Out early yesterday and again today the silence on the Carr is wonderful with the airport noise reduced, the only sound is the ice under your feet. That is till about nine when engines start, sirens on the A696 wail, the beat box cars of the local horse owners boom down the road and the farmer, in a tractor with a turnover like a tank, trundles a load of hay to the waiting horses. Never mind, live and let live.
Before these interruptions a good hour or so was had observing the flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing feeding and drinking. They are increasingly forced onto the ground as most of the berries have either been eaten or fallen from the hawthorn bushes, the local Herons however seem to have adopted a habit of sitting atop the highest trees! Bird numbers are decreasing as the freeze continues and they move to areas where the minor thaw is evident but one local resident seemed quite content with his / her lot. This Weasel had a burrow under the timbers of a fence with a drinking hole next to a branch poking through the ice and was taking advantage of the fallen berries as Christmas fare. It wasn't particularly concerned as I watched it dashing from place to place for almost ten minutes but always keeping a beady eye in my direction
One downside of the weather is that the Short eared Owls seem to have moved on as I haven't had a sighting for a week now so...... new header reflecting the latest star on a seasonably white Carr.
Had a shortie up there on Christmas eve Peter, so they are hopefully still around.
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