Swallow!

We've just seen our first swallow, hawking over the field.  on the same day as the latest dump of snow - which has now melted. The first swallow in the village was reported earlier in the month at Hunt House.
Lots of garden news to add - but not now.

First Snow

Oooh, it's snowing.  Proper stuff (well almost, still a little wet) but it's settling and word is it's white over on top, looks like it's got a reasonable covering.  First time this winter.

First snow

Woke this morning to the first real snow of the winter, only a dusting but enough to count. Stayed all day, some melt which has now frozen solid.
Lots of birds including three robins on the feeders, also the first brambling of this winter. A less welcome visitor in a large rat was seen this morning, around 11am , under the feeders, despite being 'scared' off it returned several times. The rat traps have been deployed, we'll check occupancy in the morning.

December 2011

Like November started warm but soon cooled down with the first dusting of snow on Monday (5th). Freezing rain over night and now gale force winds and still cold.
Birds are eating a feederful of sunflower seeds and one of buggy nibbles every day plus fat balls, nuts and ground food.
It's working though because yesterday we had a male bullfinch on a fly through, very handsome he was too. We have frequent visitor of a marshy-willow tit too but the long tails haven't really been back this year yet, I've heard them a few times but no visits to the feeding station.

It's back

Well after two weeks of heavy snow it started to melt and it began to disappear almost as fast as it arrived leaving lots of ice. Blades of grass began to appear and then it started snowing again today.
At lunch time today we had over 20 chaffinches, a dozen or more greenfinches a handful of gold finches, a couple of black birds and a thrush plus a few sparrows and dunnocks.
We've been found by a big family of long tails 12-20 this morning.

Snowy Hare

Well, the snow just keeps coming, so far just short of 50cm (20 inches) in the front garden, would be more on the road but the wind is making it drift on the corner. The garden is full of hungry birds including a pheasant who hoovers up under the bird feeders and the tail-less great tit is still about, he's been named the Guinea tit. This morning there were rabbit tracks down the side of the house.
Yesterday mid-morning on the way up to the post office we saw a hare running along the garden walls down from shops heading towards the Goathland - perhaps it was Nanny P? It's the first time I've seen a hare actually within the village.

Snow

Lots of.....
Started on Wednesday with overnight flurries. wet and sleety. Thursday morning heavier and by today over a foot. Plus two significant power outs. Ken saw the snow buntings last Wednesday, exactly one week before the snow started falling.

Shivering penguins - snow in October!

20 October
We awoke to a dusting of snow this morning and the big yellow snow dragon (otherwise known as a gritter) has been spotted but not before several vehicles were seen slithering down the top road, a few slightly sideways.
So - for the first time this year the Pig has been lit. As it's the first burn of the season a very hot burn is required to retemper the hotbox and now the house is perfumed with the unmistakeable aroma of hot pig (scorched dust and glowing, expanding iron).

Snow - in May

It's freezing! My poor tulips look as if they're getting a good dressing down and are busy inspecting their shoe laces. Even a fleece layer wasn't enough to protect the outdoor tomatoes or the gunnera - the toms are a gonna but it was only the leaves on the gunnera which will survive and put out some more leaves from the (so far) undamaged crowns.

On Monday Mrs Bossy Blackbird did as was bid and brought her new babies for us to see, but they weren't quite ready and one of them got a rather too close inspection from three curious dogs who just about terrified the life out of it but did, in fact, leave it undamaged, not even pinked (well done Hebs). I carefully moved it from the middle of the dog yard into the shrubbery but it was all in vain, later on the birds giving a real yammering and there was a sparrowhawk plucking the baby blackbird spreading feathers all over the lawn. As if one wasn't enough she (yes it was a female hawk) came back later for another go but I think went away empty taloned. In the evening we were watching TV and a large shape kept swooping past the window in the evening gloom - then the picture went fuzzy, a quick glance out of the window showed a tawny owl perching on top of the satellite dish!

And again

here is comes. The white stuff. Ground frozen solid and sheet ice underfoot so the new flakes (and large quantities of hail) are just sticking to everything.

Candlemas

That's today and the old rhyme says that if the weather is fair and bright winter will have another flight, if it's dull and drear winter has gone for another year. But what does it mean if it snows all day? I suppose only time will tell.

White stuff again

Yep, here it comes again. Hail this morning and now fat flakes, as if someone has burst a feather pillow outside the window.

Big thaw

continues. The snow has come off roof at the back of the house and the heap outside the kitchen window is over three feet deep.
This morning we've a big family of long tails on the suet feeder.
Yesterday I saw a grey wagtail on the green outside the shops.

Christmas update

We've been offline over the festive break and what a lot happened.
Snow for starters, over two feet and still falling. It started on Thursday 17 December and it has snowed every day.
It's brought a wide range of birds into the garden, all the usuals: chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, blue tit, great tit, a few coal tits, black bird, starling, wood pigeon, collared dove, house sparrow, dunnock etc. Siskins have been noticeable by their absence, we have a regular visitation of three robins but have had up to five at any one time, all carefully watching each other evenly spaced and taking their turn on the feeders. One female black bird has become very tame and quite demanding, as soon as she sees anyone in the kitchen she flies to the window table feeder and looks in. When you open the window she hops across to the washing line and then as soon as the food is down, even before the window is closed she's back and she guards it quite zealously chasing off other black birds but she seems to tolerate the robin.
The tree sparrows have been back occasionally and once or twice the nuthatch. However, we have had daily visits from first one redwing and eventually four individuals all feasting on the cotoneaster berries. There has also been a yellowhammer once or twice and one day a snipe flew across but didn't land, the first time I've seen once actually in the village never mind almost in the garden. The snow has been very deep but I've not seen many mammal tracks, a few small rodents (mice &/or voles probably) in the back garden, no rats thank goodness.
The blue tits have been keeping warm by nesting together in one of the artificial house martin nests under the eaves, I counted over a dozen heading in late one afternoon, I'm sure there were some already in.

Snow and hoards of hungry birds

Yes, more, and more. A couple of feet so far and now it's freezing solid.
The bird feeding stations have been doing a roaring trade (must order more food...!). Yesterday there were four robins, carefully watching each other and taking turns; today there were three.
We've also seen a redwing in the holly tree on a couple of occasions. When the finches numbered over fifty we stopped counting but all three main groups have been here in great numbers along with lots of bramblings. One bird which is missing is the siskin, we have seen only one or two.

Snow

Snow, snow and then more snow.
It started yesterday as a light dusting with a covering by bedtime. This morning everything is smothered and it's still snowing. The bird feeders have been refilled, emptied and filled again. The garden is heaving with too many finches to count and all the usual visitors including brambling, nuthatch, long tails and the odd tree sparrow.