A Cold Snap

                  And then it happened, a cold blast from Scandinavia blowing in snow and bitter weather. For the first time in several winters the ground in Crow Wood was frozen hard and the trees were covered in the white stuff for a good few days. Being on the top of the greensand ridge that connects to the North Downs, the southern part of Old Park Wood is pretty exposed, the wind roaring through our wood felt like it was blowing straight from Siberia and drifts across the road from Goudhurst meant that it was difficult to get to there at all until the roads were cleared. These conditions make life hard for most wildlife, so I was very relieved to get there eventually to enjoy the snow but more importantly to make sure the feeding station was supplying much needed resources. As expected the feeders were empty when I arrived but it did not take long for the hungry birds to start gathering (I think they associate my blue truck with a food delivery). However, for some it was sadly too late.

A hungry Vole taking advantage of the spilt seed

 The hen Pheasant almost at my feet

Great Spotted Woodpecker, this is a female, lacking the red patch on the nape

Lesser Redpoll - a surprise visitor as not often seen on the feeder

Great Tits, Blue Tits and a Nuthatch

At times its hard to see the fat balls for the birds

A male Chaffinch waits its turn

The sad thing is knowing that without access to regular sustenance, small birds and mammals in their thousands will perish in really cold winters: these Wrens had found a way into our woodland cabin looking for food and shelter but could not find a way out. For them, the cold snap lasted just too long.