February '12
Weather This Month
Max Temp = 9.6°C Min Temp = -8.3°C Mean Temp = 1.3°C
Max Wind = 17mph
Day's Of Rain Over 2mm = 8 Rain 24hr Max = 14.2mm Rain For Month = 65mm Rain For The Year = 246.1mm
Diary
19th. What a day......perfection aplenty! I could only describe the garden of late looking "grubby". It can get like that as I choose to leave the dead plants etc from last year to help the hibernation of insects. The forecast today was for a clear day and whilst it was cool (-2ºC - 3.5ºC) it was beautiful...a day you are glad to be alive.
I started around 10:00 this morning and finished about 15:00 and I got a reasonable amount done. I had to build a small cold frame which was good fun!?!. I trimmed the Elder tree and some pyracantha that was encroaching into next doors garden and I planted 250 bulbs with a mixture of snowdrops, winter aconite and wood anemone. I have bought some of my favored verbena bonariensis and Rubekkia Goldsturm so I have kept them happy as Mandy has given room to them on the kitchen window bottome for now. I have also bought a small heated propagator which I shall use to help bring plants on this year.
I had a few breaks as I let the birds feed....it's impossible not to hear them as they sit in numbers all chattering away impatiently waiting for a safe time to feed when I disappear.
A queue of Thrushes as two Mistle Thrush, One song Thrush, Two Robins and at least six Blackbird all made it to the sultanas to feed when I went into the house.
The peace has been shattered at least four times today with a splendid Sparrowhawk whipping through the garden looking for Collared Doves. It has failed on each occasion but it did pose briefly in the garden as a Blue Tit sounded a call as it was within 2 meter of the Hawk....to much trouble for a large female
8th. The weatherman again were proved correct as the coldest temps of the year so far were recorded last night as it dropped to a chill -8.3c. It is possible that tonight may also hit very cold temps as at 20:00 tonight it is already -4.9c. The snow is still with us around the area due to the continued cold weather and there is an uncertain edge to whether this will be added to this week. We shall see as the week goes on and if it does we may get a long staying Siskin as Mandy checked it in today at 12:30.
5th. The snow which was widely reported hit bang on as forecast at 12:00 Saturday. I was full of optimism that we may get a fair amount and it almost happened as it fell until about 23:00 that night although it did become rather grainy. Fog appeared this morning and then quite a thaw took place as the temps managed a massive 3.5ºC.
I made sure all the Thrushes had plenty of sultanas to keep them happy as it had been bitterly cold over the last 2 or 3 days and I was rewarded with Mistle Thrush, Song thrush and plenty of Blackbirds. I took a picture of these two beauties.
I have not often recorded two individuals close together like this so could it be the softening effects of the upcoming arrows from cupid I wonder?
I was also very pleased to record a irregular visitor to the garden and is surely a welcome sight. It's a poor picture but the Niger seeds did the trick. Siskin is surely one of the prettiest small birds to visit garden feeders.
A flurry of pictures today as this scene made me smile as this group of some 16 Long Tailed Tits crowded round in a similar fashion to us around a wood burner at this time of year.
