The Turn Of The Year

Let's see, where are we....?

Yet more nonsense from the Patch, slight variation of activity, oh and actual year ticks woo.

Yup.

Right;

Different white stuff on the trees  :)

Where to start? [After that lovely sight up there, lots of Almond blossom about now]. Hmm?

Whelp, an afternoon visit to the Nose on Monday saw me find 3 GNDs; two off the Ore Stone and one off the Lead Stone. No Wheatears. Possibly migrants, possibly just wandering around, were a couple of flyover Crossbills - score - which brightened things quite considerably. :)

GND, Lead Stone channel

[look at that bonce!]

The day before, an amble with the Folks [inside our bubble] up about the quietest part of the Patch [upper Ilsham, amongst the Rich Gits] gave us a very nice stroll, though it was a pity we had to return to our [bubbled-wise] property to have coffee and a flapjack.. But soon, that will change!*

Even the Violence are fancier up there.

What was notable were the Chiffchaffs. These have been very thin on the ground this winter, but I had four, including two in as many hundred yards [and I'm pretty sure it was two, not one very quick one]. Not that birds going inland and hiding in rich peoples' masssssssive gardens is a new phenomenon, of course...

Also notable, how much nicer the grassy verges are when there aren't ten meeeellion peoples wandering about over them. [Also, they're just nicer.. ]. You get more and more kinds of pretty little flowers. Like the Violets up there, and indeed these;

Lesser Celandine

Musk Storksbill

Mouse-ear Hawkweed

After we had parted ways, another, even better surprise than the Chiffs was a Home Tick. None other than a Treecreeper!! Wooooooooooo.  :D

Right out there ::points out kitchen window::, calling and everything [I'd not have noticed it if it had been quiet]. Treecreeper is not that easy in these here parts, especially now the best spot on Patch has turned into a giant building site... :/

Your next missive from The Patch will [hopefully] contain a certain little bird with a very pale posterior.

Maybe.

Possibly.

Might happen.

Be Seeing You...

[[* FYI, according to the email our Dear Leader sent, the 8th is 'No travelling but you can nicpic in your local area with your household/bubble' and 29th is 'You may nicpic with one other household {rule of 6}, travel allowed {yeeeeeeeehaaaah!!!} but day tripping only; the further you go the more likely the police will decide they don't like you'. Social distancing etc. still applies. {Up on, say Dartmoor, this is rather easy!} ]]