It's crazy outside at the moment. It is currently 16c and with some weak sunshine it feels like a spring day out there. A couple of Peacock butterflies have been seen and there are Bumblebees on Buttercups and Bramble...
I have just glanced out of the window and the Honey Bees that live in the building have all woken up and hundreds are swarming around the nest hole. I wonder where we will be in the spring with the daffodils having already flowered and leaf buds already burst and then killed by an inevitable frost at some stage. It is not good.
It will be good news for some species and our wintering Dartford Warblers (and those at our inland breeding heaths) will have a better chance of survival as will Cetti's Warblers, Kingfishers, Wrens, Goldcrests and such like that depend on open water or insect prey.
Dartford Warbler (Shaun Harvey)
Goldcrest (Tom Bell)
Wren (Soubash Poudyal)
There are Dunnocks and Song Thrushes singing around the woodland and one of our Chiffchaffs was even singing! Our wintering Short-eared Owls are still showing well most days and there are still at least six Marsh Harriers floating around including two fine adult males and this morning I saw the immature male quartering Purfleet Scrape and causing panic amongst the various dabblers and a few Snipe. They seem to do a lot of flying around for very little reward.
How many Snipe can you see? (Lee Wakefield)
Short-eared Owl (Soubash Poudyal)
Double action Shorties (Jo Collins)
Who knows what else this weird winter weather will bring us?
17-12-15