Monday 21st. January 2013

Well the heavy snowfall arrived yesterday , and added to Friday's to give over 6'' in total over the area . The main roads and bus routes are clear , but our road and a few others on the estate is like a skating rink with nothing being done as usual . I have been wondering how the juvenile Buzzard has been getting on , now that he cannot find earthworms in the frozen , snow covered fields . I had a look for it on Friday and only spotted it because some of the local Corvids were giving it grief , chasing it amongst the tall trees at the back of the fields . I went with the hope of getting some shots of it in the snow on Saturday , but failed to find it . Yesterday afternoon , I had a walk during the snowfall , and once again failed to find it . This morning , as I walked along the bottom lane , almost reaching a skip in one field full to the top with horse droppings , heard Corvids and saw them chasing the Buzzard back towards the tall trees . I think it must have been searching for something to eat in the droppings , as there was no snow covering the top of the contents . I watched it

land some 100+ metres away , looking very sorry for itself . From it's perch , it could see other species feeding from feeders close to some stables , and after a short while , it was tempted to the area , even though

 it meant more grief from the Magpies and Blackbirds particularly . It obviously didn't know what to do , but

it did give an unusual photo opportunity , a Common Buzzard on a bird table . Shortly after taking the shot , the local Corvids spotted it again , and this time it was chased deeper into the surrounding woodland . I just hope it is managing to find some bits and pieces to eat and that the snow melts and ground defrosts so it can get back to what it knows . The rest of the walk was pretty quiet , with very little seen or heard , apart from a very persistent Gt. Spotted Woodpecker drumming it's heart out , and a flock of Goldfinches on feeders in

a front garden on my way back , and a Magpie using one of the Buzzard's fence posts .
This afternoon , the skies lightened , with the odd glimpse of the sun , which encouraged even more birds to the garden feeders , like ,

a colourful male Chaffinch , one of 20+ of the species coming in ,

to keep the balance , a female Greenfinch , one of 6 or 8 ,

a Fieldfare of unknown gender , the first in the garden this Winter , 

and finally , Carol wasn't totally sure who was eating the mealworms that were being put out . I think we know the answer now .