Trip reports
Saltburn Woods 15th March 2009
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Meeting up by the bandstand (well, most of us, anyway) the group made its way down towards the valley gardens and the woodland centre, spotting song thrush, (what 's better than a song thrush?....seven of them, all on one grassy patch!) blackbird, blue tit and robin on the way. We then followed the steps down to the waters edge, where we had good sightings of the aforementioned dippers and grey wagtails, all busily occupied in collecting nesting material.
Moving off towards the viaduct we stopped first at a clearing where we found a lone comma butterfly (overwintered or an early arrival? It wouldn't say!) and watched kestrel overhead and sparrowhawk in the distance. Further on through the woodland we came to the viaduct and just beyond, crossed the bridge and collected by the waterside, catching sight of another grey wagtail before setting off back along the higher level route.
Other birds seen included dunnock, wren, chaffinch, great tit, long-tailed tit, coal tit, marsh/willow tit, nuthatch, greenfinch, great spotted woodpecker and bullfinch. Don't, of course, forget the woodpigeon - and the seven song thrushes were now eight!
All in all, a lovely morning to be out, good company and lots to see.