A Welsh Christmas

On Tuesday 23rd, looking in a field near Llannon (near Llanelli in South Wales), I saw a Mistle Thrush. First thing in Mum's garden at Llandarrog, I counted a great total of 11 Blue Tits coming to food, plus 1 Jay, 1 Great Tit, Robin and 2 Blackbirds but sadly no Nuthatches. On the 24th, a walk down the slope from Mum's house to Cymisfael stream, my regular local patch here, revealed calling, a monotone "peuu", Bullfinch from the hedge bordering the road and the wood, also here was a calling "pitchouu" Marsh Tit that showed some white on the wing. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called and flew over from the hdege over the road and into the wood. A fine female Bullfinch was rooting around in the scrub opposite the road junction. Whilst walking along the road bordering the stream, several Blue Tits seen plus a more typical Marsh Tit (long gloss black crown, no white wing panel longer more elongated shape than Willow) feeding by the edge of the road. Also seen here perched on a ivy clad tree stump, was a Coal Tit. By the fields, a croaking Raven flew west overhead, whilst hearing the odd Redwing "psstt" calls in the distance. I was delighted to see perched on the rock on the stream, a fishing Dipper flying and diving into the water after invertebrates it returned to its rock perch before flying over to the nearside bank of the stream, finally a calling Nuthatch was seen perched on a thick tree trunk.