Round Robin

Out this morning after the first night in many without any snowfall. Prestwick Carr is frozen and covered in 18 inches of compacting snow but fortunately the ditches are only partly iced over giving birds a chance to feed and drink. The Rabbits also seem to take advantage of this and their tracks are very evident all over this ice which I suppose is easier to walk on then the deep snow. Other tracks evident are Pheasant, Coot and Moorhen along with a smaller version which I would imagine is Water Rail. Lots of doggy prints too unfortunately so can't identify any Fox movements unless we get another covering.

I think this is Moorhen dragging the front toe as usual. The most numerous birds were Blackbird and Fieldfare with Wren, Robin and Yellowhammer putting in a good show and a small flock of Lapwing also present. No geese for the goose count which is hardly suprising given the lack of any grazing.

A Deer was 'snuggled' down beside the fence as I passed the wood and looked pretty much at ease with my presence as were the Robins on the bridge near the golf course where I put some food out in payment for the photo opportunities.

As I returned a Mistle Thrush peered out from the hedgerow as it protected its bush from marauding Fieldfare and Redwing. I've decided Redwing are annoying as I got focused on at least six this morning only for them to fly at the very instant I took the shot! Even the Mistle Thrush managed to move its head.



Then, as I passed Mayfair Cottage a Barn Owl passed just feet in front of me, did once round the garden then back into the copse nearby and off over the fields. Hunting at 9.30am shows times are hard but Richard the goat man advises me the bird had been aroound most evenings and has taken mice from around the sheds so this bird has clearly learned to forage nearer habitation to get success. I wish it well and would feed live mice if I could.

Two more

No not these two who are currently regulars along with two other Robins, who seem to have temporarily ceased any hostilities, and Woodys missus who never seems to visit at the same time so perhaps there's an estrangement in the Pecker family. Not often I get them in the same frame though and the snap shot taken on totally the wrong setting had to be 'rescued' in Photoshop.

The two more are additions to the garden list for this week being Black headed Gull who, being slightly more agile than the Common Gull who looked on in frustration, managed to land on the kitchen roof and Willow Tit who has been around for a few weeks now. Redwing almost made a visit a flock of ten heading my way diverted to a nearby tree and after a brief pause flew on south but it's only a matter of time before on or other of the Scandinavian Thrushes are driven into the garden by this wretched waether. In fact I'd be quite delighted to help a Song Thrush with a bit of feed but they seem few and far between these days.

Get into upvc

No don't worry folks I'm not getting kinky. The statement is more a bit of investment advice as this weather is taking its toll on guttering and conservatories everywhere. The neighbour to my left has lost rear gutter and eaves whilst neighbour on the right has lost guttering and soil pipe whilst my own rear gutter is severely twisted and the eaves in the process of failure. I watched yesterday as the snow melted just enough for a huge slab of snow to be supported of this tiny piece of plastic until eventually gravity won sending gutter and snow to the ground. Not too bad I suppose as I know of at least three conservatories where snow has plunged through the glazed roof the installation of snow boards having been sadly neglected over the last decade. Anybody with an eaves / gutter repair service is going to be very busy when the white stuff eventually turns to water and no doubt the insurers will be putting up their premiums for those inadequately prepared.

As for birds, the garden has been very busy with additions to the weeks garden list of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crow, Rook, Woodpigeon, Coatl Tit, Wren and the first Yellowhammer for a good while. That's 23 species so far with first winter Common Gull almost making the list but couldn't work out how to make a safe landing and a Snipe doing a close fly past.

Better still the seen from garden list added Jay all of which you will have noted managed to avoid having their images captured. The only half clear shots were the easy ones for which I may as well have been shooting in black and white.

Or is that blue and black?

I blame all of you!

For writing such interesting blogs. There I was at 7.55 having topped up the bird feeders and prepared some fatty morsels consisting of bird seed, sultanas and bread all soaked in lard. Dropped another pack of lard into the frying pan for the next batch put the kettle on to boil intending to return to prepare a cuppa and retired to my computer to brace myself for the days torment. Of course I had to check my e mail and thought I may as well see what blogs had been updated overnight....lots, as usual on a Sunday, so I perused for a moment.

There was a small crash from downstairs and then the fire alarm went off. I knew what I'd done in an instant and ran downstairs to find the back room half full of smoke. Dashed into the kitchen and there amidst the flames from the frying pan was the cover for the cooker hood extract which, despite being alight at either side was still working! Covered the pan with a damp tea towel and dowsed the flames with a pan of water. Then it's close the doors to as many rooms as possible and open all other windows and doors letting the arctic weather rip through.

Well, no serious damage other than the loss of a pan and hood extract and the need for some re-decoration,. Oh joy! I guess it could have been worse if not for the alarm.

Bumpy road......not half! O.k I don't really blame you. It is perfectly obvious there is only one numbskull and he's typing this ..............................

Aerial view

Replenished the feeders at first light and after trying to get some shots of Saturn and Venus which were a spectacular failure (I'm sure my lens doesn't focus on infinty) submitted my Garden Birdwatch tally for last week at 22 species and started this weeks count. 2 Robins, 2 Dunnock, 2 Magpie, 5 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch, 18 Starling, 22 House Sparrow, 1 Blackbird, 5 Jackdaw, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Pied Wagtail and joy of joy 2 Tree Sparrow all in the first hour. Then, as I returned back upstairs I noticed the garden was suddenly deserted.

Well hardly suprising with this old girl keeping an eye out. Tatty looking female Sparrowhawk saving effort in the cold and just waiting on next doors aerial. This is one of at least three birds that visit my garden although with limited success of late although I'm sure the increased numbers of birds feeding will result in them getting a meal.

I'm not sure I want to be the provider of this bounty but I suppose live and let live.

Frozen food

It was a Christmas card scene every way you looked this morning and after a brief snow flurry at 9.00 the sun came out and allowed some better photo opportunities than the flat cold light earlier. Not so many birds about today although still recorded 35 species with by far and away the most abundant being Meadow Pipit at 30+, closely followed by Pied Wagtail all feeding on the frozen floodwater. When I got to Mayfiar Cottage a small flock of Lapwing lifted of the field and there remained a single solitary Hare.

Looks like it's praying for better weather but it could really take some lessons in camouflage from its Scottish relatives! Other mammals seen were Stoat with prey, Roe Deer, Fox and Rabbit so the white stuff has some benefits for the observer if not the observed.

Reed Bunting also seem fairly adaptable to the harsher weather and I noted Blue Tit and a pair of Willow Tit still feeding on exposed bark so the food supply hasn't been iced up just yet. Plenty of berries too so Fieldfare were about especially up the range bridleway where 50 - 100 fed along with a few Redwing and Starlings.

I wish these little blighters would stay still for as moment though. This was the only shot that was close to bad. Watched a snow storm head down the coast as the planes taking off from the airport did climbing turns to avoid flying through it then filled my boots trying to get that Christmas Card Robin shot but I think the light won.

On the way home 38 Pink footed Geese flew south showing a good deal of good sense but I noticed there was an interloper among them. Greylag I assume due to size although it does appear very pale.

Water twite

Was just reading Artur Morris' blog Birds as Art linked through fantastic Woodlark shots on Birding Sometimes and was wondering if I could euphemistically get away with calling these soft focus! In actual fact they were taken in one of the few moderately sunny moments yesterday at the dunes between Cresswell Pond and Druridge (generally known as Bells Farm). Unfortunately the little Twite was bathing and wouldn't keep still for my hand held fixed 600mm zoom and consequently lacking in focus. Nice bird though. Please do not enlarge.

Managed to get the splash in focus though. Eat your heart out David Hockney,