Sunday 20 September 2015

Agatha Christie and Wildlife

Saturday & Sunday: Mainly sunny after a misty start, 17°, light SE to SW.

2 walks over the week end along the Agatha Christie Trail.

Over the week end Loren and I plus a few others were helping Tony Rayner lead a couple of walks along the Agatha Christie Trail between Wallingford and Cholsey.

As well as some locals on the walks we had visitors from Cornwall, Devon, Romania, Holland, Australia, USA, Brazil and Japan to name but a few.

Tony would commentate on various aspects of Agatha Christie’s life in Cholsey and also some local recent history and some that dates back to Iron Age, Saxon and medieval times.

On the Saturday we walked from Wallingford to Cholsey and the Sunday a walk to Wallingford from Cholsey and catching the heritage train back along the Bunk line.

Agatha Christie is buried in Cholsey and lived for 40+ years in Winterbrook House (Cholsey) and was a regular visitor to both Cholsey Village and Wallingford Town.

Fortunately I was able to do some birding, after all we were outside so no problem!

Migrants found were 2 Stonechat, found today both along the Bunk Line, one near to Cholsey and the other near Winterbrook, also several Siskin overhead and a couple of Yellow Wagtail with some Pied Wagtail. A Blackcap and up to 7 Chiffchaff.

Whilst in Cholsey Churchyard this morning a flock of 300+ Hirundines (Swallow & House Martin) flew over moving south and over the last couple of days over a 1000 birds counted in total.

Unfortunately no Dragonflies of Butterflies noted.

Birds noted: Pheasant, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Blackback Gull, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Swallow House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer.


 Tony in Winterbrook
 The Trail from Cholsey
 The Bunk passing us along the trail
 Agatha Christie's grave
 an informative chat at the graveside
Heading back along Winterbrook
The train drivers
 A very old train driver
 A forgotton passenger
 The return train journey
 Our Japanese visitor
 Still happy!
 A new friend
 The Stonechats

A welcome break at the end.

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