The Dee and Thereabouts

Category: Flintshire

  • By Flint Castle

    (Sunday 16th August, 2026)

    This morning, we were at the Dee Estuary over by Flint Castle, arriving just after low tide. In Flintshire this week, the mercury reached the mid-thirties so today’s low temperature of just 16°C made a nice change, especially with the barely perceptible wind from the north-west.

    Flint Castle

    Flint Castle

        My knowledge of Flint Castle is very limited, which is a bit embarrassing considering that I live only a few miles away. However, I do know it’s where King Richard II surrendered to Henry Bolingbroke, who would later become King Henry IV. (Oddly, I first learnt about this when studying William Shakespeare’s Richard II in school, which was er…one or two years ago now!)

    Tower at Flint Castle

        Visibility was fair but the poor light seemed to project an atmospheric gloominess onto the castle and its surroundings. The castle does offer a wonderfully scenic backdrop to the estuary, though you’ll also find more modern edifices in the vicinity – the Flintshire Bridge which spans the Dee and the four distinctive chimneys of Connah’s Quay Power Station, for example. So, a marked combination of the old and the new!

    Flintshire Bridge & PS

    The Flintshire Bridge and the four chimneys of Connah’s Quay Power Station

        There was a flock of Swallows (Hirundo rustica) flying low along a water channel on the marsh. (Though it’s difficult to pinpoint these channels accurately from the ground, you can follow their rising and falling contours along the marsh – possibly you’d have a much clearer view up on the ramparts of the castle, though I’m only guessing).The Swallows were evidently feeding on the wing and every now and then they would land on the ground to re-energise before taking to the air once again. They were quite far away from us – and very fast – so there’s not much detail in the photograph, but it was great to watch them.

    Swallows at Flint
    Statue at Flint

    The low-flying Swallows (top) went unnoticed by this chap (bottom)

        While we were watching this display, a Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) alighted on a nearby Hawthorn bush. The orange breast, white collar and black head on the bird identified it as male. He stayed there for a moment or two before exploring the marshland a bit further out.

    Stonechat at Flint
    Stonechat at Flint 2

    Stonechat

        Further inland from the estuary, we watched a Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba) as it scoured the short grass for spiders and insects, its tail bobbing up and down characteristically. As its name implies, the Pied wagtail’s markings are black, white and grey and it really is quite a lovely bird. This one was later joined by its mate.

    Pied wagtail at Flint

    Pied wagtail

        As we made our way back through the castle grounds, a Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) landed on a leaf in front of us and paused to take a breather. It opened its wings to allow us a decent view, although I suppose it was really trying to warm up in the weak sunlight! Speckled woods have lovely cream-coloured spots which contrast with their otherwise dark brown colour. You can see the ‘eyes’ on the wings in the photograph – one on each forewing and three on each hindwing. These butterflies like damp areas and you’ll often see them in woods – they’re particularly noticeable along dappled areas where the sun peeps through, claiming shafts of sunlight as their ‘territory’.

    Speckled wood at Flint

    Speckled wood

    The important stuff

    On the return journey, we called in at the café in Daleside Garden Centre, Hawarden, for a slice of Bakewell (Col) and Coffee and Walnut cake (Stu) with our cappuccinos. Marvellous!

  • Big Pool Wood

    (Sunday 9th August, 2026)

    Over to Big Pool Wood in Gronant, Flintshire this morning. This was our first time here and what a little gem of a place it is! The site is a woodland and reed bed nature reserve that lies adjacent to the Bridlewood Equestrian Centre.

       The reserve is small, comprising just four hectares (roughly 5 football pitches) but this smallness offers an intimacy not often experienced at larger sites and the reserve’s three hides provide close observation at different points of the reed bed. (The hides also have bird identification books inside if you don’t have your own).

    Long-tailed tit Big

    Long-tailed tit

        The whole reserve, which is overseen by the North Wales Wildlife Trust, has been well thought out. The site is well-maintained and has a circular walk with wooden boardwalks interspersed with hard surface paths making it accessible for wheelchair users. The feeders in front of the hides must have been recently stocked when we got there as several birds were greedily feasting!

    Blue tit 3 Big Pool
    Blue tit Big Pool
    Blue tit 2 Big Pool

    Above: These Blue-tits are juveniles – note the yellow cheeks rather than the white of the adults and the crowns that are more grey than blue

        We saw Blue tits, Long-tailed tits, Great tits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches and several Reed warblers. We also caught a brief glimpse of a Moorhen before it quickly disappeared into the undergrowth. Further around the main pathway, we followed a side path that led into the reed bed. While we paused to look out we saw the tops of the reeds moving, disturbed by whatever bird or animal was stealthily creeping below! It might have been the Moorhen.

    Reed warbler Big Pool

    Reed warbler

        There was activity on the opposite side to the reed bed too: ringing the outside of the main path is a small woodland where we were entertained by show-off squirrels and where much more timid Wrens made fleeting appearances. We also saw a small, mixed flock of Greenfinches and Chaffinches scooting from one tree to another.

    Squirrel Big Pool Wood
    Wren Big Pool Wood

    Top: Show-off squirrels were quite a common sight; bottom: unlike the much shyer Wren

    Actually, we were grateful for the shelter of the woods as, although the temperature was just 22°C, which should have been quite comfortable, the lack of wind and humidity was noticeable out in the open stretches.

        There were a couple more Greenfinches at the feeders, separate from those in the mixed flock. We’ve seen increasing amounts of these birds in several different areas on both the English and Welsh side of the Dee this year. Greenfinches were particularly afflicted by the trichomoniasis disease and hopefully they’ve come through the worst of it. It’s probably too early to say yet, I suppose, but the signs are encouraging.

    Greenfinch Big Pool Wood

    Greenfinch

        The pool itself was virtually dry with just a little layer of mud at the base of the reeds, although there were lots of alder and willow on the fringes. Both species of tree favour saturated land and actually thrive in water, which is a sign of how wet this area can be. However, it seems that nowhere has escaped the recent prolonged dry spell.

        The nature reserve is in a lovely setting and is quiet and tranquil (we saw only five other people all morning). Well worth a visit.   

    The important stuff

    There’s no café at Big Pool Wood but not to worry: one thing we are both confident of is our refreshment-spot expertise, which we’ve amassed over many years’ experience! So we called in at the café at Abakhan on our way back. We accompanied our cappuccinos with White Chocolate and Cranberry (Col) and Caramel Biscoff (Stu) – at least I can claim mine constitutes one of my ‘five-a-day’ fruits!

  • Butterfly Highway

    (Monday 6th July – Friday 10th July)

    The UK once again recorded very high temperatures during this latest heatwave although it’s been even warmer in the rest of Europe. With Chief Photographer Stu currently away on holiday, this week’s blog is just a record of the butterflies and one or two other insects that have visited the garden.

    Peacock g
    Peacock ggg
    Peacock gg

    Above: Peacock butterflies

         I’ve spent a lot of time venturing no further than the garden in this hot weather and this has turned out to be a good thing as I managed to photograph quite a variety of butterflies during the course of the week. In fact, there were a further two  species of butterfly that appeared but which I was unable to get a decent photograph of – a Gatekeeper and several Green-veined Whites. But it certainly is encouraging to see such a diverse range.

    Red Admiral gg
    Red Admiral g
    Red underwing

    Top and middle: Red admiral with wings open; bottom: Red admiral showing underwing

        Undoubtedly the Buddleia bush (also known as the Butterfly bush for good reason) at the bottom of the garden has been helpful in attracting the various butterflies. The Red admirals and Peacocks appear to be the biggest fans of the flowers, although Small tortoiseshells, Small whites and Green-veined whites have also been drawn to the bush, though in lesser numbers. The flowers have a lovely scent which seems more pronounced as the evening draws in so presumably the plant attracts night-time pollinators too.

    Small white g
    Green vein g
    Small tortoise g

    Top: Small white; middle: Large white (underwing); bottom: Small tortoiseshell

        The other benefit of the Buddleia is that the butterflies tend to dawdle on the flowers and spread their wings, so can be motionless for at least a few moments which was ideal for getting the odd photograph!

        Not all butterfly species are drawn to Buddleias though: when the Commas (there are two of them) are not whizzing maniacally up and down the garden, they usually prefer to rest on the Hazel leaves – as do the Large whites. But the butterflies that I see more than any others here are the Holly blues, although they rarely stay in one place for very long.

    Comma g
    Holly blue g

    Top: Comma; bottom: Holly blue

        Besides the butterflies, both Buff-tailed and White-tailed Bumblebees are regular visitors: I’d just been snapping away and still had the camera at hand when I caught sight of an insect that I don’t ever recall seeing before, though I believe they are increasingly common in the UK. This is the Hornet hoverfly, sometimes referred to as the Hornet mimic hoverfly. As its name might suggest, it is similar in size and appearance to the European hornet and imitates its buzzing flight, chiefly to deter predators from approaching it when it visits flowers. Unlike the four-winged European hornet, however, the hoverfly– like all true flies – only has two wings. It also lacks a sting.

    White-tailed Bumblebee
    Mimic hornet
    Mimic hornet a

    Top: White-tailed Bumblebee; middle and bottom: (Mimic) Hornet hoverfly (apologies for the blurred picture)

    The important stuff

    From the garden I went all the way to Café Chez Col where I had a lovely cup of tea, which tasted almost as if I’d made it myself, and an Almond slice made by some bloke who makes “exceedingly good cakes”. Very nice!

  • Egrets and Ditches

    (Sunday 28th June, 2026)

    We were at Mostyn this morning where the 21°C temperature offered a pleasant change from the recent heatwave that we endured in the UK earlier this week. The breeze (WSW) was barely noticeable as we made our way from the path behind Abakhan and headed towards the shore at Mostyn.

        Several Housemartins flew over the cornfield to our left, gathering insects on the wing. Bare only a matter of weeks ago, this field now has an impressive crop of corn flourishing in it.

        Encouragingly, we saw an abundance of butterflies during the walk. Primarily, these were Small whites and Green-veined whites, although there were other species making an occasional appearance such as Small tortoiseshells and Gatekeepers. We weren’t sure if the large number was a consequence of the recent hot weather or if this just happens to be a particularly good place for butterflies. Certainly the area does appear to be flourishing at the moment with trees, hedges and undergrowth all looking verdantly leafy, although some rain might be welcome.

    Small tortoiseshell Mostyn
    Gatekeeper Mostyn
    Small white Mostyn

    Top: Small tortoiseshell; middle: Gatekeeper (underwing); bottom: Small white butterfly

        There were several Goldfinches merrily chirruping away as they stop-started along the treetops. One of them strayed from the rabble and tooted out a tune from its perch on a telephone wire.

    Goldfinch Mostyn

    Goldfinch

        A male Blackbird was perched on a post with something in its beak, though we couldn’t quite make out what this was (we were a bit confused by the long branch but this is actually behind the bird). The bird’s feathers looked a little bit bedraggled and, as it’s a little bit too early for the annual moult, I think this can be put down to two things. Adult Blackbirds that are rearing young chicks can have a ragged or even bald appearance as they can be susceptible to parasites that might have infested their nests. Also their feathers are probably not being preened as often as they perhaps ought to be either: parent birds can easily neglect to carry out their regular self-care due to the need to find and deliver food for their offspring.

    Blackbird Mostyn

    Male Blackbird looking a bit bedraggled

        A little further along from the Blackbird, we saw a Greenfinch contentedly sitting low on a branch, seemingly just letting the world go by. This one is male as you can see from the olive green feathers on his back – the females and juveniles tend to be  much more muted in colour overall.

    Mostyn Greenfinch

    Male Greenfinch

        As we came to the end of the path, we scanned the irrigation ditch which lies parallel to the estuary shore. We were looking for the Kingfisher that we’d seen the last time we were here, a month ago but we didn’t manage to see it this time.

        What we did see, though, were two Little egrets. Each bird was in a different stretch of the water and each of them seemed to be staying within its own particular territory, although I suspect that they were only adapting temporarily while they waited for the tide of the nearby Dee Estuary to recede once again, at which point they would migrate to the mud and sand to feast on what the water uncovered.

    Little egret Mostyn

    Little egret – note the two crest plumes and the chest feathers of the breeding plumage. You can also see the egret’s yellow feet

        Each of the Little egrets had long plumes at the back of their heads and on their chests. These are typically seen during the breeding season but, as both males and females grow breeding plumages, it’s very difficult to tell the sexes apart. The male is slightly larger in size but this is only a useful indicator if the two sexes are standing next to each other. Though we usually get a good look at the black bills and black legs of Little egrets, we don’t ordinarily get a decent view of their feet, as they’re usually submerged in water or otherwise difficult to see. However, this time we could clearly see their yellow feet which make a distinct contrast to their black legs.

    We looked along the shore but, probably because the tide was high and almost reaching the boulder breakers, there were no sea birds to be seen at all today. Apart from one angler who was putting away his fishing gear as we were returning from the shore, we saw nobody else on the entire walk. A lovely spot.

    Robin Mostyn

    An old friend

    The important stuff

    We retraced our footsteps and went to the Café at Abakhan for a cappuccino each, which were accompanied by a Raspberry Bakewell slice (Col) and a Cranberry and white chocolate slice (Stu). Naturally, we were both very pleased to have achieved one of our ‘five a day’ healthy fruit portions!

  • A Morning at Mostyn

    (Sunday 24th May, 2026)

    We were down at Mostyn this morning, looking over towards the Wirral Peninsula from the Flintshire side of the Dee Estuary. Bright and sunny, the temperature was still pleasantly comfortable at 23°C and the wind (SSW) barely noticeable. Although the temperature climbed during the afternoon, it was still much lower than those expected over the next few days. [Note: the UK May Bank Holiday heat record was broken at Kew Gardens in London the following day, where the temperature reached 34.8°C. It was exceptionally warm throughout most of the UK and locally temperature of 32.2°C was recorded at Hawarden Airport, just twenty miles away. Such temperatures would have been a bit too much for us pair of old duffers, we reckon].

    pathmost

        We parked up near Abakhan Stores and followed the narrow path towards the rear of the buildings. Several Goldfinches darting from tree to tree either side of the us as we progressed: the collective noun for Goldfinches is a charm, the word deriving from the Old English word c’irm which describes the chattering sound they make. Apparently, the birds are not particularly charming in the modern sense, but we love them all the same![1]

    Dogrose2

    Dog roses

        Either side of this path are fields with irrigation ditches running along the bottom. And where there’s water, of course, there are insects, which in turn attract the birds. Above the field to our left, two House martins displayed their aerial acrobatics as they fed on the wing, one moment carving wide graceful arcs through the sky, the next moment adeptly feinting left and right at seemingly impossible angles to catch their prey unawares. Wonderful to watch!

    Lancaster

    TSS Duke of Lancaster

        At the bottom of the path lies the TSS Duke of Lancaster which is fenced off and has lain beached down here since 1979. The ship was originally built in the mid-1950s for British Railways which, at the time, operated ferry services as well as trains. The TSS Duke of Lancaster primarily served passengers travelling between Heysham, in Lancashire, and Belfast. You can find more detailed information about the ship’s history on Wikipedia.[2]

    Lancaster2

        Looking out over the Dee Estuary, we saw a large flock of Oystercatchers making the most of low tide and using their distinctive orange beaks to forage in the mudflats nearby.

    Oyster2
    Oystercatchers
    Oysteragain

    Oystercatchers

    Occasionally, a group of them would take to the air at some unseen signal and fly out to a sandspit further out into the wide expanse of the estuary, returning in similar fashion later. (At its mouth, the Welsh and the English sides of the Dee Estuary are about five miles apart).

    Hilbre

    Looking towards Hilbre Island near the Wirral side of the Dee Estuary

    A Grey heron flew in and began hunting for food in the shallows. It stood motionless for minutes on end before spearing its unfortunate prey with a lightning strike of its beak.

    Reflective heron

    Above: A reflective Grey heron; and, below: a Herring gull

    Herring gull

        As we set off back along the path on our return journey, Stu pointed towards the irrigation ditch and said: “Kingfisher!” I turned round and, but I only saw the distinctive electric-blue and turquoise of its back as it flew away from us along the ditch. We stayed for a while, scanning the area with our binoculars and, eventually, managed to locate it quite some distance away in a tree overhanging the water. We were just able to pick out the turquoise / blue of its feathers from the surrounding tree foliage before it moved off again. No photographs but great to see and we now have a reasonable idea of its territory.

        We were accompanied by our Goldfinch friends on the way back along the path and we clocked a rabbit at the edge of the field on the opposite side to the ditch, where there is a small thicket bordering the field. Whether it sensed danger or not, the rabbit decided to retreat back undercover.

    Peacock butterfly

    Peacock butterfly taking the sun

    The important stuff

        Well, after all this excitement, we were in dire need of refreshment. So we sauntered off to the cool and spacious Café at Abakhan where we partook of a cappuccino each and a Caramel Slice (Col) and Coffee and Walnut cake (Stu).

    Dee-estuary

    [1] From Living with Birds https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetapedia/21-facts-on-goldfinch

    [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSS_Duke_of_Lancaster

  • On Silent Wings

    (Thursday 2nd October, 2025)

        I was in the back yard this evening just getting a breath or two of fresh air after work and, without consciously realising, I had fallen into my usual habit of scanning the treetops and rooves of nearby houses. There was neither sight nor sound of any birds – even the familiar chacking of my numerous Jackdaw neighbours was absent. I didn’t think anything of this really: it was approaching dusk and I assumed all of our avian friends had settled in for the night.

        However, as I was looking around me, something caught my attention higher up in the sky. I saw a dozen or so birds flying quite high. They were together, but in a loose flock if you know what I mean, and they were flying silently. These birds had me puzzled to tell the truth: I hesitantly identified them as gulls, but they disappeared from view before I could be sure. I leaned back, trying to see if there were any more birds, and after a few moments I spotted another group. Again, these were quite high up and I didn’t have my binoculars, but judging by their outlines, these were definitely gulls, although I don’t know which type of gull.

        Over the next fifteen minutes or so, several more of these eerily silent gulls flew by, all seemingly heading north-west towards the Wirral side of the Dee estuary. I would never have seen them, even known that they were there, because of their uncharacteristic silence – well, gulls are often the most raucous of birds we encounter!

        I looked online later to see if this was usual behaviour for gulls flying across the evening sky and, as you might expect, there was no definitive answer, although others have evidently witnessed gulls passing in similarly quiet circumstances. One or two people suggested that the gulls were heading out to sea in the knowledge that fishing boats were in the vicinity (presumably with their hauls). This may or may not be true, but this evening’s high tide was around 20:00 hours (although the high tide time varies depending on exactly which part of Wirral the gulls were heading). Nevertheless, the gulls flew past me about an hour or so beforehand, so it’s possible that the intention was to be onshore as the tide began to retreat, exposing the crustaceans and molluscs that they favour. I can’t help thinking that this theory is a bit limited though, given that most gull species will eat anything!

    No photographs for this post I’m afraid – just an observation. (The gulls were too far away for my humble camera-phone anyway). 1

    1. I witnessed this phenomenon again on the following evening although the gulls were flying lower this time. It was windier than the previous night due to Storm Amy (although Scotland bore the brunt of the winds) and I thought possibly the storm might have had a bearing on the gulls’ behaviour. However, I’m inclined to think that it’s more the timing of the tides. I’m writing this three days later (Monday 6th October) and I haven’t seen any similar activity in the last three evenings. Anyway, something to look out for – well, if you’re me at least!
      ↩︎

  • Geese on the Wing

    (Sunday 17th August, 2025)

       Over to Burton Marsh this morning on the western side of the Wirral peninsula. After parking up, we followed the path north-westwards towards Neston, flushing out a male Pheasant from the marsh scrub as we walked close by, although it was completely accidental. It was a little hazy looking over the marsh towards the Flintshire Bridge, but this quickly cleared during the morning.

    Flintshire Bridge in the haze

    We saw several separate flocks of Canada geese flying over various sections of the marsh’s broad expanse. (I should call them ‘skeins’ of geese as they were all flying, but the term seems a little pretentious somehow). We were fortunate that one small flock passed quite close above and we witnessed two of the geese move from the rear to the front, which is something that neither of us had seen before other than on television. As the pair moved up, the flying-V formation was somehow maintained. The photograph below captures the moment just after the two Canada geese had changed positions with the rest of the birds.

    Canada geese switching positions

        I believe that Canada geese resident in the United Kingdom are viewed as non-migratory, although I can guarantee that my local golf-course pond will be absent of Canada geese and Greylag geese for the winter months again this year, so they must go elsewhere within the country. (Mind you, I think that the two pairs of Moorhens that remain here, near my home in North Wales, breathe a sigh of relief at their temporary absence!) I only mention this because I’m convinced that the numerous (let’s be pretentious) skeins of Canada geese flying over the marshes were stretching their wings to keep in trim for a longer flight to be taken soon – perhaps to the eastern part of the country? Whatever the reason, the geese were very active this morning. One group of about seven geese had two stragglers trying desperately to catch up with the rest of their companions: we immediately named them ‘Colin’ and ‘Stuart’, to nobody else’s amusement but our own!

    Still chortling at our amazing wittiness, we observed lots of Swallows zipping low down over the marsh gathering and eating as many insects as they could, in order to help ready themselves for the 6,000 mile journey back to South Africa and Namibia, where they will over-winter. We saw hundreds more Swallows later, massing on the telephone lines by Net’s Café, where we inevitably ended up so as to satisfy our demanding stomachs.

    Common mallow, Meadowsweet, Yellow iris, Common hemp-nettle (the leaves of which don’t carry a sting but can nevertheless be an irritant to skin) and Crab apple trees bordered the lanes. Fruits were also supplied by Hawthorns (haw berries) Blackthorns (sloes) and Dog roses (rosehips). The thorny thickets formed by these shrubs and trees are also ideal for nesting, as they help offer protection from predators.   

    Teasel
    Sloes on Blackthorn
    Common hemp-nettle

        Teasel, Blackthorn, and Common hemp-nettle

    The important stuff

    As mentioned above, we concluded the day’s outing at Net’s Café, where we both had our usual cappuccinos – accompanied by a Chocolate Brownie (Stu) and a slice of Cinnamon and Apple cake (Col). Scrumptious!

    Canada geese on the turn

  • Butterfly blues

     (Thursday 3rd July, 2025)

    Harlequin ladybird

    Down to the garden after work – I noticed a Harlequin ladybird on the brown bin lid as I went by. This one was a pale yellow with black spots, though what it was doing on the bin lid I have no idea. Jackdaws and Crows predominated today and both corvids were very voluble in their own raucous ways.

    My resident Robin appeared,

        hopping along the ridge of the fence to see what was to be seen, and three Goldfinch seemed to be tree-hopping, twittering as they did so.

        I watched excitedly as a large, yellow butterfly fluttered around the Buddleia at the far end of the garden, and then flew towards me before disappearing over the hedge. This was the first Brimstone I had seen for a couple of years. In fact, this was my first ever sighting of a male Brimstone, having only ever seen one Brimstone previously, which was the lime-green female. (The female was at the entrance to the path that edges the golf club, which is about half a mile away, although further away in time) I am so pleased to have seen one again. I’m not very knowledgeable about butterflies, but I believe the Brimstone is very scarce here in North Wales.

        It was certainly a day for butterflies: besides the Brimstone, there were a few solo, Green-veined whites, and a pair of Large whites twisting around each other as they flew over me to the other side of the hedge. And there was a Holly blue climbing up and down the ivy of the hedge, not unlike a bee in its rather haphazard flight. And I’m sure I saw a male Common blue. Certainly, it was a lot brighter blue than the  mauve-blue shade I associate with the Holly blue, but I was puzzled as this Common blue was flying up and along the high hedge – apparently it’s generally the Holly blue that flies high while other blue butterflies fly low. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to photograph it so it will have to remain a ‘maybe’.

  • Aerial view

    (Monday 16th June, 2025)

        A couple of female Blackbirds put in separate appearances while I was in the garden today: presumably they were gathering food for their respective broods. My eyes were drawn to a snail shell at the base of some past-flowering cowslips. It was bright yellow with dark brown – almost black – concentric bands. I looked it up later and this is the Brown-lipped snail (also known as the Brown-lipped banded snail). The name refers to the band of colour around the shell’s opening.  

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    The shell colour can vary from light yellow to dark brown, although oranges and pinks can occur (I’m beginning to sound like a Weather Forecaster, covering all eventualities!), and there can be from none to five bands (or stripes). You won’t be surprised to learn that the reasons for the variations in shell colour and banding are not known, though it is suspected that camouflage might play a part.

    The Brown-lipped snail is common throughout most of the United Kingdom and can be seen in various habitats, including woodland, hedgerows, and gardens, so the variations may be adaptations to their surroundings, although nobody can say for sure.

        Behind me, I heard a lovely tinkling sound. I looked up and, sure enough, there was the usual Goldfinch singing from his perch at the end of next door’s television aerial. This particular Goldfinch has been taking a turn for a few days now: one day he continued to sing while a Jackdaw perched on the chimney pot a little lower. In fact, the Jackdaw flew off, leaving behind the Goldfinch!

        I left this colourful chorister singing and turned back to the garden. Another Goldfinch sang from the top branches of the willow in my neighbour’s garden and then flew across mine, landing over the far side of the hedge, where it resumed its song. No wonder they’re called a ‘charm’ of Goldfinches!  

  • Unflappable Buzzard

    (Thursday 19th June, 2025)

        In the garden during today’s promised heatwave (the temperature reached 29° in Hawarden). I could hear two Wood pigeons calling to each other and some Jackdaws doing the same. From time to time, I heard what I first thought was a single long ‘coo’, which came across as a long purr of contentment! However, I soon realised that the long purring ‘coo’ was preceded by a shorter sound, and this was probably the sound of a nesting Wood pigeon.

        Interspersed with it usual melodious song, a Blackbird issued a series of clicks – tchk – tchk – tchk … and these were answered by its mate as it passed by over the garden fence. I’m sure that there’s a nest in the hedge, although I’m not quite sure what the clicking noises mean.

        My ponderings were interrupted by several piercing cries from above. I looked up and saw that the racket was coming from three Herring gulls that had become alarmed by the appearance of a Common buzzard. Despite the ‘mobbing’ of the gulls, the buzzard continued unperturbed in its majestic ascent on the thermals. I noted that none of the gulls came too close to the predator though: I’ve watched even single crows chasing buzzards with more boldness!

        Things settled down as the buzzard slowly gyrated further through the azure sky. Two of the Herring gulls seemed to take it in turns to guard a chimney pot on one of the nearby houses, so they may well be nesting and perhaps this explains the earlier commotion. Mind you, they are noisy birds anyway!