By-eck the forecasters do it right. Saturday afternoon we had a right royal dumping of the white stuff so didn't bother popping to Whitemoor Haye and todays fishing match has been cancelled. With family commitments now the order of the day, including some beer, I only had time for a local patch visit. As is now the reality there was nowt on the pool so I continued to park the car up and walk around the lanes with girlfriend and dog in tow. I was not expecting much on the birding front because A) loads of snow, B) a very happy, constantly yapping hound and C) a chatty girlfriend playing with a yappy hound but it trurned out ok, not a bad bird list. Birds noted were 2
Bullfinch, Carrion Crow, c 30
Tree Sparrow, Robin, a couple
Fieldfare, 6
Grey Partridge, Woodpigeon, c40
Golden Plover, c500
Lapwing, Black Headed Gull, Wren, c 1000
Starlings, 6
Snipe sheltering in the ditches as the pools were well frozen, a year tick too,
Blackbird, 121
Mute Swan, 2
Grey Heron, several
Reed Butings, loads of
Dunnocks, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Pheasants, several
Yellowhammer, 30+
Skylarks flew over when diturbed by a dog walker in a field along with c250
Redwing, Goldfinch, a single
Buzzard, Linnet, Great Tit, Magpie and nearing where the car was parked a raptor came across the fields and started chasing
Skylarks. I got the scope the scope on the bird and for several minutes I was watching a superb adult male
Merlin. Very enjoyable. Off to the pub now.
Below are a few photos taken along the way.
The Whitemoor Haye lanes.
The views over to Sittles Farm where the masses of Mute Swans usually gather.
Tree Sparrow in a hedge.
Robin in a hedge next to Tree Sparrows (see above)
Some of the c1000 Starlings. 
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