There is a footpath from Birdsgreen (so772849) to Bowhills which I havn't visited for a number of years. It being sunny and mild (wet with gale force winds yesterday) I thought it would make an interesting walk for Sunday afternoon.
The path, like most this winter, was waterlogged and muddy but not difficult to walk along with the right footwear - I still need a good pair of wellies, though. I soon came across hazel which was unmistakable with its silver bark and pale lemon-yellow (male) catkins that was being enhanced by the sunlight. As can be seen by the photo below, you can see why the catkins are also, quaintly, called lambs tails.
 |
| Hazel Catkins, "lambs tails" |
 |
| Hazel |
 |
| View of Bowhills Dingle from Bowhills |
I walked on and soon noticed a large flock of birds making a cacophony of sound. Some were perched ahead of me in the top of a row of ash trees, others were on a hawthorn hedge alongside a set a side field which was being used for game cover. I could pick out a variety of species: greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, redpoll, and, one of our most colourful of winter visitor finches, brambling.
Bramblings start to appear in Britain from Fennoscandia and northern Russia in October and stay through to March or early April. Occasionally birds will stay later because of poor weather conditions and, if you are fortunate enough to encounter a male, it will be probably be in its eye catching summer plumage: orange breast and black head.
No comments:
Post a Comment