The February Freeze

Its been a while since I posted a blog, to be honest the short days and long hours of darkness together with little sun do little to inspire me this time of the year. However I have been out, Dungeness to photograph the Tree Sparrows, Hythe for the Purps and a few walks around the woods with the reward of a life tick two weeks ago at Bossenden woods, Blean, near Canterbury.  A stunning Firecrest showing well in a holly bush with three others near by. ( Thanks to Steve Ashton for pointing them out)  Other birds of note here were Lesser Spotted and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Coal, Great, Blue and Marsh Tits, three Nuthatch and a pair of Chaffinch.This weekend with the threat of snow I visited Stodmarsh and walked to the marsh hide together with Andy Hills, Steve Ashton and Alan Ashdown,  along the path by the fishing lake we contacted a small flock of Bearded Tits, fleeting views were had and they looked in fine condition. We walked across the meadows putting to flight umpteen Snipe and  watched a rapid flight of female Wigeon.  On reaching the marsh hide  we noted Peregrine and  Marsh Harrier going about their business on the winter winds. Earlier in the morning before I arrived Alan and Steve together with Martyn Wilson had watched nature at its most cruel moment.  A hungry fox had fallen through the ice and was desperately clinging to life trying to get out, sadly the cold water took its toll and the wretched creature slowly slipped beneath the water. We made our way back to the alder wood and watched the local residents feed on a few nuts that we put out. Saturday night gave us the threatened snow and I could not resist a revisit, the whole place looked stunning when sprayed with the cold white stuff. I noted two Woodcock and along with Goldcrest and  a few Tits not much else. I stood on the lampern wall and looked across the frozen lake, one of the lucky ones to be able to enjoy what nature has to offer.