More Of The White Stuff

This morning we received yet another dollop of snow and we received so much that I abandoned my attempt to get to the office. It was an enforced day off from work. After lunch it stopped snowing and I decided to have a go at getting on to Rawcliffe Moss as the Tree Sparrows needed feeding. I didn't go the usual 'scenic' route, but stuck to the main roads as far as possible. The minor roads and tracks on to the moss were a little adventurous, but two buckets of seed were duly loaded into the car.


This is the third time in as many weeks that I have had to take my shovel with me in case I got the car stuck and also to clear some snow away to put some feed down.

Robin at the infamous Pheasant feeder

As I made my way down the track it was obvious that there were few birds about. No Yellowhammers at the Pheasant feeder, but as soon as I cleared some snow away around it and scattered some seed a Robin was straight in. A few Blackbirds and a couple of Fieldfares were down the hedge, feeding on 'I don't know what'.

Snowy Ditch

At the feeding station itself 33 Tree Sparrows were hanging on, only sustained by the two peanut feeders I suspect. They were accompanied by half a dozen Chaffinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from Curlew Wood and a Grey Partridge from the adjacent field. Snow cleared and food put out I made my way back to the car. To the east at least 2,500 Pink-footed Geese moved from one field to another to feed and two Lapwings winged their way west.

It is going to freeze tonight and over the next couple of days, but there isn't any snow forecasted for our area. So hopefully the numbers of Tree Sparrows will build up again.