Coach Road & Priestley Green

14:30 Coach Road.

We had an hour birding late afternoon today. We had another look for the elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but without success.

It was very dark and gloomy, especially under the trees, as we had the short stroll up and down the main track.

There was plenty of bird song and the usual stuff knocking about.

I did see 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker down there – which is some sort of record for me.

Also about Nuthatch, Greenfinch, 3 Jay.

We stopped at Priestley Green on the way home and had a 15 minute look about.

I had a report, from a young man down here on my last visit, of a Merlin.

As we went down the track,a raptor flew past , coming quite close.

At first I thought Kestrel, but it was slightly smaller than a Kestrel, very slim and angular with a grey back.

It flew quite low, maybe 10 feet from the ground, and disappeared into some ‘Rhodenderan type’ foliage – never to be seen again.

I did have the camera around my neck but failed to get a pic. again – very frustrating.

I did see a Kestrel, from the car,  on the way up Soaper House Lane.

I’ll get a Merlin picture one day (oh, and of course a pic. of the Lesser Pecker).

Pool/ snooker tonight, to look forward to – don’t think I’ll bother to take the camera.

 Some (not too great) photos:-