A Winter Wonderland

The ice and the frost hung around all day, the low bright sun did little to warm anything but the view as I walked the reserve fully clad in winter wear doing various checks. The reserve was coated in a fairly heavy frost giving it a winter wonderland feel.

A check on our Exmoor Ponies on the Moorland

Yesterday was not the first time that Crossbills had been sighted on the reserve, but it was great to see John Hayden’s photographs of these treetop pine feeders. We rarely see them near the ground, so when ringing they never frequent our mist nets.

Below is a stunning photo taken by John Hayden of a beautiful male Crossbill

They were by the Top Moor Gate, feeding on Larch seed cones,

and my photo did them little justice with my point and shoot camera.

It was the Siskins and Goldfinch who were feeding on Alder that I first heard, then I saw large numbers clinging to the branches in acrobatic positions, constantly on the move.

These Goldfinch were feeding on the Nyger feeder outside the Field Centre.

 Thank you to John for allowing us to have his pics for our blog.