Avoca

Took advantage of the break in the bad weather with a trip to Avoca on Thursday this week. Got a train to Rathdrum with M.P. and headed out to trek the scenic route through Avondale Forest Park. Our first surprise of the day was an early bird fox on the prowl through the fields just outside Rathdrum.

 

The park itself sees a lot of human (and dog) traffic so there wasn't a whole lot to see bar great, blue and coal tit, chaffinch, blackbird and the ever present rook and jackdaw. Outside the park and back on the road we stopped beside a shaded glade where M.P. picked up two Jay rummaging through the leaf litter (his first ever and my first for three years). They were a treat to watch, moving between ditches and branches looking for a snack. Just as we were about to leave a Treecreeper flew in beside us and went about its business unconcerned with our presence.

We continued on towards 'The Meeting of the Waters' where we found Long-tailed tit and a showy little Goldcrest as well as a large number of Grey Squirrel, one of whom I interrupted at breakfast!

We saw two Raven while walking the path but the show really started as we headed to my favourite spot, the old graveyard, on the far side of Avoca. Just outside the village two Red Kites put on an aerial show for us which was simply stunning! These fantastic birds may be commonplace in parts of England and further afield (even to the good people of Avoca it seemed) but I for one, and I'm pretty sure M.P. for two, will never get tired of seeing them as up close and personal as they were that day.

We eventually tore ourselves away and moved on towards to the old graveyard. We spotted more Raven here and a high count of nine distant Kites but it was the Buzzard that stole the show here. Two birds at first but four at times, they soared high above us, stooping, carrying and dropping food items and flying in unison through the trees, their display was amazing to witness.

They way back gave us a brazen male Bullfinch and, as if not to be outdone, a Red Kite, perched in the pines looking ready to settle in for the night.

 I would highly recommend a visit to Avoca to anybody of a similar mind-set as myself as the Kites here are truly something to behold.