Some Snow...

This weeks snow pattern has been mostly away from the coastal strip. Yesterday all of our snow here had gone, but a surprise lay in wait when we got up for work this morning. A good 2 inches had dropped and was still tipping it down until almost lunchtime. First thing we checked the roads and found them to be a nightmare so, an impromptu holiday was called in and that was the day off.

The main coastal road south. Nice, clear and well gritted.

 We didn't go far, but the garden birds provided a good distraction -

Fieldfare 17+ on the few apples we had left. A garden record.
Blackbird 6+
Redwing 1
Tree Sparrow 6+
Chaffinch 10+
Brambling 4 ( 2 males and 2 females)
Goldfinch 5
Long tailed Tit 4
plus all the other regulars...

4 Lapwings and a Redpoll flew south overhead.

Fieldfare

From the Notebook

Oh and I almost forgot, a new moth for the year on our kitchen wall last night - Agonopterix arenella.

Despite the cool evening ( down to 4 degrees) I tried the trap on after two nights off. Although the catch was less than the two previous sessions it was still ok with -

Agonopterix arenella 1 (new)
March Moth 1
Red Chestnut 1
Common Quaker 12
Clouded Drab 7
Hebrew Character 20
Early Grey 1

Total 43 of 7 species.

This is only my second garden Early Grey ( top right, I didnt take any pics but this is one of the first garden Early Grey from a couple of weeks back).

Bottom Left - Agonopterix arenella


Last night a pair of Brown Hares were grazing the back field in close proximity to each other from our kitchen window. Still no new migrants in though. I suppose there wont be any change until the wind swings away from NNE...