3rd March - Are You Warming Up?

Yesterday was cold with frequent snow showers, this morning though it was much brighter after overnight snow.  By the time we were ready to go out there were signs that the sunshine was possibly going to break through.  Snow is always nice on a weekend when you don't have to go anywhere, which was exactly our situation.  We decided to make the most of it, and walk the lanes, go through the woods, and then finally end up at the Treehouse for a coffee.

We set off around 10.00 and walked up Brislands Lane.  The snow was melting, and it was slushy around the roads, but there was still plenty of the white stuff about to ensure we would be walking in a winter wonderland, and across the fields there were monochromatic views.

Under the hedges you could hear the sound of leaves being turned over, and the reason would be a Blackbird or Song Thrush digging through the leaf litter.  Despite the cold weather there were also Robins singing in places.

Coming out of the houses and into the field a single Lapwing flew towards us, something I didn't expect to see as there had been reports of a large movements of Lapwings south.

I was told as I hadn't experienced it but the wind was very strong, and the snow had been very dry.  This combination produced a lot of drifting, the snow being blown off the fields, and collecting around the hedges lining the lane.

Looking across the fields you could see green through the snow where the wind had blown it away.

What I thought to be a leaf blowing across the lane in front of us and into the hedge was in fact a Wren, and we stood close to it as it worked its way around the base of the tree, inspecting every crevice in a search for small insects and spiders.

From the tree trunk it made its way through the snow just under the hedge, again coming very close to us.

We turned into the Old Down entrance where there were some significant drifts coming off the field and blocking the path.

The drifts were quite deep, and as I tried to make my way through them I fell.  In my effort to protect the camera I ended up rolling around and unable to easily get up.  In the end I rolled over to the fence, and used a post to leverage myself up, much to the amusement of Helen, who managed to find an easier route without any difficulty.

Looking back as we walked down the path you can see how high the drifts were.

The sun was now out, and with it came more bird song, Great Tits were very vocal, and we could also hear singing Dunnocks and Robins.  We reached the crossroads and turned to the left, I wanted to see if there was any sign of the Tawny Owl, but as we walked we heard one call from a completely different place.  Unusual to hear them at this time of day, but with the weather how it has been nothing is unusual at the moment.

All the main paths were covered in snow, but the ground was frozen, and it was nice and easy to walk.

As I suspected after hearing one call there was no sign of the Tawny Owl.  We took the path to the main footpath, passing more calling Great Tits, and also a pair of Marsh Tits.  On the main path a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in one of the Larch Trees just off the path.  We stood and waited and eventually it showed on the side of the trunk, using one of the broken branches to drum on.

We left the wood and walked to the pond.which was frozen all over, and as is always the way when a pond is frozen ot was littered with broken branches.  It would seem it is a natural reaction to always try and break the ice.

A little further round there were sledge tracks leading from the picnic area down across the ice, madness.

We walked around the pond, with changing views as we did so.

Then the more traditional view with the jetty in the foreground

We were about to leave the pond when I noticed the pair of Mallards on the ice.  They had probably been on the bank and as we came to close walked out onto the ice.  The ice provided a lovely background, and shows off the beauty of the drake.

As we moved away the drake stopped to watch us.

The water under the jetty was not frozen, and it appeared as if the pair were heading towards the open water.

We left the Mallard on the ice, they never went to the water as we watched.  We headed off, and as we turned to head down hill at the junction with Kitwood Lane a Red Kite appeared above our heads, cue camera.

I never tire of watching this beautiful raptor.

It drifted away to the south, and we walked down the hill.  The snow covered field held a very large flock of Woodpigeons once again, although you can't see them in this picture.

As we reached the bottom of the hill, a small covey of Red-legged Partridges could be seen on the edge of the field.

On a hedge close to the school a Song Thrush sat.

The snow was melting now quite quickly, and the roads were much clearer than they had been first thing in the morning.

We walked up Alton Lane, heading for the Garden Centre.  From a way off we could hear the calls of the Rooks.  The rookery at the nursery is in full swing, and birds could be seen flying around carrying sticks for the nests, but it was likely that birds were also sitting on the nests already.

 We stopped at the Garden Centre for a coffee, then headed back home across the fields.  A Lapwing flew up from a field that was without snow.  I can only assume all the snow was blown of the field by the wind, but it did look quite strange surrounded by all the white.

Once home I spent some time topping up the feeders.  During the afternoon three Red Kites drifted across the garden, at one point one of the birds dive bombed another over us.

 They seem to like the garden areas, and you can only suspect that maybe someone is feeding them.

 With three birds close together it was no surprise that they were calling to each other.

Late afternoon saw rain arrive, and the snow melt was accelerated, I suspect that when we wake up in the morning it will be almost all gone, and hopefully we can start to think of spring once more