Storm Eunice

Hello

Gale force winds courtesy of Storm Eunice has dominated the weather today and the week's outlook also looks a stormy affair.

In some respects it seems that locally we have been lucky with devastating damage being caused elsewhere in the UK.

Spare a thought for the wildlife out there that has to somehow cope with such extreme weather.

During the last few days we have been noticing a few each of Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer visiting our garden seeking seed and this is very much in line with previous years when the buntings visit the garden during the back end of the winter into spring and even early summer.

About ten Bramblings were at Harrington Airfield this morning and the Great Northern Diver was fishing in tumultuous waters at Pitsford Reservoir near the mouth of the Pintail Bay. Some birds clearly find the strong winds quite exhilarating and the big gulls at Pitsford were dipping and weaving over the water's surface which included the usual adult Yellow-legged Gull (which at one stage was carrying a dead bird). Two Ravens at Kelmarsh were also enjoying the challenge of flying in gusty, volatile winds.

The wet fields following the rain of this month provides foraging opportunities for many birds and there were flocks of up to three hundred Fieldfares doing just that in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton.

Regards

Neil M

The curious-looking
 Chinese Water Deer.

Muntjac.

Common Snipe.

Great White Egret.

Images courtesy of
Robin Gossage.