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When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-7 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Thursday, 25 February 2021

Another Good Clean Boots Walk 25th February 2021

A Dunnock singing at The Riverside, Saltney.
A singing Hedge accentor.
A singing European robin.
A Song thrush hiding in the hedge.
A hovering Common kestrel.
A Common kestrel resting after a spell of hunting.
Daffodils and Snowdrops by the path at Sealand.
The first Seaplane that I have seen coming into land at Hawarden Airport.
Distance: 13.1 miles. Climb: 215'.
Time: 4 hours 57 minutes. On the move walking average: 3.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.6 m.p.h.
Wind speed: 0 - 5.2 m.p.h.
Temperature: 11.1 - 13.2 Celsius.
This was another almost perfect day for walking, dry, warm and sunny with only the occasional breeze.
The birds seemed to be quite quiet, except for the numerous European robins that were singing everywhere, but it was good to hear several Dunnocks singing and even better at least four Skylarks, but as yet I have failed to spot even one.  The challenge continues.
Surprisingly, the four Whooper swans were still in the same field near Deeside House, and I did get good views of A Common kestrel hunting.
In the past I have often grumbled about cyclists on the Wales Coast Path, but today most did "share with care" except for one who came so close to 85 year old Archie that he fell over backwards down the side of the embankment. Thankfully he was OK and continued homeward.
However the cyclists on the Millenium Greenway were out in numbers, not usually solo riders but in groups, one having about ten riders all cycling close to each other - once again covid social distancing rules being totally ignored.
Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Moorhen, Long tailed tit, Woodpigeon, Blue tit, Great tit, Black billed magpie, Dunnock, Common blackbird, European robin, Carrion crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Oystercatcher, Common redshank, Canada goose.Great cormorant, Common chaffinch, Skylark, Stonechat, Whooper swan, Black headed gull, Herring gull, Goldfinch, Common starling, Feral pigeon, House sparrow, Common kestrel and Common buzzard.
I was back home early enough to watch the last hour or so of the India v England Test match, but when I switched the TV on, they were already shaking hands. England had lost the test match that had only lasted two days - doesn't seem like a wicket made for a five day test match!

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