What A Difference A Week Makes

The same place one week later ... what a change eh!

After two days snow bound we ventured out today to get some fresh air. As I said in last Sunday's blip, both me and my brother have a local patch challenge this year. We opted not a photography challenge but just simple listing. I boosted my list somewhat today!

The funny thing is the walk to get to the woods and farms was far more treacherous than the walk in the hills. The pavements are like glass with ice. It amazes me that we can send a man to the moon, but can't think of a cost effective and simple way of de-icing the walkways.

The whole of the Ely Valley looks magnificent. The view down to Coed-Ely resembles a Scandinavian scene.

On the birding front we came home with over twenty birds seen, taking the Local Patch List to #27. My brother just texted me, he's been out and about today and has taken his to #33, but there is a long, long way to go! I added a Blue Tit to burgeoning garden list here this morning. Everywhere is still thick with snow, so putting food out may attract more birds in as they forced to look outside the local woods for much needed sustenance.

The highlight of the walk came right at the end (nature documentaries really don't make up the last minute getting the shot you wanted thing in my opinion, I've done all my best birding and photographs at the point I was going home!). We were negotiating the very steep hill back down to my parents street, when a bird flew right at us up the lane and landed on a branch not six feet from where we were sliding. It took a few minutes to ID it, but it was a stunning male Stonechat. An excellent local tick, and utterly unexpected. I must admit I've enjoyed the two walks we have done over the past week. I am seeing my old stomping ground as a kid with new eyes.

The large majority of the list came when we found a small brook formed by the melting ice. It was a hot spot for various birds washing and drinking, and all we had to do was stop and wait to see what would have dropped in.

We called in mum and dads for a cuppa and bacon sarnie again, as habit forming goes I am quite liking this one!

The list for the day was:

Siskin x 25
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blackcap x 2
Stonechat (m)
Linnet x 4
Coal Tit
Sparrowhawk
Starling

Song Thrush
Nuthatch x 2
Dunnock
Robin
Jackdaw
Herring Gull
Blackbird
Collared Doved
Woodpigeon
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
House Sparrow

I've posted twenty odd photos from the walk taken on the compact camera in the Tonyrefail Fickr Group.