It's very pretty - but it's very cold. The prospect of the freeze continuing for over a week, perhaps two weeks and perhaps even longer is becoming increasingly worrying.
This picture of an otter was taken at the RSPB nature reserve at Strumpshaw Fen in East Anglia (by former RSPB staff member Richard Porter). It will find it difficult to fish in frozen lakes and will be looking for open areas of water and other food to get through the freeze. Bitterns, herons and kingfishers will face similar challenges.
Today the RSPB is launching emergency action to help our threatened wildlife:
1) We are organizing emergency feeding of bitterns, Dartford warblers, and cirl buntings (all threatened species vulnerable to the impacts of extreme cold).
2) We ask the public not to disturb flocks of wetland birds, including ducks, geese, swans and wading birds. Disturbance causes these birds to expend energy they cannot replace pushing them to the brink.
3) We ask the public to feed garden birds - they need that help more than ever now.
4) We ask Britain’s farmers to spare a thought for threatened birds on their land by putting out supplementary food, especially in the form of grain tailings or residues from last year’s crops.
I can just remember the 1962/63 winter - but my memories are of playing in the snow. That prolonged freeze had a massive impact on our resident bird numbers - species like wrens are thought to have declined by as much as 75% in numbers. I say 'thought' because back then we didn't have the sophisticated bird monitoring programmes that we do now eg the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey. In fact, the hard winter and its impact on wildlife was one of the reasons that widespread monitoring of common birds was established.
We aren't yet in the same position as 1962/63 - but there is no immediate forecast of respite from low temperatures, frozen lakes, frozen ground and snow cover. As far as birds are concerned then small species are likely to suffer more than large ones, and insect- and fish-eaters more than seed-eaters. Life will be tough in the big freeze for wrens, pied wagtails, robins, green woodpeckers, treecreepers, kingfishers, herons, bitterns and water rails. You can see why many species migrate to avoid all this bother!
You are quite right Mark, and we have had a daily visit from a Fieldfare which is most unusual: he lingers in the large apple tree we use to hang the feeders up, but darn't come down to eat any of the goodies put out. Also had a pair of Wagtails who have come to investigate the food that's fallen on the ground. Keep hoping to see a G. S. Woodpecker who once landed on the feeder, last autumn, as they are nesting in the pine trees not far from our back garden, but if he's been here, we missed him. Bought some niger seed from RSPB & have been rewarded by at 1st just one, but now 5 Goldfinches on their special feeder! a big thrill for us, as we are new to birdwatching (& are enjoying it immensley).
That's a sad photo isn't, Best views some people willhave seen for a long time I;m sure, but awww. Iwas walking along local river last weekend throwing heavy stones in trying to break the ice lol
What a great lot of emergency action and always think people wrong when upset by something RSPB have done and leave because in the big picture RSPB are great.The birds I fear for are such as Dartford Warbler and Cetti's Warbler.Must be many more but at least those coming into garden can be fed.Looks like the Thrush who comes several times each day takes a bit of bread,fat and even seed put out for Sparrows,suspect so hungry can't be fussy.Think the 3 Glossy Ibis on Somerset levels will really struggle as when we saw them about a month ago they were pulling reeds up out of the water after the snails on them,no chance now.
Lindybird - feathers are great insulation! But it's quite instructive to pretend to be a bird and look around your garden or your park or a local hedgerow and try to find what you might eat! I can never see anything! Thanks for the comment and keep feeding those birds please! And keep your eyes open - in weather like this you might get unusual visitors to the garden.
Always amazes me how the small birds particularly manage in such extreme temperatures, Mark. Have always supposed that the weakest individuals expire at such times, yet we have seen many many wild & garden birds here, still managing to forage even though here in NW England, we have had much lower temps than usual. (we are feeding as many as we can of course). Lets hope this weather turns milder soon for their sakes.