Thanks
Trevor, yes they are nippy little birds. Much like the Wall, most of my attempts at getting their picture end up in the bin
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
. Amazing to think that the ones you see in your garden in the winter might have flown across the North Sea to winter here!
Thanks
Ben, Glad I'm bringing back some Happy memories
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
. The Kingfishers are still there but I've never been able to catch them settled, just the familiar high pitched piping call as they skim up and down the river in a blue blur. I've occasionally seen one on the waterworks ponds as well. The waterworks has got quite busy since the pandemic started though, particularly at the weekends unsurprisingly
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Ps. sorry I forgot to get a few shots when I went there yesterday, I'll try and remember next time
Thanks
Wurzel, I know, I couldn't believe it myself, he just sat there looking at me. The rest of his people have probably disowned him now
Thanks
David, just a case of being in the right place at the right time I think with that Cetti's
February 2021
A run of three days off work with no rain (a few snow flurries though) meant that daily exorcise could be done in relative comfort… with appropriate layers of course.
On the
10th I went to Epping Forest where the icy conditions had frozen over large portions of Conaught Water. In the woodland the flocks of small birds busied themselves in the understory and leaf litter, staying out of the windier canopy, and I had some more luck with Coal Tits and Nuthatches. The Redwings are getting braver too. Food being a lot scarcer now all the holly berries have been eaten, so joining the other thrushes rummaging through the leaf litter is all that is left for them. There’s not been much variety of ducks out on the lake this winter, just Mallard and Tufted Ducks, but a single male Shoveler was seen today. The Gulls were still around, some Black-heads getting their breeding plumage and they all seemed to be busy preening, more important than ever in this weather.
![10.2 #1.png (1.97 MiB) Viewed 692 times Coal Tit, Redwing, Coal Tit, Mallard, Shoveler, Nuthatch](./files/thumb_13753_e7f62bdab60d61ab26f91cbd4bc695ec)
- Coal Tit, Redwing, Coal Tit, Mallard, Shoveler, Nuthatch
![10.2 #2.png (1.59 MiB) Viewed 692 times Black-headed & Common Gulls](./files/thumb_13753_510683a52ffed1fc6d5fdcb331c2acaa)
- Black-headed & Common Gulls
On the
11th I spent a few hours on the Marshes, amongst the residents a couple of local winter visitors put in a show, a handsome male Stonechat and a couple of Meadow Pipit. The horse paddocks didn’t produce as much as usual, most likely due to the ground being mostly frozen, just a small flock of Chaffinch which were carefully scanned for any Brambling, none were found.
![11.2 #1.png (1.9 MiB) Viewed 692 times Stonechat, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit](./files/thumb_13753_03f3d0a10db71b9e933bbc3027960b6f)
- Stonechat, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit
Just before leaving I came across a hungry Robin battling heroically against a dead worm that was stuck half out of the frozen solid ground. Unfortunately a dog walker came along before he could get the full meal.
The
12th was a return to Epping Forest where I found Conaught Water pretty much completely frozen over. A female Great-spotted Woodpecker put on a good show hammering the hell out of a dead stick!
I didn’t have to go far to find the flocks of small birds again, still sticking to the areas where the holly understory provides some sort of shelter in this weather, and mixing in with the Tits and Nuthatches today were Goldcrests and Treecreepers.
![12.2 #2.png (1.71 MiB) Viewed 692 times Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Goldcrest with lunch.](./files/thumb_13753_2d2f6e60df141e3ba947cf74f148c056)
- Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Goldcrest with lunch.
Redwings were still foraging on the floor and out in the open parts of the forest I came across a small flock of Fieldfare, a bird I’ve seen very little of this winter.
My trip was unfortunately cut short since I stupidly misjudged the depth of one of the many temporary streams and gave myself an icy booty, the air was turned particularly blue
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
. The trudge home with a sodden, frozen foot was not a pleasant one!