It Was Dark, Okay?

They say travel broadens the mind, but not everything you experience and learn abroad is necessarily of use – especially when you are standing on a lane north of Garth Wood looking at a silhouette in the top of an oak tree.

My brain was screaming “IT’S A BARBET”, which was a perfectly reasonable conclusion to draw had I been walking around the arboretum in Darjeeling, not a hillside in Flintshire.

Minor geographical anomaly notwithstanding, I had to agree with the old grey matter – it did indeed resemble a Barbet. Mistle Thrush was the next best guess, but the bird looked too chunky for a thrush and the tail was too stubby.

Fortunately the bird soon clocked me and took off flying directly away from me. Within a nanosecond I realised what I had been looking at - the clear yellow rump and dipping flight meant it was obviously a Green Woodpecker – how could I have been so obtuse? Too much knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing.

Other than my Lineated Woodpecker, Garth Wood was well stocked with commoner birds today. No sign of any of the rarer tits today or indeed a Lesser Spot. The habitat looks good for all three, but as of yet Marsh Tit is the only species I have bagged.

On a disturbing note, Flintshire Council had placed a notice about a “POISIONING INSIDENT” (sic) in the woods that had led to a fatality. Reading between the lines I inferred that some poor mutt must have eaten some laced meat. I’m not sure what’s more worriying: learning that this sort of sickening and reprehensible activity still goes on, or that somebody working in a reasonable position of authority has such piss-poor spelling.


Until later.

Coed y Garth

With the aim of kick-starting my assault on Flintshire this year, I headed over to Coed y Garth late this morning to see if I could tickle-out some woodland species.

I am very fond of birding in woods as it requires a little more skill by my reckoning; rather than just relying on sight, aural skills come in to play as do two things I am not over blessed with – patience and a sharp eye (I’m as colour blind as they come!).

The modest snowfall yesterday made the woodland picture perfect inside creating a magical atmosphere. I was not the first to leave tracks in the snow though – a fox had been on the prowl during the night leaving its telltale footprints in the freshly powdered footpath.

Five minutes into my walk I was on to a decent sized mixed flock that despite being dominated by the commoner tit species contained two Treecreepers and a brace of hyperactive Goldcrest.

A little further up the trail I added Nuthatch and another Treecreeper to the list and then encountered a large flock of Long-tailed Tits. This species of passerine seems to be particularly unsociable, appearing to prefer the company of its own and not generally joining mixed flocks.

It was interesting to note today how many birds had little grubs in their bills. I would have thought any tasty morsel excavated from beneath the bark would be eaten instantly, but a Nuthatch, a Goldcrest and two Blue Tits all seemed to be carrying food today?

Just as I was about to leave the wood I picked-up the ‘pitchouing’ call of a Marsh Tit, but despite looking for a good ten minutes – and it not really moving – the pesky little tyke would not show itself…probably my rubbish fieldcraft again…

Until later.

Garth inVader

Okay, enough pontificating about Egrets and Vice Presidents - time for some birding.

Garth Woods near the village of Ffynnongroyw (a name to make the terminally unfunny Jonathan Ross quake with fear) is an excellent area of ramshackle woodland and farmland, hitherto unknown to me until early spring this year, when I paid my inaugural visit - a trip that produced Marsh Tit and Wood Warbler.

Heeding the advice of Oracle Kirkwood I set off cloaked in a cocoon of cagoule, as showers - heavy ones at that - were forecast.

The circular walk - that is well signposted - is approximately 3 miles long, beginning with a fairly steep ascent into the coed. As I enter the wood most of the commoner woodland species can be heard going about their business. Blackbirds are particularly abundant; it is easy to forget that dense woodland is their true domain - the rich sonorous song is ideally suited to carrying through thick vegetation.

The route is rather diamond shaped and the top section passes through arable fields and grazing pastures. Two Yellowhammers are singing from opposite ends of a thick, unkempt hedge that divides a lush area of grass from a section of bare soil.

Above, two Buzzards are 'pyaring' imploringly to one another as they drift higher on a developing thermal. A rather tatty looking Raven charges across the sky and starts to mob the raptors. In turn, they chase the corvid off, but success is only achieved when they opt to work in tandem.

The final section of the walk returns to wooded area that hides a small brook running through its midst. From an area of shrubbery a series of loud 'cheks' alerts me to a Garden Warbler, but brief glimpses of its silhouette are all I am granted.

Moving into an area of mature oak trees I hear a male Pied Flycatcher. Fantastic! Locating the bird is difficult, although I do find a male Siskin whilst searching for it in the canopy. Thankfully, a nice tasty morsel flies too close to the Flycatcher and it darts out from its hiding place to pluck the insect from the air. It doesn't return to its original perch, but chooses instead to sit in full view on dead branch whilst it consumes the snack.

Coed Garth does it again!

Until later.