Child’s play and winter wreckage

Although wonderful, the wintry weather makes even simple tasks that bit more difficult; something I soon realised when it came to filling the hoppers and bird feeders in preparation for this weekend's bird ringing escapades.

Thankfully there is an alternative to pushing wheelbarrows full of seed through snow drifts and over patches of ice…

And so this morning saw me trudging back and forth with my little red sled laden with hopper and feeder seed; who knew a child's sled could be such a useful practical tool!

Here's to hoping that I can convince everyone of our dire need for a good sledging field in time for next year!

After filling the hoppers and bird feeder, and falling in the odd ditch, it was time to carry out an extended check for snow damaged trees across the reserve.

It has been a great day to walk the Green route, with interesting contrasts between the bare sun dappled ground and the odd patches here and there where snow has managed to get through the branches of the plantation trees.

Thankfully all but one of the trees that have fallen across paths in the last couple of days were easily dealt with using hand tools, with the brash being added to existing habitat piles.

Having spotted the tree that had come down across the dog's leg track today we were able to sort it out before tomorrow's bird ringing. Had it not been spotted it would have made getting to some of the net rides a bit treacherous, something I found to my peril as I fell in yet another ditch hidden by deep snow.

Before long the offending limbs had been removed and the track was once again open for business.

Fingers crossed for a good bird ringing day tomorrow!