A bit chilly...

I'd originally been booked on a Langdyke Trust walk this afternoon, but realised I needed to visit a couple of our survey sites one more time, so ended up having a solitary circular walk of my own from Station Lane along Ailsworth Back Dyke, across West Holmes and back along the River Nene to Alwalton Lock. Though I was technically 'working' I had a wonderful couple of hours on a perfect winters day with plenty of sunshine and frost lingering in the shady corners. My blip is of the trunk of a fallen willow with frost 'flowers' among the lichen.

Just as I was about to cross the Nene Valley Railway to get back to the car, I spotted steam in the distance so waited for the Santa Special to approach. Although the extra looks as though the train was uncomfortably close, it was taken through a telephoto lens so I was quite safe! 

As I drove slowly back up Station Lane I spotted lots of small birds flitting in the hedgerows, so I pulled over and was treated to the sight of about 150 Linnets, together with some Yellowhammers, feeding on an area of conservation bird mix which was also attracting Jackdaws and Starlings. It's been a long time since I've seen so many farmland birds together and really shows the value of these conservation mixes.