Some early winter snow, nice.

This year I have spent a great deal of time wishing for the kind of snow I was lucky enough to experience in February.  Of course, I’m not going to be working in Scotland this winter, so I’ve had to wish extra hard.  But, it might just pay off.  This morning, we volunteers, in the RSPB Aylesbeare accommodation, woke to a smattering of snow.  It wasn’t much, but is there more to come?

Other highlights this week have been the fact that it’s been freezing all week (although this includes the inside of our cottage, so I’ve had to bring in a sleeping bag to lay over my bed), and seeing Redwing, and learning their call. We’ve also seen a few Snipe, and plenty of Robins and Great/Blue/Coal/Long Tailed Tits in the trees where we’ve been working on the edge of the heathland.  As these birds tend to appreciate the tree cover, it seems a shame to be cutting some of them down.  However, the reserve is trying to encourage more heathland species by doing this work.  Birds, such as the Dartford Warbler, and especially invertebrates, such as the 37 species of butterfly recorded on the reserve, more than any other RSPB reserve.