27th December - As I Remember What A Night

For the second time this month we awoke to snow.  The evening before we were watching Gordon Buchanan in Finland where the trees were covered with sugar icing snow.  For awhile here in Four Marks the trees looked very similar, but soon the snow fell as a combination of it being very wet snow, and the temperatures rising after sunrise.

In the garden the birds were very busy around the feeders, and with a few surprises.  The female Blackcap was present, but with a male this time.  The male quite happy to feed on the lawn.

But as I watched it feed it became clear that it had a growth just behind the left hand eye.  This could be a tick its not quite clear, but it did not seem to bother the bird as it fed happily and chased others off.

The Siskins continue to outnumber the Goldfinches, with at one time this morning sixteen birds being present.  As I looked at the feeders though one bird was a lot browner, and it turned out to be a Lesser Redpoll.  There had been one just before Christmas, but this time I was able to get a photograph.

The leylandii hedge continues to be a safe and warm place for the House Sparrows, and it also provides a source of insect food for the Blue Tits, that pick out the spiders from the ir webs.

The female Blackcap sat nicely for me.

Woodpigeons are definitely not my favourite bird, but every so often one will appear that I have to photograph, this one was walking on the roof opposite.

Here the Blackcap shows its better side.

It had been snowing all morning on and off, but around 14.00 the skies began to open up, and the sun broke through, albeit not completely, there was still cloud about.

I decided to head out for a walk to get some fresh air.  It was very wet and slushy along Lymington Bottom and walking up Brislands.  As I reached the junction with Gradwell a Red Kite appeared above me, and seemed to be interested in me.

I haven't had the chance to photograph them recently, so I took this unexpected close encounter.

Against the pearl white sky the red, that gives the bird its name stand out.

One more pass overhead before it drifted away.

The sky now was clearing, and to the west I could see the line between the cloud and the distant sky.  While the roads were clearing, the snow persisted on the verge.

Looking across the road, the sun was still very watery in the cloud.

For the first time I can recall there were sheep grazing in the field to the north of the lane.  It looks like root crops have been grown for them, and they are controlled as to where they graze.

A familiar call from across the field announced a Raven flying past.

Looking across the fields there was still plenty of snow lying.

I turned into Old Down, and negotiated the muddy path, made worse by the melting snow.  It was completely silent, not even the call of a Wren or Robin.  Looking to the west there was a faint pink glow in the sky between the dark boughs of the beech trees.

Passing the larches there was no sign of any finches.  As I approached the pond a Robin dropped out of the bush onto the wet slushy muddy snow, not really the Christmas scene

I walked around the pond, hoping to find a Snipe or Woodcock in the sheltered muddy spots, but with no luck.  As I looked across the pond the pair of Mallard drifted across the water, with a white snowy background.

I walked on from the pond, and then turned down towards the school.  Looking back the sky had still not cleared, and the sun was a white mass above the dark winter trees of Old Down Wood.

I walked into Gradwell Lane, and on the horizon was the familiar shape of a Roe Deer.  It was watching something, but seemed to be unconcerned.  It was a lovely silhouette against the sky.

Finally the sun broke through, a lovely winter light that turned everything a deep golden colour.  The field opposite the recreation ground looked beautiful in the light.

Movement on the ground in the field turned out to be Redwing feeding in the wet ground.  One turned into two, and then many birds moving across the field.

Looking down Brislands, the setting sun was picking out the water in the puddles and in the trees.

As I approached the church, the weather vein was lit up by the setting sun.  It reminded me of a similar view about seven years ago when I first started this blog.  

Much as been found since then, and a lot of the village has changed, some for the good, but in the main for wildlife unfortunately for the worse.  I winder what is next for Four Marks?  What new housing development will get approved despite all the good work in putting together plans.  Will there be more large estates, growing up with houses and fields destroyed?  It seems to be very likely, and no matter how much protesting takes place, it always seem that they go through.

Back home the sun sank in the west with another fantastic sunset.