The marshes looked bleak and deserted this morning. Most of the water is frozen including, for the first time this winter, the main ditch that flows through the fields. There were small flocks of Black-tailed Godwits flying over with the largest flock (60 birds) feeding close to the village. A group of 20 Lapwing huddled on the ground, partially covered by snow, with another 19 flying overhead. A Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard sat in trees. In the middle of one field a Cettis Warbler foraged in a tall clump of grass. On the canal the coots and ducks have opened up two holes in the ice having depleted the weed in the original hole. Here there were at least 50 Gadwall, 7 Pochard, 11 Tufted Duck and about 300 Coot.
In my garden, in the village, the number of Bramblings continues to climb with at least 8 males and several females. A Mistle Thrush was a surprise and yesterday a Blackcap (female) was feeding near the Royal Oak pub as a flock of about 200 Skylarks flew over.
