Since Thursday the temperature has barely risen above freezing although we have had none of the snow seen elsewhere just a heavy mist that lingered through the day, there have been occasional threats in the afternoons for the sun to break through but visibility today was appalling.
On Friday and today I walked to the Furnace pond and back, in all the walk is c8.5k and not quite circular, but the Furnace pond offers the only bit of water in the area and I always hope something interesting may drop in, although today the pond was completely frozen and Friday only a small area remained unfrozen. My bird list on Friday was 35 species and today just 25.
The highlights of the walk on Friday were 15 Mandarin, 8 Teal, 2 Mallard, Moorhen and Grey Heron on the pond, a single Buzzard, c30 Redwing and a few Bullfinch. Several Roe Deer were visible, all female or young and they have also been quite vocal and I saw 2 Reeve's Muntjac barrelling through the undergrowth and the local Red Fox ran across one of the fields near home, but finding much else in the conditions was difficult, I was hoping I may have flushed a Woodcock or seen a Goshawk, which I have yet to see this year, but despite some promising panicking by a group of Crows no raptor appeared in the mist.
I've had more activity in the garden than out in the fields and woodland. The Chaffinch flock is up to 25 birds and a single female Brambling has appeared 3 times, c15 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 3 Greenfinch and 2 Bullfinch are fairly regular. I have had 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker start drumming in the Gully over the last few days. A Green Woodpecker is around as are Nuthatch and Treecreeper and 3 Pied Wagtail. The Blackcap is till feeding on apples and up to 8 Stock Doves,10+ Woodpigeon, 6 Jackdaw a couple of Magpie and Pheasant make up the larger birds. There are still some Redwings around mainly feeding in Ivy and I have yet to see a Firecrest but a Goldcrest has appeared.
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| View down the lane on Friday morning, the sun threatened but never made it. |
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| similar view today, although with thicker fiog |
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| A thick hoar-type frost lingered |
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Pair of Mandarin
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| Mandarin |
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| Redwing |
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| Roe Deer |
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| Roe Deer |
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