At last we have some respite from the rain waking up to a hard overnight frost today. I was out this morning and on the Barff with Meg & Gracie for 7.00am, the temperature was a cool -2C. I much prefer a cold morning, It was nice also that it is getting somewhat lighter in the mornings and I no longer need the headlamp or fancy illuminated dog collars. Anyway, the Barff looked a picture with the frost on the grasses and shrubs, it wasn’t too muddy underfoot either, let’s hope we have a few more overnight frosts to dry up all the mud.

After a good walk for an hour or so we headed home for breakfast and a cup of tea. I was up to date with all my household chores and paperwork so after breakfast I loaded the car with the camera gear and extra winter clothing and headed over to the reserve at Fairburn for the morning. It was just after 9.00am as I parked up in the visitor’s centre car park and made my way to the centre for a coffee and update. It was still bitterly cold -1C as I unpacked my gear at the hide, the main lake in front of the hide was frozen with very little signs of life other than a pair of Moorhen and a pair of Coot staying well tucked into the reeds on the water’s edge. Over in the fields to the right the Highland Cattle were busily munching away on the coarse grasses occasionally causing the Canada Geese which were also grazing in the same field to take to the air, they make quite a bit of noise showing their displeasure at being disturbed, though after they have completed a circuit of the lake they came back into land in the same field but this time well away from the cattle.

The Grey Heron were still quite active overhead, flying to and fro from their Heronry with twigs and small branches for their respective nest sites. Looking over towards the Guillemot trees many of the Guillemots were actually sitting on eggs although from where I was to where they were is probably a mile in distance and looking through binoculars from that distance is not entirely clear. Listening and looking at the predicted weather forecast for next week it looks as though they and a lot of other nesting birds are going to get quite a shock with bitterly cold winds and heavy snowfall forecast from mid-week, we will have to wait and see.

Much closer to the hide the Grey Squirrel was having quite a feast on the remnants of the food in some of the bird feeders. It is quite surprising when you see them up close like this as to how much bigger they are compared to our smaller native Red Squirrels. Where the Grey Squirrels are though you will nearly always find the Pheasant’s picking up the food scraps on the woodland floor.

The cold was beginning to bite me quite early this morning which was a little worrying, fortunately there was only a very light North Westerly breeze so at least I had some protection from the wind and of course it was dry.

It was good to see lots of male and female Reed Bunting this morning, several Dunnock were flitting about as usual, they again preferring the floor to eat from as opposed to the feeders. I counted at least three Robins at any one time which was nice to see, they feed anywhere really, some on the feeders or fence posts, others quite content scouring the woodland floor under the feeders. I could hear the Long Tailed Tits for quite a while before they came in to feed, they always prefer to visit the feeders in numbers, especially the fat ball feeder, although if really hungry they will eat seed too but the Fairburn birds do seem to prefer the fat balls as their main food source.

Just as quick as the Long Tailed Tits were the Willow Tits, at least one kept popping in for food what seemed like every twenty minutes or so, it would choose its feeder, collect its food and disappear back into the bushes before returning for some more food, it didn’t hang around for long though, it really seems to prefer the protection of the dense undergrowth which gives it much needed protection from its much bigger predators. 

I was pleased to get a couple of glimpses of the Nuthatch this morning, they are often seen around the Visitors Centre so coming over to the ‘Pick up Hide’ this morning was quite a treat for me.

The Greenfinch were quite regular visitors to the hide this morning, the male birds especially are looking quite colourful and vibrant at the moment.

As the time was approaching 11.00am the cold was beginning to bite me with some vengence, my feet felt it first then within a couple of hours my lower legs were beginning to get quite cold and numb, so at that I decided to call it a day, disconnect the camera equipment and head back to the warmth and comfort of the Visitors Centre.