Not Spring Just Yet

After a glorious spring like day on Wednesday it was back to normal today with some cold dreary February weather. As usual I called to feed on Rawcliffe Moss and it was overcast with a cold southeasterly wind. I headed down the track and just over 120 Tree Sparrows were at the feeding station with a single Yellowhammer, Coal Tit and about a dozen Chaffinch.

I headed up the '97 Hedge' and identified 2 or 3 new net rides that I am going to cut on Sunday in preparation for a bit of ringing there from spring to autumn. Whilst looking for the best place for a couple of nets I spotted an old Chaffinch nest in the hedge (see below). It's amazing how many nests you do come across when the hedges are bare in the winter.

When I got up on to the 'Top Moss' I flushed over 170 Skylarks from the flattened wild bird seed crop with an accompanying 18 Linnets. No Corn Buntings today on the fence wire, but I did have a group of 6 Brown Hares in a stubble field with plenty of boxing going on.

 There's over 170 Skylarks in here!

Skylark (Ken Hindmarch)

The forecast looks grim for tomorrow, so it might be Sunday before I get out.