Long Wood,Betws Bledrws

A search for Marsh Tits proved fruitful with a single bird present at a regular spot just below the memorial garden. Otherwise, a single Stock Dove and a Hare up on one of the hill forts. I noticed that Song Thrushes were back singing, particularly in a favoured breeding area in the conifers near the car park. They have neen noticeably scarce or absent all winter from this area of the county it has seemed to me.(Maybe this is so every winter and I just haven't noticed before?). However, I have seen birds now and again when I've been working nearer the coast. The BTO's migration atlas suggests that they will make short migrations, particularly in especially severe winters. So perhaps they had gone no further than a few km to escape the cold or maybe to Ireland or France? Though we are lucky enough to have so much information these days about bird migration I dare say that if we knew just exactly how mobile some of our 'resident' birds are we'd still be astonished.