Friday 29th.January 2010

This morning , the weather was dreary , damp and cold . This afternoon , although the showers eventually cleared , it was bitter . This is why I only refer to the 'S' word , and do not mention it , in all it's glory , as I have been asked to do . We still have to get through my most dreaded month of February , before I can type it in full . With the promise of better to come , I headed off after lunch for a walk around Hayes Farm . I arrived in a snow flurry , and seriously considered getting straight back into the car and returning home , but decided to wrap up and get out there . Not that there was much out there to find . If you took Gulls and Corvids out of the equation , very little . I was pleased to be scolded by this Wren after ten minutes , at least I knew that I was not completely alone on the site . The paddock that contained all but one of the horses , also contained a flock of 40/50 Redwing and a handful of Fieldfare , feeding on the ground at a good distance from the track , and very flighty . 8 rabbits were feeding in the field next to the Trout Fishery , right at the far end . The Fishery itself was the quietest I have found it this Winter , with the pair of Little Grebe diving for food , right over in the far corner . As I was leaving , an angler was putting his gear in his car and I asked if he had had any luck . 'No was his answer , and I can't even feel my hands' , no surprising , as the wind was really whipping across the lake , which is at the highest point of the farm , and really bitter . He did mention that about a week ago , there were 4 Egyptian Geese on the lake , 2 more than I have found there . Unsurprisingly , RRParakeets overflew several times during my visit , and on my way back to the car , I located , at a distance , the mixed Finch flock . I headed over towards them , hoping for a shot , but well before I got there , they lifted off and settled high in an Oak . Looking through the 15/18 strong flock , there were no Chaffinches with them this time , being alost entirely Linnets , with just a couple of Goldfinches amongst them . Tomorrow , coppicing near Dorking , to get materials for the Lingfield hedge , in forecasted temperatures , even colder than today .