A week of Snow and Ice.....

Sparrow, that is only the view of people who never travel beyond Watford and think that anything beyond is  Coronation Street . I know exactly what you mean though but I think and hope that view is now dying out.

I'm stuck at home, can't even get my car out of my driveway and even if I could I'd end up in one big skid down my road (very very steep hill and very very snowy at the moment) and into the public toilets at the bottom (nice!), and I daren't venture down there on foot either, for much the same reason!!

I've run out of food for the birds, running low on dog food, and I have no tea bags left, I'm despairing!

Snow is pretty for about five minutes but after that I've had enough, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a miser in that respect!

Hi,

We've had snow and ice for about three weeks now, disrupting travel, causing chaos everywhere, and no doubt taking a terrible toll on wildlife and inevitably on the sick and elderly among people.  We haven't had as much snow as some places, but the plummeting temperatures have caused what snow we have had to ice over, forming a crust.

In short, I'm fed up with it.

As pretty as it looks just now, I can't wait for spring.

Where I am in LE3 we have been very lucky till now, very little snow, but mostly ice, then from late yesterday afternoon into the night the snow came, I have booked 2 days off to do an essay.

Oh has gone to work, but I will worry till he gets home, I'm also a bit concerned as we have a funeral to go to next week, and its a burial.

This picture was taken last night.   (Notice the new Bird table).

I love the snow, enjoy having a day off work due to school closure. I am lucky as I live near to town & can access everything I need. However I really pity& worry about the wildlife. My cousin is an obstetrician, his partner a paediatric nurse & think about all of the people struggling to get to work in important jobs or struggling to get to hospital when they really have an emergency. I think about the emergency services having difficulties getting through the snow to people. I think about poor vehicle recovery people trying to start cars in freezing temperatures. Then again I also think of a previous Norwegian boyfriend who used to laugh about the British saying we are wimps as we cannot cope with a few inches of snow & Norway carries on with very deep snow.

My big order of wildbird food hasn't been delivered due to the snow. I bought some small bags yesterday on my way home but will need to get more today. I won't have enough for first thing tomorrow morning if I don't get more. Hopefully it will get through soon, I really struggle carrying heavy bags of birdfood. Off to clear the snow for the birds now & have a check to make sure there are no casualties / deaths.

Not had any snow here in Shropshire until last night when we had an inch or two. Not much at all but I think most of the schools are closed??!!!? The main roads are clear and the back roads are passable with care so not sure why they've been shut! Saw 9 hares this morning, but muggins here forgot to charge a spare set of batteries last night and I only managed about 5 pics before the batteries in the camera died.... Argh! That'll teach me! Here's one of the lanes this morning.

We have had a couple of inches overnight (E.Sussex) but still snowing and heavier snow forecast for this evening and overnight. Sister -in-Law in W. Sussex has had a foot of snow and big tree branches snapped off with weight of snow. This is nothing compared with some areas in Scotland where it has been atrocious for three weeks and still snowing. Hope you are all safe and warm. 

Had 15-20 cms yesterday and snowing heavily now, just as it took me about an hr & half to clear the snow in the garden for the birds & do fresh water, put out all the food. I will have to go out again soon to clear it off again.

Not many birds going to feeders despite them being cleared of snow. Even blue tits joining the squabbles on the ground. Blackbirds are coming from everywhere and bullying my other birds terribly. However 2 starlings & a sparrow just took a pop back and the blackbird flew off! GO BIRDS! Stand up to bullies. Ahh I'm so impressed different species can join forces in times of need.

We had more snow overnight here in E. Lancs, and like our friends in the more northern regions, we have had it since before Christmas, with temperatures not going about freezing even during the day, so ice was the problem. Now we have had 2 days of snow the pavements are easier to walk on as the snow is crunchy, but solid ice underneath the snow. There were 250 schools closed yesterday, and apparently there are 400 closed today.

I have noticed my feeders are being left untouched. Just the mesh trays are being used. Most birds including all my sparrows are feeding off the ground. I wonder why? Any suggestions?

Grab & go Sparrow I presume, even my blue tits are joining in the ground squabbles. I have got one sensible starling happily hanging on the fatball feeder all by himself though. (Sensible & starlin don't usually go together do they lol).

I haven't seen my goldfinches & greenfinches today, I'm really worried I have lost them & they have gone to finch heaven. The chaffinches aredoing ok though.