With the aid of new wellies the park seemed less of a challenge to get round, the paths are ankle deep mud and waterlogged land can be quite deep in places, none of this strolling round in your shoes like at a normal park. Most of the time it is left to nature and the council have left wild areas, which is great for me.
Me and the dog set of in the cold, it was frozen hard, very cold right through to the bone, this was Wednesday the day before the snow,
the birds were staying high up in the trees making photography a challenge as they all come out black against the grey sky.
when by chance I had walked a different way round the park and came across a large flock of Redwing, of all days I had not got my binoculars with me so not sure if there was any Fieldfare
amongst them.
Hard to get a good photo of these birds as they are very skittish.
The redwing is most commonly encountered as a winter bird and is the UK's smallest true thrush. Its creamy strip above the eye and orange-red flank patches make it distinctive. They roam across the UK's countryside, feeding in fields and hedgerows, rarely visiting gardens, except in the coldest weather when snow covers the fields. Only a few pairs nest in the UK.
(link)
Managed to count over 50 birds this is the largest flock I have seen at the park,
They took of to the trees and then moved on to the football field in the next park.
Here I found them feeding with Starlings, Green finch and Goldfinch.
They are at the other end of the football field, this is about the closes I could get without them all taking off.
By now I had lost all the feeling in my toes, even with two pairs of socks..Wellies are great but pants when it's cold....
We had snow all day on Wednesday, but went back to the park today without the dog, there was not as many Redwings, but came across a flock of 30+ Greenfinch another record for me. Sadly they too are skittish birds and the grey sky's resulted in no photo.
I did find some colour on this grey day.....
Lichen on a branch.
The Alder tree Catkins
their wet cones shined..
On the pond we have two Tufted ducks on a visit and a beautiful white duck..
so want to take it home and have it as a pet... right out of Beatrix Potter,
Jemima Puddle-Duck
the light was making pattern's on the pond water
Found my first Snowdrops
Fungi and moss added to the colour on what was a dull day, but you had to look hard.
the white of the snow was now turning to mud.
Happy Hunting
Amanda xxx
