Monday 15 February 2010

Icing Sugar

This is the description Will gave to the state of our nets on Rawcliffe Moss yesterday. They were covered in hoar-frost and when you shook them to try and clear them, the frost that sprinkled to the ground was just like icing sugar! More of that in a moment, but first I need to rewind to Saturday (13th).

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get out birding today as I had go to Sedbergh to a cracking book shop called Westwood Books to return a copy of 'Swifts - A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World' because I had bought two copies. My original copy I bought a while ago, but the second copy I bought a couple of weeks ago when I was last in there, even though I was carrying a list of all my Poysers, Pica Press's and Helm guides to avoid just this happening!

On the way there Gail and I called in at the feeding station to put the usual two buckets of seed down. At the feeding station I had eight Yellowhammers and 112 Tree Sparrows. As we drove off the Moss we stopped to have a look at the 'Little Owl' tree and sure enough one was there looking down at us with that cross expression.


Yesterday found Ian, Will and I at Rawcliffe Moss for a ringing session. Regular readers will know that we got fogged off last week and as I drove there through mist patches I had a feeling of deja vu! Ever the optimists we put the nets up and crossed our fingers. One male Chaffinch later and we decided to pack up as the nets were once again white with frost. They weren't frozen solid like last week, but were a lovely white sparkly colour with their coating of hoar-frost.

It was difficult to know what was happening on site because of the mist coming and going but my notebook records six Yellowhammers, eight Corn Buntings and two each of Grey Partridge and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Roll on Spring!

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