Saturday 26 January 2008

Saturday Walk

I decided to escape from the temptation of watching the FA Cup this afternoon and went for a stroll.As I left the garden this male Blackbird popped up onto the wall. We were both surprised but he stayed there long enough for a picture. I did see a Bumblebee in the garden, but it didn't get close enough to identify it. It does seem very early in the year for them to be out and about.
decided to walk the footpaths on the other side of the valley (river-less). I took the footpath from Kingsdown Road past "Devonia" that passes Townsend Farm.

From the foot path, looking back up the hill I could see the back of Foxley, the new house being built opposite us. The there is a small wooded are here and both Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tit were in evidence.
At the farm there was a small group of Chaffinches and at least three Yellowhammers, but overall it was very quiet.
From the end of St Vincent's Road there is a good view across to Hogsbush and them Monument is on the horizon behind "Feathers".

I walked through east Valley Farm and returned along Nelson Park Road. Despite all the suitable habitat there were no winter thrushes about, in fact I only saw one Song Thrush.
Looking down Collingwood Road I could see that I wasn't the only person out for a stroll on what was an extremely pleasant January afternoon.
The evening light allowed me to indulge in a bit of silhouette photography, by underexposing by about a stop. As I walked back a Sparrowhawk flew over, probably hunting birds off to roost, it is a favoured time for hunting.

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