Colder.

 

Brown Hare.

A few more camera trap videos before I moved it. It's now in a new location and I'm hopeful of interesting results.

 Here's a video of the Common Snipe that was feeding outside the kitchen window last Saturday, before we got more snow. It did appear again a few times after the snow but there has been quite a clear out of Snipe. Apparently to the coast as 120+ were reported from the Brough of Birsay, midweek.

Roaming around here at lunchtimes and early afternoon midweek, at home due to snow closures, Jack Snipe and Woodcock were much in evidence, not a lot but I was seeing them each time I went out. None today though, maybe they've retreated to the coast as well.

From there intially, after the snow, being lots of species, there are now rather few. Hen Harrier and Sparrowhawk still somewhat in evidence with brilliant views of Hen Harrier today hunting along the ditch in front of the car. However, spring is here as I recorded Oysetercatcher today, first on The Shunan patch for the year.

The powder snow fell on Sunday and the wind was calm. This resulted in remarkably clear tracks remaining for days.

Brown Hare.

And hare again.

Pheasant.

Otter road.

Reed Canary Grass.

Tree shadows, hare tracks.

Most striking is how many, or maybe, how very mobile, Brown Hares are in the local fields.

I paid a visit to the one Alder on the patch today. I suspect it may be a wild tree, most trees on the patch are certainly planted, generally being Sycamore and Swedish Whitebeam. The few Ash are amongst the Sycamores, I'm not sure about those but suspect they are planted. However, two of the few Wych Elms are perhaps wild, impossible to know, they look pretty ancient. The Hawthorn hedge was no doubt planted, although I suspect it could be a couple of hundred years old.

Alder Tree.

Lichens on the Alder include Ramilina fraxinea, R. fastigiata, R. farinacea, Xanthoria parietina and Physcia apolia. Someone with more than my minimal knowledge could probably add another three or four species.

My call up has come for my jag. Madly, nothing to do with my job, just because of my many years (well, quite a lot anyway). I have no reservations about this, and my behaviour will not change because of it. My worry about the programme is that it will impact on behaviour, time will tell I guess.

Just finished watching It's A Sin. Extraordinarily sad and moving. Another disease, same issues: fear, ignorance, misinformation (mad, crackpot, invented "remedies"), a struggling health service, officialdom and the police sometimes/often behaving undemocratically and bizarrely, prejudice and bullying (particularly this), dying alone and isolated from friends and lovers, and more. It brought it all back but it was compelling TV.

This week I have been listening to: Benjamin Clemantine, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Kathleen Edwards, Beatchild and Ghostpoet.

Starlings feeding on over-ripe peach.

The farm spread sand on top of the snow (to raise the pH), it looked odd.