Keeping an eye on the patch

Carrion Crow

Still keeping an eye on the patch when I take the Westies for a walk, but there is more life in the cemetery. Even though the weather has been mild these past few days, it hasn't helped much, and only the top layer of ground has thawed out. After the top half inch of mud its rock hard so there has been no return of the Snipe to the flood. The flood itself is just a layer of water over a thick layer of ice, and there has been no Lapwings for days. I have seen very few Fieldfares so far this winter around the patch, but there has been lots of Blackbirds , its nothing to see a dozen or more in a short space. Yesterday the highlight was one lone Goldfinch, but this morning there was well over a dozen in a large Oak, it certainly brightened the morning up . Also the other morning the Kestrel was sat at the top of the big Willow near the top track, but flew off just after I got the bins on it.

 Derwentwater lake and ice reflecting the sun.
 And any time now we are heading for another big freeze and more snow, the forecasters are saying that Cumbria could get more than the North-East this time, joy!!. My scope is in the bedroom getting covered in dust, I'm frighten if it sees daylight it might melt. Its going to be a long winter.