Monday, February 07, 2011
Sunday
More "wildness and wet"
These are the mighty falls of Wishmoor, where the stream pours across the path from one boggy flood to another. It doesn't look much, but it was quite difficult to cross. I managed by holding onto one of the green balustrades and stepping on small branches and/or roots that gave a foothold.
I had walked down through Swinley Forest, and out onto the Surrey heathlands; but nary a bird did I see. No shrike, Dartford warbler, woodlark or stonechat was evident, although it was horrendously windy and small birds could have been forgiven for skulking. I felt like skulking myself.
Back in the shelter of the trees I found a large flock very high up, consisting of long-tailed tits, coal tits, and goldcrests. I thought I heard a firecrest sing from further in, but by this time my neck was breaking from looking up so I called it a day.
In the Go Ape area near the car park there were more goldcrests and half a dozen siskins. I didn't have the energy for my usual loop round Caesar's Camp; but despite this and the lack of birds, it was refreshing to visit a different habitat from the broadleaved woodlands and the river between which I have been zinging like a pinball for the past few weeks.
// posted by Christine @ 4:45 AM 
