Snow

 A couple of inches of snow fell bang on schedule from 8 am on 24 January.

Dunnock and House Sparrow on the fence...

Male House Sparrows dominating the fat balls...

Alton from Brick Kiln Lane...

Buzzard and Red Kite circling over Alton...

Spectacular numbers of berries on this Holly - attracting Fieldfares...

Spot the Buzzard...

Signs of spring...

 A walk from home up onto the chalk North of Alton - a fine sunny day (15 Jan).

Buck Roe Deer in velvet...

Kestrel catching the light lovely but refusing to look towards me...

Meadow Pipit winter in farmland in small flocks. They return north in spring - any local pipits in summer months tend to be Tree Pipits.

Woodlark are mostly associated with heathland. However they can now be found on the chalk - typically at hill tops. This one was singing on the ground with another flight-singing close by. No sign of rings on this one.

Bluebells already pushing through last year's leaf litter.

Pochard - a scarce visitor to Kings Pond

 Pochard are now very scarce visitors to Kings Pond. This female showed up on 11 January. There have been good numbers of the Tufted Duck this winter - up to 10 - with numbers varying from day to day - so it was to be hoped that a Pochard may show one day. However around the same date Pochard appeared at other sites where uncommon - such as Bishops Waltham, Lepe on the New Forest coast, and even Spurn in East Yorkshire - so there may have been a wider movement happening. 

Half-submerged when spooked by a Black-headed gull

And away...

Herring Gulls continue to put in appearances...

More cold around Alton

 Bracket funghi on Horse Chestnut in Chawton...

Wild Carrot in the frost...

A buzzard hunched on a fence in the mist.

Signs of the sun trying to break through the fog...

Wild Roses...

 It may be just the 10 January but spring is starting...

 

Early January in Alton

The cold, murky weather and lack of sun has not been ideal for photography. However at least it hasn't been raining. Living in Alton, I have always felt so lucky to have such a variety of interesting and under-watched sites so close. For many years my focus has been on doing nature-on-foot-and-by-bike. All of the photos shown here are taken from walks or cycle rides from home without using the car at all.

Grey Wagtails have been regular at Alton Flood Meadows - but so dark and murky under the trees it was difficult to get a sharp shot. No sign of Water Rails there yet this winter - when present they tend to be most visible on a proper hard freeze. 

Kingfishers have been seen at the Flood Meadows, Kings Pond, and along the Wey

Its been a good winter locally for wintering Stonechats - particularly on the Upper Greensand. Numbers had dropped off significantly after the run of very cold winters we had a few years ago but have now recovered. They like rough field edges and hedges. But this one had found a good supply of insects on a dung heap - along with Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits.

A very distant view of a Peregrine on a pylon in the murk. 

New Year's Day 2021

My customary New Year's Day walk from home via Chawton and Farringdon and back via King's Pond revealed a total of 56 species of bird. Nothing particularly unexpected but 4 species of gull were found - Black-headed, Lesser Black-Backed, Herring and Common Gulls.

This Winter Moth was in the Chawton subway 

The day was cold, grey and misty. The hoar frost persisted till beyond midday which created some interesting shapes on the various seed-heads.

Umbellifers...

Dock...

Old Man's Beard...

Teasels...

And grasses such as this which I think is Tufted Hair Grass

Shalden, December 24 2020.

 A walk from Alton up to Shalden on the chalk.

This robin was a seasonal sight for Christmas eve.

This male kestrel was quietly hunting from the low branches of a tree

Roe Deer checking me out...

... and relax.