Coach Road Area – hunt for a lifer.

10:30 – 12:30

With a really strong wind blowing in Bradshaw this morning and a poor weather forecast for this aft .I decided to leave “the hill” alone and head off down to Lightcliffe hoping (yet again) for LSW.

The weather down here was very mild with just a light breeze and some good sunny spells.

I enjoyed a good 2 hours traipse down Coach Road, from opposite Lightcliffe School, and round and about the area.

Within 100 yards of starting down the path a Woodpecker called from my right above the golf course and following the call paid dividends with a Great Spotted Woodpecker seen at the very top of a thin tree.

In one of the fields here, there were 11 Magpies – that must be some sort of record for me.

They seemed to like dogs around here – there were two separate occasions when I saw people walking 4 dogs.

On my return journey I stopped for a chat with an elderly lady dog walker, who pointed out a Male Bullfinch to me about 5 yds from my nose end – after a long while looking for it I finally did locate the bird and a second M. Bullfinch sat close by.

Another chat with a man walking his dog was abruptly curtailed by him, as soon as I mentioned Christmas.

"OH Don't go there" he said with a scowl and suddenly trudged off. 

I was just thinking of belting out a few verses of Silent Night for him as well - scowling at Christmas - as if.

This is a very pleasant area for a stroll with a good well drained track, helpful if the weather is poor.

It’s Black Friday in the shops (which hasn’t saved me a penny because I  haven’t done any shopping) and the week-end is nearly here, with a pretty grim weather forecast unfortunately.

However  it’s granddaughter for a day or two so most probably I’ll be drawing and Jigsaw-ing not birding.

Have a good one whatever you are up to.

Birds:-

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, c20 Magpie, 2 Nuthatch, 6 Long Tailed Tit, Treecreeper, 2 M. Bullfinch, Jay, Coal Tit, 2 Stock Doves   >NW , 4 possible Redwing > NW and a few other sp.

Spot the Treecreeper