22nd March - Of That Old Rookery

Another March day, another freezing cold day, there seems to be no let up in the wintry weather, but at least we are not alone, I have just come back from Germany and they are complaining there of a long dark winter, something unheard of.

This morning saw some brightness, but I didn't have a lot of time to take advantage.  In the garden, the robins are still waging war.  There are three birds, and one seems to like the edge of the lawn, while the other two see content to fight each other in the trees, I am assuming the battles are now over breeding territory, and not food, but I can't be sure.  This time last year they were nesting, but then everything is so different this year.  There was also three Dunnocks having a little bit of a spat, but it didn't last long and they quickly resumed their search for food

I made a quick trip up to the pond to see if there was or had been any activity.  There had, as I found some frog spawn in amongst the iris shoots.  Although I couldn't see the frogs I could see the water moving, and the odd occasional bubble!

There was no sign of the toads, either in the water or on the road.  There was some bird song, but this was mainly calling Great Tits, and Chaffinch and Greenfinch.  I would be expecting to hear Chiffchaff by now.

I left the pond and headed off to Alton.  I stopped along Alton Lane to check the rookery.  It was very noisy with both Rooks and Jackdaws calling.  The Rooks are nesting and the pairs can be seen buy the nests that have now been rebuilt.  The jackdaws gather on the outside of the rookery, and every so often the Rooks not brooding fly at them as if to chase them off.  They must have had enough now of their noisy winter neighbours.

The fields must be perfect right now for the rooks to feed the young when they hatch which will probably be early April.

I believe we now have two springs of extreme weather, the warmth and dry of last year, and the reverse this year with wet, snow and cold winds.  What is the normal weather here, and what will it become.  Migrants are trickling in, and I hope to get the chance to try and find some over the weekend.  Wheatear have been seen in Badshot Lea, and Ospreys have been moving through Romsey, so you never know, or at least I can hope that something comes along to brighten up this really miserable month.