Shifting weather, yellowhammer and a confluence of rivers

For a moment, for a day or two, it felt like the transition into the season of spring had begun. Temperatures had risen, clouds gave way to blue skies, and people were even down to their t-shirts. And now the days are noticeably longer, drawn out as the planet's orbit moves us around the sun, holding the Northern hemisphere closer to our solar system's star. The reeds bordering the river glow golden, catching the light as they gently sway in the wind.

Golden reeds blown in the breeze

Last years cygnet, now with its own territory, stands proud in front of the setting sunlight

Venturing further afield, Joey, Sky and Pa joined me for a stroll by the confluence of the Ivel and the Great Ouse. Where the modest yet mystic river I grew up on joins this leviathan of a river; the fourth longest river in the United Kingdom at 143 miles from its source to the mouth at the Wash.

The River Ivel, on the right, joins the Great Ouse on the left

Roxton Lock

Looking back up the two rivers; The Ivel to the left, and Great Ouse to the right

Walking home from my Nan and Grandads after dropping off some birthday presents, the sun set over Fairfield as I crossed the fields with Sky and Haz back into Stotfold. The hedgerows flutter with brilliantly bright yellow birds, showing off their pure white tail bars as they flee further along the hedgerows upon our approach. The yellowhammers call 'cick' repetitively, usually ending in a high-pitched, slightly electronic 'tee' sound. As the males get older, their heads become a brighter yellow in colour, with fewer striations. Females leave the males to the fanciful colours, and appear far more drab with a greater amount of darker streaks, obscuring the yellow plumage. 

The sun goes down over Fairfield

Yellowhammer; another example of the wonderfully exotic coloured birds we have here in the UK

The sun's final moments before the Earth rotates us away 

A fond farewell for another day; gloriously coloured skies

Now it is cold again. Only five days ago, people were hot and bothered wearing only t-shirts. And, hopefully, some form of clothing from their waist down as well. And now the hats, scarves and gloves are back on again. Snow fell today. Yesterday, the bitter winds kept my hands in my pockets for most of the 13 mile Uncle/Nephew walk to Shefford and back along the Navigators Way, where I took this panoramic in preparation for the wind turbines being built behind our back gardens in Langford. If I am honest - I can not wait to compare the before and afters!

The fields of Langford; soon to be the site of the closest wind farm to a village in the UK

A token, winking photo of Sky...

On the 1st of March, the BBC released a story reporting that 100 million Sharks are killed annually, with the major driving force being the demand for shark fin soup in China. The act of finning has to be one of the most inhumane treatment of an animal I have ever heard of. To dispose of a finless carcass still alive, to sink and painfully drown on the seabed. It has to be up there with the live skinning of animals for the fur trade.

Quality of data remains uncertain, but what is beyond a shadow of a doubt is the fact that these animals are being caught and killed at insanely unsustainable rates, for totally pointless and selfish reasons. I particularly like the quote from Ding Liguo:

"Materialism is well developed in China but other things, such as morality, haven't progressed so well"

A frozen landscape and feeding the birds...

The New Year saw temperatures drop dramatically all over the country. Which meant one thing… stand still! Lots of people cannot cope, while lots of people get over-excited (mostly kids, or the kids that never grew up), and others moan in the great British negative manner we all seem to thrive on. But how many people stopped, and took a moment to appreciate exactly what it was that coated our landscape? And what about the field voles? The owls?  The hibernating insects?

River Ivel, Langford

Passing through the now transformed concrete jungle. Roads of tarmac, curbs and bricks and mortar. Now frozen. So what was dull, grey and lifeless, now gripped by haw frost. Like sweeping all of the damage we have done to the environment for the benefit of our own kind under a carpet of pure, white snow. Places I would normally detest suddenly look beautiful. Hidden under a cloak of bright white. The snow continued to fall all over the country. Each flake as unique as the people on our planet, individual in shape and form.

Frozen Barbed Wire

Food for the birds is vital in this cold and ice. Finding natural food stuff in such wintery conditions is difficult. A great time to get some close views of garden birds, as they are drawn in to the food and water readily available in our gardens.

Blackbird in the Snow

The first Uncle-Nephew long walk of the New Year, took us on a 14 mile stroll from Langford, through Broom and out to Shuttleworth, looping back around along part of the Ivel Navigation. Probably the most exciting thing about the snow for me, is the tracks left behind by animals. Fox prints, muntjac, birds of all sizes. The slightly longer print of the blackbird, as it makes its way out from the hedgerow. Taking to the air, its wings brush against the surface of the snow, leaving the perfect spread of wing feathers at the end of the track.

Inconspicuously amongst the branch of the deep green fir tree. Occasionally showing itself as it bounced between branches, to hunt for its favored food types of small insects. The soft olive plumage and bright golden yellow crest make the goldcrest a gem among birds. Holding the record as Britain's smallest bird. Momentarily, we were shadowed by the incredible raptor, the red kite. As it soared between the firs, twisting its forked tail, so to give an effortless impression. 

The cold weather seems to give animals that extra bit of courage and boldness, necessary as they become ever more desperate to survive the extreme cold. It takes a lot of energy to keep warm, energy that needs replacing with more food. Some of my most enjoyable encounters with kingfishers have been during the winter months, when lakes have turned to ice, and frost and snow grips the yellow lichen coated branches overhanging the river. This walk was one of these moments. All the kingfisher could care about was catching its next meal. Finding the perch. Eyeing up the fish. Calculating dive speed and direction. And plunging into the slow flowing river Ivel, pulling an unwary stickleback from the water. Even the dogs didn't bother the bird, as we followed and watched from a few yards away, diving and feeding, time and time again. 

Kingfisher after catching a Fish

Flying to its next perch

Having the friday afternoon off of work meant the three generations, Granddad, dad, and I, could get out and take in what remained of the snow before the rain and floods set in. 

Tree in the Snow

Looking down over Pirton

Sky living it up!

Even though the snow has cleared, it is never too late to start to feed the garden birds regularly. My mum hasn't had food in her feeders for most of the year, until this month. And after two weeks, I counted three great tits, three robins, two blackbirds, song thrush, two blue tits, four sparrows and a dunnock, all within the space of an hour. Also, if you fancy putting some nest boxes up, now is a good time - try the RSPB site for advice on sizes and placement - http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/smallbirds/index.aspx - Birds can be fussy! 

One of four sparrows

Robin

Great Tit

Dunnock

I have recently acquired a dead shrew, found in the field opposite my house. Rather than severe the flesh and head off and keep the skull, I decided to give taxidermy a proper go, using the kit and book Rachael and her family kindly bought me for christmas.... expect a gruesome blog to follow!