And now the flooding

By last Sunday, a week ago, the snow had all cleared completely, to be replaced by fields turning into water meadows: the result of not only the snow melting but also quite a lot of rain and much milder weather. On visiting the Hanson nature reserve last Sunday afternoon we saw that a larger area of the lakes was still frozen as were the small ponds around the reserve – and some of this ice was quite deep. Near one of the hides most of the lake was frozen whilst the birds were a little closer (but not very) to the second hide. There were pochard, wigeon, tufted ducks, mallard and gadwall (and possibly other ducks); swans; lapwings. And many nosiy coots. But no cormorants, herons or egrets.

Though we stayed late and hoped to see owls as the light faded we saw neither barn owls or short eared owls. However, on an early morning walk to the bus just before 7 last Tuesday (19th) I heard our local tawny owl. Good to know that he/she? survived the cold. I must look it up – it’s the one that does the woo-ooo.

Am also keeping an eye on the feeders in the garden. These have been in place two weeks now and I have not seen anything come to them yet, though my husband tells me a robin has found the fat ball. But I’m told it takes at least a month for birds to get used to them, so we will see. There is a nut and seed feeder in the back that is empty so will see if refilling that helps – the current nut and seed feeder is in the front garden in a rather busy area, near the road – but there are no trees to hang it on further away from the road.

Still in "the big freeze"

So according to the media this is the "big freeze". It has certainly been extremely cold (parts of Scotland a degree warmer than the artic, apparently, the night before last). This morning the plants in the greenhouse had all collapsed. The parsley and the coriander had done very well, but clearly couldn't fight the extremely low temperatures - a bowl of water that had been keeping the vietnamese? or is it thai basil (Alison's) happy has frozen in the greenhouse.

I have started putting out mixes of breadcrumbs, cheese and seeds for the birds on top of a small step ladder - they do come and get a bit but not much, as far as I can see. I think this may be because they are not used to it - I have never put up garden feeders because of the cats...till now - so have gone for it and there is a nut feeder in the front with some seeds in as well and some suet and insects and a fat ball in the back. I think it may take them a while to come to it (if they do). But I think in the the current conditions they desparately need what help we can give them.

I don't think I've mentioned the goldcrests. We have an evergreen shrub in the garden, (see photo) which was there when we came - and was not the right size for the garden. It was already growing out of its space after a couple of years - but we have taken a couple of branches off and kept it because it attracts goldcrests - usually we see one or two, this morning there were two, so I assume it was probably a pair.

We walked through the cemetary this morning, but there was little to be seen down by the river and in the churchyard. Yesterday we saw several ducks, black headed gulls, commorants and a pair of goosanders in the afternoon, which flew off as we walked past. Actually there were some mallards today too - which started quacking as soon as they heard me coming - and were rewarded with some bread.

Very snowy and cold...

Our very pretty but very very cold weather continues - which must be very hard for the wildlife. The snow is still fairly deep on the ground and quite crunchy. Last night I heard the owl hooting again, which was good. I say "the owl" - there might be more than one I suppose? But anyway we get the "woo-oo" (not the "too-whit" part). If autumnwatch is still calling for observatinos (or records of hearing them I will send it in).

This morning I had a lovely sunny walk into the field which seemed very quiet at first sight but in fact I soon saw some chaffinches and then a reed bunring (I think... - need to check out the calls) and also a fieldfare and a plover flying over head. Have given up trying to thaw out the pond (I was putting a pan with very hot water on it as recommended - but it is very thick ice and freezes again almost straight away). We have not got feeders in the garden for the birds (because of the cats) but have started putting out a mix of breadcrumbs, seeds and cheese. I've seen a blackbird and robin come and feed, but nothing else yet - wonder whether I should put some crumbs in the flowerbeds where the birds are looking for food?

There is quite a lot of snow lying after the snow fall on Tuesday night-could not get into work yesterday and watched redwings just outside the garden - not close enough to get a good photo but they looked just like the ones on the Christmas card. I did take a distant photo too.

Another frosty bright day

This morning seemed slightly less cold than yesterday but nevertheless was very icy and again bright and sunny. The usual crossing into the riverside meadow is harder to get across at the moment because of the flood water that has turned to ice and the field looks like a small nature reserve - with a large flock of canada and grey geese. I scanned the flock but could not see anything else, though there were herons - I think 4 - standing as though on guard, completely still whilst the geese were moving around busily grazing.

One of the kestrels was out hunting again and on the way back home I disturbed a snipe. I've seen snipe in the field a few times, usually in the field by the river - this time it was in the wet hollow in the first field, and I only had a glimpse of the zig zag flight as it took off.

We were also out this afternoon for around an hour and a half and had a good sighting of a kingfisher that flew along the river near the Newport end, and perched on several branches as it flew down the river.

Icy and sunny new year

With Jim gone down with a bug and me recovering from the same bug, we didn't manage the longer new year's day walk that we often do - but nevertheless Tys and I were out for around an hour in the morning and another hour in the evening and again today. It's very cold and icy - the river flooded its banks a few days ago and much of the lying water is now ice, like the patch that Tyse nearly slipped into in the photo.

Yesterday I thought there was very little around - though when I stopped and looked into the trees at the edge of the arable field in Bury meadow there was a large brown bird perched not far from the rooks. It was at quite a distance so difficult to tell exactly what it was but from its size in relation to the rooks think it must have been a buzzard (though I did wonder about a tawny owl as it looked quite squat - but checking on its size it seemed to be much too big for that). I also saw the kestrel hunting in the morning. Interestingly it always seems to hunt around the ungrazed, rougher grass. Then when I went out again in the afternoon a kesrel was perched in the hedgerow (difficult to tell from the photo - I might have got closer but the dog walkers in front disturbed it...)

We walked onto the bridge in Newport having left the field and the flooded area was quite extensive (see photo).

Today it is also very cold but not quite as cold as yesterday and again very bright. We walked round the bury common river walk again (though the path over the stile by the mill is not passable because of the floods). Disturbed an egret which flew off quite close -very beautiful. We stopped along the river and watched the finches in the trees on the other side. There is a small clearing that is at the edge of woodland and quite rich in birds (and full of rabbits). There were several tits including some long tailed tits. Twenty years ago we didn't see many of these at all here but they are quite common now though we haven't seen them in the garden recently. Whilst I was watching I also saw a treecreeper - and had quite a good view as it flew from tree to tree. The river had little life on it, just a couple of mallards - and also a little grebe which was very shy.