Walk around Granta Park

29th January 2023 - David F took a walk around Granta Park on Sunday morning, and reported that the lake was still (then) frozen over, maybe forcing a Grey Heron and five Mallard onto the river nearby.  The early Snowdrops were out, and few Aconites were starting to appear. 

Away from the river, there was a small flock of Starling and five Barnacle Goose on the Cricket Green, as well as two Jay in Sluice Woods.

Barnacle Goose on the Cricket Green

Snowdrops in flower

A Robin with a story

 26th January 2023 - A Robin has been visiting Emma J's garden and house! for some time now, and she has rather a nice story to tell about it, albeit with a slightly sad ending:

Some other (sad) news - my Robin has gone. We were getting along swimmingly and I fed it several times a day - I hope I didn't give it too much pastry, but the weather was cold and I thought they needed the carbs. Anyway, I heard a scuffle outside my window at dusk last Friday, and couldn't see anything, but thought it might be the Robin asking for some supper. So I finished what I was doing, and went out, but the Robin didn't come. I thought it may be a bit miffed that I hadn't responded immediately, so I put the food out and went back in. But sadly, there has been no sign of it since.

I've never had such a close relationship with a bird - it had attitude and it came into the house when I had the doors open and wasn't looking. It just calmly hopped into the kitchen and then turned into the sitting room, as if it knew where it was going! It then perched on a chair arm, had a look around, before flying to another vantage point, and had another look around. I pleaded with it to come out again and it did - calmly hopped back the way it had entered the house.

I read they have their own territory when not mating, but don't know if it thought it was spring and went off to find its mate. I am pretty sure it turned up here every day from October 2021 until last week. I have seen another Robin around in the last couple of days but it definitely is not my tame friend.

This is the last photo - two days before it disappeared - looking perky as ever!

Little Egret on the river

26th January 2023 - Jade T-S spotted this lovely Little Egret along the River Granta in the village.

Blackcap and Lesser Redpoll visit the feeders

25th January 2023 - whilst watching the usual Goldfinch and Greenfinch on the feeders today, Andy was thrilled to also spot both a male Blackcap and a Lesser Redpoll paying the feeders a visit. 

Blackcap are one of the few resident warblers to the UK, with good populations breeding here in the summer. During the winter, some UK breeding birds remain here, with others migrating south to overwinter in southern Europe. Similarly, some Blackcap that breed further east in Europe escape the cold winter there by migrating west to stay here during the winter, and it is often the colder weather that drives them into gardens to find food. 

A slim, grey brown bird with a thin bill, with the male having a characteristic black crown (or cap), which is rufous-brown in the female.

Male Blackcap

A (slightly damp) Goldfinch and male Blackcap (right)

Male Blackcap, fluffed up to keep warm.

The Lesser Redpoll, a small finch species, is also resident in the UK, breeding in birch and pine forest, often in the more mountainous areas to the north and west of the UK. Similarly to the Blackcap, during the winter the resident UK population of Lesser Redpoll is swollen by birds arriving from the north and east of Europe, particularly when their principle winter food, Alder seed, is in short supply there. 

Characteristically streaky in appearance, with a black face, red forehead (or poll) and small yellowish bill, with the male also having red on the upper breast.

Male Lesser Redpoll

Male Lesser Redpoll

Male Lesser Redpoll

Goldfinch with Lesser Redpoll partially visible behind

Wren hopping around in the undergrowth

24th January 2023 - Andy M spotted the tiny and highly active Wren hopping around outside the kitchen window, and busily investigating the undergrowth, no doubt in search of some tasty morsels hiding there.

Misty, frosty walk around the village

24th January 2023 - the mist was down early in the morning, and Jack Frost had been busy - and the sun shining weakly through made everything seem all the more mysterious. Andy M.

Shafts of sun through the mist along the path to the river

Misty over the Recreation Ground

and frosty and misty across the fields near Church Lane

A strange spiky frost had appeared following the mist overnight

Frost in the sun by Great Abington church

The river was running clear, and back down to low levels again

Ice patterns on the windscreen

23rd January 2023 - after several cold days, the car windscreens were very much frosted over, and a little sun shining on them revealed their beautiful feathery patterns. Andy M.