A glorious early morning, cold and crisp!
A frost on the ground giving the land a wonderful white covering, as I walked across the sound of crunching grass and cracking ice accompanied me.
Looking upwards a Raven flew, a dark black bird against the bright blue sky, the tail a wedge shape, and its feathered fingers open widely. As it went this bird croaked – deep and loud.
Flying nearby a couple of Carrion Crows, these also black, but looking much smaller that the Raven and without the characteristic shaped tail and wings!
This morning however the strangest thing about the sky, was being able to see it (rather than being covered in grey cloud)! And the number of white vapour trails that showed the number of planes heading out south across the sky!
As I headed out to Field 1, a Jay flew into the branches of a Hawthorn, a sort of floating flight action, a buffy-pink chest catching the sunlight as it moved.
On the ground, some scuff marks showing were Badgers had been snuffling under the grasses looking for food.
Reaching the Hereford Cattle, their water trough was frozen, so a few moments spent breaking the ice, as around me two Pied Wagtails flitted from the frozen ground to the wall, a great chance to see these black and white long-tailed birds.
Back along the Drove were Goldfinches were flitting from Blackthorn to Bramble to Elder and back again. The sun reflecting off the brightly coloured feathers – gold, red, white and black.
In the Copse four Blackbirds turning over and probing the decaying woodchips, taking advantage of the more sheltered and therefore less frozen ground. In the Elm and high in the tops of the Black Pine a group of Blue Tits and Great Tits.
Down by the sea, a number of Guillemots circled round and could be seen on the ledges