GOOD NEWS AND NOT SO GOOD. (21/01/15)

The weather is still perfect. It’s cool, dry and calm. I have spent hours wandering through the woodland trying to find some more Hair Ice but have not found anything to compare with the examples in the last post.

There is a Barn Owl but although I’ve seen it twice it is flying too late to get pictures. The Jays and Woodpeckers are about but never close enough. It’s all a bit of a pain.  Not to worry the weather is perfect but not for landscapes.

Winter Watch is back and whilst watching it at five this morning I thought Michaela was going to take her clothes off. I may have misheard her, it was early. If she did the editors cut it; just mean are some folk. Thrilled as I was to see infrared images of a Pine Marten I’d rather have seen Michaela in the altogether dancing round their camp fire.

    This Coal Tit is still alive. It is hard for the small birds and there were two of these. I suspect one has succumbed.

The good news is that the Long Tailed Tits are still around. I hadn’t seen them for five days and was getting worried, I shouldn’t have been as they are back in vast numbers. I could do with bigger feeders to accommodate them.

     I have had to move the feeder nearer the bushes and I’ve shifted the perches and tie wrapped them to a big old rose tree as the Sparrow Hawk got a Chaffinch yesterday. I love raptors but there is no point in making life easy for them. I leave it a chicken leg out but bring it in at night or the foxes will have it.

     Female Siskin. These are usually about in their dozens but there are very few this year.

      There are plenty of Robins, Blue Tits and Goldfinches. A few Greenfinches, Lots of House Sparrow and Chaffinch. I’ll need bird food soon.

      One of a couple of dozen Goldfinch. I wish I'd started using perches ages ago.

    Alf likes the snow, he is asking to come in the van. Molly is keeping well back as she knows he is going to get a good going over with a towel. I think after years I’ve sorted dog clipping as they aren’t too hairy yet the snow isn’t melting so they aren’t getting cold.

I succumbed yesterday and went to see the quack. He got my records up on the screen and noticed I’d taken a hit or two. I told him I had stagnation of the lungs but what was keeping me from sleeping was a headache, a watery eye and smelling snot like cow shit.

Bright as a button he was he said have you used a decongestant.  I told him the bottom end was working fine. Bloody should be the muesli, apples, grapes, carrots, potato with their skins on and porridge I get through a day.

I did say I needed Vick. They don’t sell it at 100% these days. I said I think me sinuses are bunged up as I’m a bit wobbly on my legs first thing. I got more than my ten minutes, he checked my art, my preshus, my iyes. He said when he looked in my ears have you been raking about in there. He opined that that could be half the problem He never mentioned drink or smoking. He has given me a thing to squirt up my nose. Brilliant it is it makes my eyes water but I slept last night  and my mucus (that's his word for snot) doesn’t smell of cow muck. I’m to see him again on Friday. I’m better already but will see if this wondrous doctor can do anything for erectile dysfunction as I'm seeing Alex Saturday. I bet he has a little sprayer, squirter thingy that will save disappointment. He is only young but is kind. He did say that I hadn’t been to see my GP Mark for six years. I was diplomatic and said there was little point as the bloke is grand but a tosser of a doctor.

A mixed couple of days but most of it good. Have fun.