Respite

A pleasant day where I was able to take off my hat and gloves. Started from Stodday where a grey wagtail was at the sewerage works. The apple tree on the lane here still has fruit on and is attracting blackbirds and tit flocks. A mistle thrush, which are quite scarce down here, was alarm calling at the walled meadow. Small numbers of redwings and fieldfares were at weedy corner with 2 bullfinch, a song thrush and more blackbirds. A female sparrowhawk was harrassing the starlings and redshank feeding on the "improved" fields. About 300 pinkies were in this area also. A green sandpiper was on the flood. Freemans pools are completely frozen over. There is usually an ice free patch were all the ducks cram in to but even this has  disappeared with the severity of the cold this winter. 2 skylark were heard and then later seen over the pylons.

Guy