas crafts and our Santa Trails during opening times right through December so please do drop into the visitor centre. Our holiday volunteers will be showing you how making woolly sparkle sticks, snowy pine cones and lots more, and you can pick up everything you need to take part in our self-led trail. Help the animals of Sandwell Valley find all of Santa's Christmas outfit. Just ask at the visitor desk and we'll set you on your way.

Then we start January with a refreshing gentle walk around the reserve. Join our friendly and knowledgeable volunteers to see and hear the birds that reside at Sandwell in our 'Walk It Off' New Year Walk from 10 am on Saturday 2 January. Have a quick look HERE for more information.

Credit: John Bridges (www.rspb-images.com)

Please see all opening times below...

Wednesday 23 December - 10 am - 3 pm
Christmas Eve - closed
Christmas Day - closed
Boxing Day - 10 am - 3 pm
Sunday 27 December - 10 am - 3 pm
Monday 28 December - closed
Tuesday 29 December - closed
Wednesday 30 December - 10 am - 3 pm
New Year's Eve - 10 am - 3 pm
New Year's Day - 10 am - 3 pm

We hope to see you all in the coming weeks and from everyone at RSPB Sandwell Valley a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

RSPB Sandwell Valley Photo Competition 2015

To celebrate the opening of our shiny new visitor centre in July, we launched a photography competition in Spring, inviting visitors to showcase their amazing snaps of the valley on our Facebook page. The winner would be the one to generate the most 'likes' for their photo, being offered tickets for our VIP Residents Launch Event.

To see some of the cracking entries we had (and maybe spot your own) please click play below (full screen button in bottom right corner).

We had some stunning entries and a very worthy winner in Neil Mabon's 'Grey Heron'. Thank you to everyone who entered, what talented visitors we have!

Grey Heron by Neil Mabon

Jenny
(Connecting People and Nature Intern)

Snap the valley and win a VIP experience!

I have to say, and this is not just because I work here, but Sandwell Valley is looking AMAZING at the moment. A million shades of green are bursting from everywhere and flowers are beginning to emerge adding a pop of colour here and there. The air smells sweet and is alive with busy birds and insects. The fruits of springs labour are beginning to show already with the arrival of 6 very adorable lapwing chicks on our islands this week.

Kate Middleton isn't the only one commanding 'baby fever' this month, our volunteers in the lakeside viewpoint are keeping their eyes peeled for any more new arrivals.

But....the biggest 'delivery' this season is not the imminent appearance of the third in line....it's Natures Reach of course, your brand new RSPB visitor center nestled in the heart of the valley and very nearing completion.

To celebrate this joyous bundle of bricks and mortar we have decided to host a photography competition. There is so much going on, people getting out enjoying the reserve now it's warming up and nature bursting from every nook and cranny. This is the perfect time to start capturing those amazing wildlife moments, spectacular scenery or even your friends and family enjoying their visit.

This is your chance to show us your snaps and perhaps win a prize. We want to see how you see the valley and what makes this place special for you. For me its the small things, the tiny flowers that often go unnoticed or the interesting markings on a tree trunk.

You have until the end of June to take a snap on the reserve and post it on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RSPBMidlands OR https://www.facebook.com/BhamBlackCountryWarks and tagging the photo with #Sandwellphoto.

The lucky winner will receive an invitation for two to our very special VIP residents launch event. You will get a 'first look tour' of the new building, and you will have the opportunity to take part in a guided tour and other activities. Or you could just sit back and relax, taking in the views across the valley and indulging in refreshments provided for our special guests. .
Now I am NOT a photographer, but I just popped out to see what I could get with just a spare few minutes and my camera phone, what do you think? - see below!

Basically, you can use whatever equipment you want to snap anything you want on the reserve and share it with us. The public will vote and you could win this exclusive prize.

Go on, have a go!!

Fuzzy bee getting stuck into a dandelion



Stripey insect enjoying the flowers on this garlic mustard flower