Monday 31st January (Looking at Naked Trees)

Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window to see that the leafless trees had a thin layer of frost. The sun was rising above the horizon. Fortunately for Mr. Kite planned to go bird watching with his birding companion.

By ten o clock the two bird watchers were cycling along the Old Canal on a still frosty and sunny morning. Soon they locked their bikes to a sign post in Uffington and were walking up an avenue of trees looking and listening to the familiar sounds.

The most vocal and prominent were members of the Paridae family; Great, Blue, Coal and Marsh. A flock of Redwing kept one step  in front of the birders and corvids landed in the fields. With the trees bare it was an opportunity to look for woodpeckers. Treecreepers and Nuthatch could be seen and the odd Greater-spotted Woodpecker. For such a clear and calm day it was quiet; those woodpeckers were playing hard to see in the naked trees. Every sound and every flutter raised the optimism of watching the elusive Lesser-spotted Woodpecker. A small group of deer watched curiously as the bird watchers examined bare bird less trees. They remained still not wishing to become the focus of attention. Walking through the trees on the frosty firm ground in the winter sunshine was a pleasure; birds and deer were a bonus.

Now the birding competition was close and Mr. Kite was in the frame to win. When the two birders left Haughmond Hill the birding companion needed three birds for a draw; so it was a return trip along the river. Very soon the draw was on with Mute Swan, Moorhen, Mallard, Goosander and Cormorant.

After a pleasant day out Mr. Kite returned home for a tipple of Tetley tea. Cha and a good health to the birds of Haughmond Hill.