Slow as Molasses in January*

 

"January opens
The box of the year
And brings out days
That are bright and clear
And brings out days
That are cold and grey
And shouts, "Come see
What I brought today!"

-  Leland B. Jacobs, January

Happy Belated New Year !!! I hoped everyone had a wonderful break. Mine was exactly what the doctor ordered. Days that were full of rest, lots of walking and photographing, yummy food, plenty of reading and times of quiet reflection. Early dark evenings were spent on reflection and planning. There was something about a new diary and all those promised days of a bright new beginning  that made me think hard about how I want to live in 2016.

“Everyman should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first day of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”

~Henry ward Beecher~

As soon as the clock struck 12, fireworks went off around our casa. We wrapped up warm and took the opportunity to photograph them. Although it was cold, wet and miserable, the skies were continuously brightly lit up alongside spontaneous loud bangs, whirrs and hisses.Thankfully, it just lasted about an hour before the whole neighbourhood returned to silence again with tons of smoke drifting and the overpowering smell of sulphur.

We started the new year with another trip to Slimbridge Wildlife and Wetlands Trust. First, we checked out the Bewick’s swans lounging around the pond. There was speculation that we were in for a long and bitter winter because the first swan arrived here on 11th October 2015, the earliest for over 50 years. Apparently, there was a Russian saying ‘the swan brings snow on its bill’, because they tended to move just ahead of the cold weather. So far, we’d the mildest winter in record but then it was still January. Since the Trust recorded all the Bewick’s that came to Slimbridge in winter by their unique bill pattern as part of their study, they had named him Record breaker, how very original.

“Altocirrus, swans white

as the tundra they come from.

Their cries multiply. Their bodies

crash-land on the water

~Lynn Wycherley~

Then, a quick trip to Rushy Hide where 2 immature Greater Scaup had been sighted. We scanned the surroundings but we couldn’t see them among the hundreds of Pintail. Shelduck, Pochard and Tufted ducks. We watched the Pintails feeding by upending, dabbling and head-dipping. When they upending, the long beautiful tail was angled down.

We then checked the first hide overlooking the tack piece which was nearly flooded. During this time of year, large parts of the reserve were deliberately flooded. According to the sighting board, there were 54 Bewick’s Swan, 110 European White-fronted Goose, 5 Greenland White-fronted Goose, 900 Teal , 600 Lapwing, 600 Golden Plover, 200 Dunlin, 12 Ruff,  35 Redshank and 3 Common Cranes. An immature Peregrine made a kill here earlier during the day which we missed.

We made a pit stop at the very empty Willow Hide and waited for something to appear. The usual Robin, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wood pigeon, Great and Blue tit were taking turns on the feeder with Moorhen picking the seeds that had dropped on to the ground. A tiny Wren popped out to say hello. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and all the birds disappeared into the bushes.

We checked out the Martin Smith Hide where we got close views of the Curlews. We’d never seen so many of them before probing on the mudflats, searching for worms and other invertebrates with their long bills. They were migratory species, wintering in Africa, southern Europe and south Asia. During the winter months, they lived on sheltered coasts, estuaries and marshes and in spring, they flew up to higher moorland areas to breed.

The largest European wading bird, they were instantly recognisable by their long, down-curved bills, mottled brown plumage, long legs and evocative calls. Male and females looked identical, but the bill was longest in the adult female. The familiar calls, from which they got their name, was a loud cour-leee. Their bubbling calls epitomised the atmosphere of the lonely marshes and tide-ways where they were found.

We turned back and continued to Zeiss Hide where all the waders and wildfowls were feeding on the mudflats of the River Severn estuary. Too far to photograph. We then took the opportunity to be reacquainted with the different captive wildfowl in the different zones before we headed back to the car. Among them were the brightly coloured Caribbean flamingos, the gentle Nenes, the world’s rarest goose, eider ducks with their flirtatious whoa, whoa calls and these beautiful Bar-headed goose.

     

Earlier in the year, I met HI for lunch at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. We’d been so busy in December that we made a pact to meet before we started work. It was lovely catching up and exchanging news of what we’d been up to during the festive period. The restaurant was quite popular and was soon filling up that we quickly queued to purchase our lunch. I chose the gooey grilled cheese with red onion marmalade panini with chips and salad and washed down with a mug of hot chocolate.

The ambience was good but I think the place needed extra staff. Nearly all the tables had used cups and plates and we’d to clear the tables ourselves and brought them to the counter. I noticed most people just dumped them on the next table. The service was very slow as there was only waitress at the food counter and one at the cash machine, who was also doing the drinks. The food was quite expensive too as my lunch was £10. I think this will be my first and last meal here.

After our lunch, we checked out the gift shop. Then HR wanted to go to the Tourist Information Centre which was located within the St Michael’s Cathedral ruins at the base of the sphire of the old Cathedral. I purchased some stained glass cards as birthday cards for colleagues while HR bought some Cash ribbon cards. A few tourists came in to climb the 180 steps to the top of St. Michael’s tower for the best view of Coventry. I did this a few years back and the views were truly amazing.

Then we checked out the Christmas decorations that were still standing on Broadgate Square. It was the same as last year. It was quite difficult to get good photographs because my shots were photobombed by people walking around. Then we checked out West Orchards and I was able to take photographs to my heart content. Unfortunately. I didn’t have a good experience at the Upper Precinct where I was questioned by 2 burly guards demanding to know why I was taking photographs. I know why they were doing it due to the climate we were in but there were no signs saying that photography was forbidden. After this incident, we decided to end our adventure and head home.

“Maybe Christmas’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more’

~The Grinch~

I’d taken down all the Christmas decorations at the weekend because the 12th night was a working day and I don’t want to be rushing around. I packed everything away except for the wreath that was still hanging on the front door. If decorations weren’t removed on the 12th night, they’d to stay up all year!!! The casa looked so bare.

After the expense, excitement and overindulgence of Xmas, it was hard to start work with a bang especially when you have to wait for the bus in the cold, wet and dark morning. At work, after exchanging greetings and new year gossips, I felt like I never left. It was back to routine. I took my time to plan my work schedule and also made plans to start a new healthy lifestyle.

I registered for a well-being walk organised by the Student Support Services.  It started last year but I was busy with other commitments and I think it was better for me to join in the new year. It was a 30 minute brisk walk in all weathers around the university grounds on Tuesday lunch-time. There was a leader who took us around and there was a mixed group of us from various departments. It was a stress reliever, mood booster and mind clearer. We got some sunlight, plenty of chats while taking in the surroundings and got our hearts pumping.

I also registered for a 8 week Pilates class using my learning vouchers. It was held every Wednesday lunch time at Westwood and lasted an hour. To make up the time, I forego my tea breaks and had lunch at my desk. I changed into my track bottoms and t-shirt at work and took a brisk 15 minute walk to the class. After an hour of controlled movements workout, I returned to work. If practised with consistency, Pilates was supposed to improve flexibility, building strength and developing control and endurance in the entire body. Wish me luck…

I also signed up for an 8 week MOOC called ‘Literature and Mental Health: Reading for Well-being’ delivered by the University of Warwick. This free online course explored how enjoying literature could help us endure life. The great 18th century writer Dr Samuel Johnson who suffered from severe bouts of depression said

“the only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life or better endure it.”

Taking Johnson’s phrase as a starting point, the course considered how poems, plays and novels helped understand and coped with times of deep emotional strain. For me, reading was something I enjoyed and found it relaxing. At the moment, I’m still playing catch-up with the course. There were plenty of reading, online discussions and texts to plough through.

Phew…After all that  I need a break and what better place than our favourite playground. Brandon Marsh. Outside Baldwin Hide, a Great crested grebe in its winter colours was gentle cruising in front of the hide. The male Golden Eyes was still practising his mating display and the gothic Cormorants were lining up along the nearly flooded island. It was very calm, quiet and peaceful.

We checked out East Marsh hide and waited patiently for the Bittern to appear. There were several sightings of this elusive bird feeding on the channel to the left of the hide but not today. The pair of Goosander was still around and then we saw the female with a fish between its sharply serrated beak.

We also spent time counting the Common Pochards for the Duck Specialist Group International Waterbird Census. They wanted to measure the ratio of the spectacular reddish brown head with black breast and tail males to the not so colourful females. There was so much concern over the decline in population that their conservation status had been upgraded to vulnerable in the IUCN red list of threatened species, as well as being moved from the RSPB’s amber list to the red list of conservation status.

This meant the Common Pochards were now a priority species requiring urgent action to find out what was happening to the population. Because little was known about their population structure and any differences in survival rates between the sexes, so by counting the number of males and females could be instrumental in understanding the decline.

We didn’t go further because the path was so muddy and very slippery. On the way back to the car, we stopped at the alder trees near the visitor centre. Flocks of Siskins were hanging upside down, extracting seeds with their sharp beaks. Their melancholic twitters accompanied their acrobatic displays. They were attractive birds at close quarters, with their intricate pattern of black and yellow on the wings and tails.

‘They fed wholly on the alder and looked beautiful, hanging like parrots, picking at the drooping seeds of that tree’

~J. Thompson~

Then, Mother Nature threw down her blanket shortly after midnight, just in time for an Arctic blast that was moving through. My first snowfall of the year, magically transforming the landscape into a winter wonderland. It didn’t last long and by lunch time, it turned into a muddy, slushy mess.

Oh, these white winter walks exhilarate
As does the crisp frost tipped air
Blown 'cross the mountain tops and vales
Light as a butterfly-snow flakes so fair;

'Tis the whitest of white times
Heralding in all the holidays best
Celebration 'cross the countryside and nearby vales
Pass the most perilous of slippery road test;

Out upon the sod-a snowman or two
With building of snow castles supreme
Oh, those white winter walks encite exuberance
Hence giving credence to my white winter dream;

As glorious winter makes her snowy bed
And the invigorating air chills to the bone
I am ever thankful for this white winter world
And for all of the past winters i have known;

~Theodora Onkem ‘White Winter Wonderland~

And then the dreaded Blue Monday arrived, the most depressing day of the year. January was a depressing time for many and one long post-Christmas hangover month. You’d finished all the mince pies and your body was struggling to cope with the withdrawal of the depression-alleviating calorific foods such as chocolate, the weather was horrible, Christmas ended up being horribly expensive, angry with yourself for already breaking your new year’s resolution and we were back to the daily grind.

It may be useful to know that Blue Monday was created in 2005 by the (now defunct) Sky Travel holiday company. While it had no basis in science, the idea caught on, and it became a permanent fixture in the calendar. It had became a cynical advertising bump that people and the media had lapped up. It was a self-fulfilling prophesy.

"January, month of empty pockets! … let us endure this evil month, anxious as a theatrical producer's forehead."
~ Colette~

But, don’t let Blue Monday get you down. In Act 2 of Hamlet, the Prince was talking to his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, complaining that for him, Denmark had become a prison. They don’t see it that way at all, and disagree. Hamlet was then offered a cure for his dark mood, although he declined to take it, when he replied :

“Why, then, ‘tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’

So it was really up to you whether you existed in a prison on Blue Monday, or you find things to enjoy yourself. I know which I chose.

This month 1802 students graduated during the 3 day winter degree congregations.  The most important celebration for graduands, families and friends attending were the ceremonies which marked and acknowledged all the study, research, participation in campus life and personal growth. After graduation and hopefully getting their dream jobs, I hoped they retained the fond memories of their time here and kept in touch with the University and fellow graduates as proud alumni of Warwick.

A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.

~Robert Orben~

We again made another trip to Slimbridge WWWT. We did so to get our money worth because they were very expensive . Imagine that if we weren’t members, we’d to pay £13.10 each. Since it was only about an hour’s drive away on the M5, it was kinda a cheapish day out for us to enjoy our favourite hobbies, wildlife and photography.

First, we checked The Rushy for the 2 elusive Greater Scaup. Again we didn’t see them among the 270 Tufted Duck, 200 Pochard, 103 Bewick’s Swan, 200 Pintail, numerous Mallard, Gull, Coots and Shelduck. I was delighted to have spotted these Redshanks all huddled together in the middle of the lake. From here, we could see clouds of birds in the sky, whirling  and swirling away from a predator.

We quickly made our way to the Robbie Garnett hide to check what was causing the disturbance on the tack piece. The place was heaving with thousands of wildfowl feeding, sleeping and resting. From the notice board, there were 1 Little Stint, 400 Dunlins, 12 Ruff, 50 Redshank, 180 Black-tailed Godwit, 2800 Lapwing, 5000 Golden Plover, 4 Common, 1000 Wigeon, 600 Teal, 250 Pintail, 40 Shoveler, and 110 Shelducks. I think they missed the Tufted ducks, Mute Swans, Greylags, Canada Geese, Coots and Moorhens. The birds were very restless because 2 Buzzards, a Merlin and a Peregrine were on the prowl. We managed to see a Peregrine causing trouble but flew away empty handed.

We left when we felt like we were turning into ice sculptures. It was freezing in the hide. We headed straight to Zeiss Hide because there was sighting of a Bittern. The hide was quite full as news of the sighting spread but the elusive bird failed to turn up. We left because it was turning to be quiet noisy and enjoyed the solitude among the dainty snowdrops. Little spikes of wild garlic too were pushing their way above the ground. I crushed a few young leaves and sniffed their garlicky smell.

We stopped at the Otters Pool because it was nearly their feeding time. Babe took his place on top of the rock where he would be able to take photographs without the obstruction of the glass walls. It was lovely watching these North American River Otters playing, foraging, feeding, swimming and grooming.

The cheeky trio of Flo and her twins Minnie and Haha  kept the visitors entertained with acrobatic displays while their keeper, John, gave an excellent commentary. They were introduced to the centre on July 2009 as part of the wetland mammal area Back from the Brink. What a wonderful life for this adorable family who spent their days frolicking around in the water, sunbathing and sleeping in their den.

After the talk, we hopped over to South Lake Discovery Hide. The place was buzzing and we were excited to see a pair of Oyster Catcher very close to the hide. It was lovely to see them with their black and white plumage, reddish pink legs and startling orange bills. They were busy probing the mudflats for worms and other juicy morsels.

One flew off with a loud high ‘peep’ and we could see the wide wing stripe, a black tail and a white rump that extended as a ‘V’ between the wings. Due to their fondness of cockles and mussels, they were historically known as the ‘sea pie’. There were also a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits fast asleep at the top end of the lake. 

We ended January with a pit stop to Ashlawn Cutting to see if the frogs were feeling amorous. The volunteers had done a lot of work clearing the brambles and hedge-slaying. What a pity their hard work wasn’t appreciated as we came across piles of dog poo. We’d to check where we put our feet because they were everywhere which was a dead shame.

Apart from that, the reserve was full of bird songs in the very cold but spring-like weather. Drifts of snowdrops were poking through the soil and flowering yellow gorses brighten up the day. Flocks of Long-tailed tits roamed through the woods with singing Robins, chirpy Blue and Great Tits and cooing Pigeons. The path was very muddy and no one was home under the bridge except for Mr. Bushy tail keeping an eye on us.

We walked towards Pytchley Road bridge stopping at the puddles. More work had been done along this path too. I was glad I’d my pink wellingtons on because it was soo muddy and wet. Babe was unfortunate because there was a hole in his boots but we still soldiered on until we reached the Pytchley Marsh. I think it was still early for the frogs to think of mating and we planned to return in  month’s time.

“A happy New Year!
Grant that I May bring no tear to any eye

When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.

….~Edgar Guest~

 

*Old saying

Let Everyday Be Christmas

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

~Norams Wesley Beooks ’Let everyday be Christmas’~

My Xmas holidays started on the 19th and I was to be back at work on the 4th of January 2016!!! Woo…hoo 16 days away from the desk. I ‘d a list of things I wanted to do but unfortunately the weather didn’t get the memo. It had been a very wild couple of days here in the Midlands but not as bad as Yorkshire. Down here, it rained and rained and rained somemore. Very, very wet, muddy and puddly.

Every morning, as soon as we got up, we checked the weather forecast first and then planned the day accordingly. Thankfully, most of the places we enjoyed going were nature reserves and country parks. Rain doesn’t stop play but we can’t venture far because we don’t want to be stranded due to flooding or icy roads. If we can’t go out, I was enjoying loafing around, chilling, reading and redoing the Xmas decorations. It was bliss…

I  started my decorations quite late, about a week into December. But once I started, I seemed to have trouble knowing where to stop. I smothered the casa in tinsels, baubles, ribbons, candles, wreaths, buntings, knick-knacks etc. It looked like a bomb went off in a glitter factory. And the tree didn’t escaped either. I hung as much baubles and trinkets its poor branches could managed and then switched on the fairy lights. Every evening, it was switched on for an hour and it was lovely basking on the Xmassy glow.

“The Christmas tree is a symbol of love, not money. There’s a kind of glory to them when they’re all lit up that exceeds anything all the money in the world could buy.”

~Andy Rooney~

Our first outing for the holiday was a visit to our favourite playground, Brandon Marsh. It was a challenge trying to walk along the very muddy path and everywhere was a sea of slippery mud and greyness. Babe showed me the bank where the Primroses were flowering!!! Mother Nature was in a mess. We made a pit stop at the freezing Baldwin Hide. The island was nearly submerged and only the brave was there.  A Shelduck was upending and head-dipping, foraging for aquatic invertebrates.  A Golden Eye with its greenish-black head and bright oval white patch swam leisurely passed the hide.

                                           

Then we slowly made our way to East Marsh Hide. Flocks of Redpolls were flying in and out of the Alder trees but they were too high in the trees to photograph. Only their twitterings could be heard. We were lucky to arrive just in time before the heavens opened. Flocks of Greylags were huddling close together to shelter from the rain. The long staying Pintails were feeding by upending, dabbling and head-dipping. When they upending, the long tail was angled down. During winter, they fed mainly on seeds of aquatic plants with only 10% of the diet consisting of animal matter.

As soon as the rain stopped, a pair of Goosander suddenly emerged from the reeds. We observed them pursuing their prey underwater, propelling themselves only with their webbed feet.  They dived from the surface after looking underwater with submerged head.  Thanks to their sharply serrated bills, they had good grip on their slippery preys with the cutting edges. As the light began to fade, we reluctantly left. It was a beautiful and serene end to the windy, soggy day.

The next day, we then checked out Draycote Waters and made a pit stop at the village of Dunchurch overlooking the reservoir. Every year, a group pf pranksters dressed the statue of Lord John Scott a makeover and their efforts for 2015 had resulted in a giant Star wars Stormtrooper, standing proud in the centre of the village. It coincided with the release of the eagerly-awaited 7th film in the sci-fi franchise, The Force Awakens. Each Xmas, pranksters dressed up the statute in the dead of the night, a tradition which went back to the 1970s. Over the years, it had been transformed into Spiderman, Smurf, Teletubby, Pingu, an Olympian, The Queen, even Prince George and last year, a Minion.

It began to drizzle when we arrived at Draycote. It was quite windy and there were a few hardy sailors honing their craft in the water. The low sun glinted off the choppy ripples that the chilly breeze had whipped up. Brr… Thankfully, we wrapped up warm. I’m glad that the fishing season was over as hundreds of Coots, Little grebes, Great Crested Grebes and Gulls were bobbing very close to the shore. I was quite chuffed to see this Shag sunbathing on the pontoon.

Pied wagtails with their looping flight and descending glides were indulging in aerial flycatching, darting quickly after insects. Their repeated high-pitched ‘chissick’ were echoing around us. Meadow pipits with their tinkling songs were also busy chasing after the insects that lived among the rocks. They were so well camoflaged and quite invisible that we often missed them.

We also spotted quite a few Golden Eyes among the Tufted Ducks. This very lucky handsome male was surrounded by the females. The drake was black and white, with a shiny green head, oval white face patch between its bright yellow eye and bill. The females were mainly grey, with brown heads and yellow-tipped bills.

These dumpy ducks with their distinctive head shape dived for their food, hunting mostly aquatic invertebrates and fish. They often synchronized their dives with each other. When flying, they were dubbed the ‘whistler’ because of their distinctive whistling sounds of their wings in flight due to their rapiid wing-beats.

But the highlight of the day was when we spotted the piece de resistance, the Great Northern Diver. It was busy chasing off the Great Crested Grebes from the area because they tend to feed on the same food. This magnificent diver had various regional names which reflected its loud, wailing call. I found it hillarious that once it crossed the Atlantic to North America, it was known as the Common Loon!!! I think it should stay here permanently.

We sat on the defence wall and watched it fishing. This streamlined diving bird sat low in the water and dived for quite a long distance with consummate ease. These large waterbirds had long, slender bodies, moderately long necks and dagger-shaped bills with long but narrow wings. It was a challenge to photograph because we were facing the sun and soon it disappeared further into the middle of the lake.

We waited for a while to catch a glimpse of the sunset bathing the reservoir with its golden light. Despite December’s unseasonal warm weather, the Winter Solstice was truly upon us as the day became the shortest day of the year. It occured when the North Pole reached its furthermost tilt away from the Sun - 23.5 degrees. The day marked the lowest possible maximum elevation of the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year.

However it doesn't yet mean that the lighter mornings will be coming in. Until the 31st December it was still be very dark in the mornings with the sun only rising at 8.06am. Sadly, January and February were often recorded as the UK’s coldest months, so we still have the chilliest days ahead of us.

Wild the weather, dark the sky,
The snow returns, the year is by;
Your fire for warmth, your lamp for light
To keep you safe this winter night.

Yet know the sun is on his way
To measure out the length of day;
Be glad of heart, give voice and sing,
Give thanks for all that winters bring.

~Blessing for a winter solstice~

~inglewooddays.blogspot.co.uk~

My mother in law gave us some money as our Xmas presents. Thanks Mum. We used it to renew our membership with the Slimbridge Wetlands and Wildlife Trust and it was a good excuse to be reacquainted with this place again. The traffic was horrendous on the way down as more people were making their Xmas getaways to somewhere. I hoped they arrived at their destinations safely because we came across some crazy drivers.

Slimbridge was buzzing as there was a meet and greet with Father Xmas. We renewed our membership and I was a bit miffed not to be given a free book about birds. They were only given to those who paid by direct debit!!! I was conned. We went straight to Rushy Pen because the first winter female Greater Scaup was reported. We scanned the waters but didn’t see her. I guess she was hidden among the 140 Pochards, 250 Tufted ducks, Pintails and Shelducks.

We then checked the first hide overlooking the tack piece. It looked very busy. According to the sighting board, there were 5 Greenland White-Fronted Geese, 105 European White-Fronted Geese, 8 Ruff, 217 Black-tailed Godwit, 150 Curlews, 12 Redshanks with hundreds of Wigeon and Teals, Shoveler and Pintails. A few families of Bewick’s Swan were feeding adjacent to the hide.

We then walked towards the other hides and stopped to check if the vole was about. I think they must have abandoned the holes because they were covered with leaves. We checked Willow Hide and was very surprised to see that they had cleared a lot of the undergrowth where the Water-rail tend to feed and the logs where the rats made their home. But thankfully, a roving flock of the adorable Long-tailed tits brought a smile.

We moved on to Martin Smith hide. It was quite noisy as more visitors started coming in. There were some raptors hunting over the reserve because the Dunlins, Golden Plovers and Lapwing flocks were very jumpy and mobile. We looked up into the air when this happened but we couldn’t see any. According to the board, Peregrines, Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier were around.

A pair of Great Cranes flew in and caused the waders to be in the air again. In flight, their necks were extended and the legs trailed well beyond their tails. I loved watching them walking slowly in an elegant way as soon as they landed on the tack piece. Their slate-grey plumage, enhanced with bluish-black fairly long feathers that fell on the short tail, and ‘dance’ while they were moving. They spent sometime foraging on the tack piece, probing around with their bills for any edible organism, before flying off.

We then walked back into the reserve and straight to the Southern Discovery Hide. The waters had risen and flooded the banks resulting in the absence of waders. We took the opportunity to check out the various habitats again. We were pleasantly surprised to see that they had moved the no-entry signs from the gates and made the walk much more easier. At first we planned to check out the feeding session at about 4 pm. But changed our mind when the weather began to turn and we went home.

We chilled at home on Xmas eve. The weather was rubbish again. With a westerly airflow, and further wind and rain, the day got off to an unseasonable start. The mild weather was the result of warm Atlantic winds coming up from the Azores, thanks in part to a strong El Nino, a warm phase in the Pacific Ocean that tracked back and forth between South America and Australia. We walked to Sainsbury’s to pick a few bits and pieces. When we left the casa, it was sunny and 15 minutes into the walk we were pelted with hailstones. Ouch…ouch. We were soaked when we arrived at the supermarket. The place was buzzing with last minutes shoppers. We picked what we came for and arrived home just in time before the heavens opened again.  We spent the day watching Storm Eve battering the North East and North West. What an awful Xmas they were having.

It was also a very "happy coincidence" that Christmas Eve had fallen on prophet Muhammad's (SAW) birthday. The Muslim celebration of the life of the Prophet, Eid Milad ul-Nabi, or more commonly known as Mawlid, had this year fallen on December 24. It was commemorated by Muslims during the month of Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Muslim calendar.

It was hillarious when I read somewhere that Muslims decided to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed on 24 December (Christmas Eve) in order to preempt Christmas. Duh…And here's a fun little thought: next year, the birthday of the Prophet (SAW) will fall even closer to ... the birth of Christ. But, whatever brought you closer to God, Christmas and Mawlid, may it be blessed.

“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with a melody that would last forever”

~Bess Alrich~

Dreams of a white Xmas were dashed by the unreasonably mild weather. Many parts of Britain enjoyed warm weather as temperatures continued to soar to 16C - 10C above average for this time of year. The Met Office said it was the fourth mildest start to December across the UK since 1960. Outside, it was raining cats and dogs with howling winds. It was the first time that we didn’t venture out for a Xmas stroll.

Indoors, the Xmas CD was blaring away while I busied myself in the kitchen. Usually we have a very late Xmas lunch (dinner?) around 8 pm but this year I was in the kitchen at 12 pm. We’d roast lamb with all the trimmings. There were platters of roast potatoes, crispy yorkshire puddings, roasted honeyed parsnips, steamed carrots and Brussel sprouts, onion rings, garlic mushrooms and onion stuffing. We piled our plates with lashings of onion gravy and washed them down with red grape juice. Yum—yum. Even though there was only two of us, the table was dressed up to the nines.

“The best of all gifts around Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family wrapped up in each other”

~Burton Hillis~ 

In view of the current weather patterns, a sunny Boxing Day was certainly something to write about. We’d our first significant spell of sunshine and it was lovely to be able to be outdoors. We checked out our favourite playground to see how the natives were doing. We were expecting to be only the one there but we were wrong. I guess after being cooped up indoors for days, everyone just want to be out and about in the fresh air. The rays from the sun was a bonus.

Along the very muddy paths, there were plenty of Robins singing their hearts out. There were more of them as the continental birds had arrived. Some followed us hoping for for some mealworms but unfortunately I’d forgotten to bring with me. Roving parties of Long Tailed Tits roamed through the winter woods, communicating with excited contact calls.

We stopped at Baldwin Hide. Nothing much expect for a large flock of Tufted ducks. These small, compact diving ducks with delicate crests trailing down the back of their heads had spectacular dives. They dived deeper than Pochards and ate more animal food, some being seived from bottom mud and some like molluscs, were picked off underwater vegetation.

We continued on towards East Marsh Hide trying to avoid the very slippery path. It was a miracle that this wasn’t flooded as the River Avon was flowing nearby. There were hundreds of Wigeon grazing on Wigeon bank and then dabbling at the water’s edge, whistling contentedley. A pair of Shelducks were upending and dabbling whilst foraging in the shallow waters. The 2 male and a female Pintail were crusing around the islands.These long-necked and small headed ducks with long, narrow wings were nicknamed ‘greyhound of the air’ were among the first ducks to migrate south in the autumn and north in the spring.

A female Goosander too appeared from the reeds. She was hiding from the winds at the inlet between East Marsh Hide and Carlton Hide. I wonder where was the male? Asleep somewhere I guess. She was a streamlined duck that floated gracefully in the lake with her rich, cinnamon head and a short crest.

But the highlight was a pair of Golden Eyes mating, in winter!!! The weather was so mild that got Mother Nature confused. But then, winter was the season when many ducks picked their mate for the year.  First, the male performed some serious head-throw-kick displays. The female then showed her interest by lowering her neck. just grazing the surface of the water. The mating session was quite intense as it looked like the male was trying to drown her

“Or sadly listen to the tuneless cry

Of fishing gull or clanging golden eye

                           ~Geoege Crabble~    

 

After such a performance, it was time to leave the pair to their own devices and headed back to the car. But first, we checked out the alder trees by the visitor centre. Goldfinches were swinging acrobatically from the trees using their slender, tweezer like bills for extracting seeds from the cones. It was lovely listening to their delightful liquid twittering songs and calls. A pity, it was getting quite dark to get good photographs.

I also gave myself a treat by having a hair-cut in the new walk-in saloon in Tesco Arena Park. It took me half an hour to walk in the rain. An hour later with a much lighter head and £30 poorer, I took the opportunity to browse the sales. Thankfully, nothing caught my attention. The place was buzzing with sport fans as there was a premiership rugby fixture between Wasps and Saracens. A pity Wasps lost 16:26

“It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy”

~George Horace Lorimer~

We also made a trip to Coombe Abbey to take advantage of the free parking during the Xmas season. If not, you have to pay £3.50 for the day. And we weren’t alone. The car park was nearly full when we arrived and we’d to park right at the end. We headed straight for the pond and scanned the waters. A pair of Egyptian geese was fast asleep admist the screeching gulls, quacking ducks and majestic Mute Swans. There was a freeding frenzy as visitors brought bread and seeds for them.

We continued our walk trying to dodge the dogs and children trying out their new shiny Xmas toys like bicycles, scooters and hoverboards. We noticed that a lot of work had been done along the footpath. I hoped they weren’t too overzealous with the clearing up because it was still winter and most animals were still hibernating. We saw hundreds of Tufted ducks, Wigeons, a few Great Crested Grebes and territorial Mute Swans. Herons were hunched by the banks, waiting to strike their victims.

The bird hide was very noisy and that kept the birds away. We sat opposite the heronry, one of the largest in Warwickshire. Only a few handful of Cormorants and Herons about. It was still too early to think of breeding. We left as the hide began to fill up. Outside, three Buzzards were circling above our heads, the wingtips noticeably upturned when soaring.

We headed back to the car and as we walked past the pond, noticed that the Egyptian geese were in the waters. I was thrilled when they swam closer to where I was standing, so close that I couldn’t take any photographs. Related to the Shelduck, their attraction was their apricot breast, white wing patch and the dark brown patches over their eyes that made them look as if they were wearing glasses.

These birds were introduced as ornamental wildfowl species for the lakes of country gentlemen and had escaped into the wild, successfully breeding in a feral state. They weren’t happy when I pointed my camera at them. The male gave me a hoarse hissing call whereas from the female a harsh, trumpeting quack. Thankfully, Babe was nearby and was snapping happily.

Our final adventure to end the year was to Bradgate Park. We were there quite early and yet the car-park was full. As soon as we drove in the rangers closed the gates. Even so, we couldn’t find any parking and drove out. The overflow car-park wasn’t opened because the grounds was too soggy and muddy. We drove to Hallgates and there were plenty of parking there.

As we were about to walk through the kising gates, a bird flew over our head and perched on the branches of the holly tree. It was a lone Fieldfare. We were quiye surprised to see it on its own because they were usually seen in large flocks. We watched it feeding on the berries, hopping fron one branch to another.

Fieldfares had grey heads and rumps and dark tails with chestnut back and wings. In flight, showed contrast between black tail, light grey rump and white lower wing coverts. Being large and bold and constantly noisy with their ‘chack chack chacking’ they were part of many winter country walks. The flight could be described as ‘noticeably loose and leisurely with bursts of wing beats alternating with brief glides on extended wings’.

After getting our fill, we made our journey into the park. Last year when we were here, Bradgate was a winter wonderland. What a difference to what was here today. It was like a spring day. We scanned the horizon for the natives but it was empty. There was so many people and dogs that the deer had disappeared deeper into the forest. We walked to the clearing near the visitor centre where a small herd of fallow deer were having siesta. Then we headed back to the car and made our way home.

As predicted, Galloway and our old haunting ground, Dumfries, borned the brunt of Storm Frank. River Nith had burst its bank. It always does when there was heavy rain but this time there was devastation across the town. People were evacuated , roads were flooded and impassable, homes and business flooded. Devastation in other parts of the country too like Yorkshire which had been battered by Storm Desmond earlier in the month. It was heartbreaking and there was more coming. My heart goes to all those affected.

Peace on earth will come to stay

When we live Christmas everyday

~Helen Steiner Rice~