In the deep mid winter.

The big  freeze is back and with it some stunning scenery aroud Hilbre as the sub zero temperatures make it resemble more like Alaska than the UK. The intrepid Obs teams made it to the island both Saturday and Sunday despite the persistent bone chilling cold - we even had ice flows!

Plenty of birds around though with a good sized flock of Scaup containing up to 60 birds with the odd Shoveller & Tufted Duck thrown in on consecutive days.

Several skeins of Pink-feet were logged flying overhead but the waders were the best. Driving across as the tide ebbed and using the Landrover as a hide gave fantastic close views.

 Another feature of the cold weather was a constant overhead movement of Skylarks with some big flocks being recorded on both Saturday & Sunday. Several groups landed on Hilbre which is a scarce occurrence these days.

Closer to home the garden birds are making huge inroads to the feed supplies. The Moorhens are regular and wait by the kitchen window for a slice of bread in the mornings whilst a male Bullfinch has joined the commoner finches around the seed feeders. This morning I went out and found  two Waxwings  on the TV aerial but by the time I'd got the camera back out the Landrover they'd flown off. A Redwing sat in our Ash tree wasn't so shy.

An abortive trip to Inner Marsh Farm with Al Orton Friday afternoon in search of a reported Green-winged Teal revealed only a runt looking Common Teal still with some juvenile plumage but plenty of these feeding on spilt grain around the feeders.