This is a map of my patch ie: the place I can walk from my home and where I go regularly.
I can walk out of my house down the path onto Holt Lane and onto what used to be Holt Farm land and a piece of land that I believe was included in some sort of covenant, when the High Farm land was sold to make way for the Holt Park estate development. It was to be left open as common land.
Great for us and brilliant for wildlife.
There are loads of different varieties of trees. Deciduous and conifer.
There’s hedgerow a plenty and plenty of cover within the scrub and brambles.
As I’ve mentioned before, I know there are plenty of foxes around here and I see one regularly on Holt Lane. I think I may have found a den but I am not certain. I am surprised because it is so near the path and people like me walk there dogs past.
There were plenty of berries on the trees and bushes this year, as well as plenty of blackberries. they say its a sign of a hard winter and by gum did we have some snow.
Trees always look fabulous in the snow.
The sky can look really magnificent or menacing.
It was great for seeing tracks in.
I never realised how many rabbits there were.
I think I found fox tracks as well but its quite hard to tell the difference from some dogs paw prints. I know they are narrower and they were in places i wouldn’t normally see dogs.
The birds seemed pretty quiet whilst the snow was around, but I saw all the usual : blackbirds, finches, tits, thrushes, crows, gulls.
Thats when I saw the single waxwing in the trees. Brilliant first on my patch.
Tag: waxwing
Waxwing on My Patch
This morning I took Sparky for his usual walk across to the open area over the back of our house. Well I say usual – it was partly, because after passing by the foxes den, we made a little detour onto the golf course! Well………………no one was going to be playing, covered in snow and ice! There had obviously been some sledging going on over the weekend!
Anyway, its got lots of trees, bushes and hedgerows, lovely places for birds. The chaffinch, bullfinch and goldfinch were in there usual spots and there were plenty of fox and rabbit tracks in the snow. Sparky was keen to follow the foxes path and found it did indeed lead back to the hole where I thought foxes could be living.
However, the waxwing that I spotted right at the top of a tree all alone had to be the highlight of the morning.
It was really unexpected. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Was well pleased AND I had my camera and zoom with me.
I was surprised that it was all alone, as they usually travel in flocks ……………..I think?
There was a greenfinch on the same tree. And further on the chaffinch that I see every time.
