Took a drive out to the Coronation plantation in Wicklow today.
Temp in Drimnagh was 7º, Temp at Sally Gap was 2º, drips of water had frozen into icicles.
There was no snow except for a dusting on the top of some of the highest points. Amazing scenery up there, but I only had my big lens so no landscapes here I'm afraid.
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| The River Liffey, Coronation plantation, Wicklow |
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| Usually a good spot for Dippers |
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| Coronation Plantation monument. I looked at the inscription but it was very worn away and in parts unfinished, there was a date that started 18 but didn't finish (assumed 1831, William iv Coronation, which is when these Scots Pines were planted). |
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| Cold snap after an incredibly mild few months. Wicklow, Feb 5th 2012, 2º |
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| I walked up through the heather to the top, it was near desolate except for some Sika. Sika Stag - antlers re-growing |
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| More Sika, Wicklow mountains. Sika are non native - they're Japanese deer imported for Powerscourt estate originally |
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| Found this down next to the river on a mound of grass (that's a 20c coin, no comments on exposure please). |
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| The whole skeleton of this animal was on the ground - no idea what it was, I just know it's not a rat - if it is, I'm leaving. |
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| Out of the corner of my eye I kept thinking the black in the sky was a Raptor. |
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| But it's the top of the RTE transmitter on Kippure mountain. |
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| Should have lightened this, but shows you how dark the day was - There's a Red Squirrel in there if you look closely. |
It was a quiet day - which was really nice - every time I stopped to listen, there wasn't anything much to hear - birdwise or anything wise.
Just the river and the wind.
I did hear, then saw a Wren. I saw where a Greater spotted woodpecker had made holes in a tree and I heard what I think was a Great tit. Other than the pellet there were no other Raptor signs and I didn't see any Red grouse around the plantation or south of the Sally Gap which I had been hoping for.
Oh, several Ravens in flight in this area.
