A local walk in the woods

 Another day of icy conditions, however, the last day of this for now with much milder weather with wind, rain, and temperatures into double figures.

This morning I walked through local woods where a lot of standing flood water/ice remains with snow remaining, it was within the woods I found a lovely spot by a frozen pond in Carr woodland.  The woodland initially looked lifeless, but after waiting a while at least 4 Blue Tits, Marsh Tits, and Goldcrest passed through, keeping low where little wind bothers them, whereas high in the canopy the wind caused a good deal of noise amongst the upper reaches of the trees.

Whilst watching this beautiful habitat I was hoping for a Woodcock to appear, but it was not to be.

It was in this snowy woodland where I fund several patches of fresh earth where probably Deer had hoofed the ground for nuts, acorns etc.

Probably the most notable species seen this morning was Redwing where many birds were seen flying between trees, not only here, but in other woodlands also.  I managed to see a few Redwings on woodland floor where they were tossing aside leaf litter in their search for invertebrate food.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was 'drumming', but no sign of Lesser Spotted, a species I have recorded here in previous years.

Redwings are easily spooked Thrushes, however, with patience, these beautiful Thrushes will be encountered, as with this one, along with others, on the woodland floor searching amongst leaves for food.

Redwings, along with Fieldfares, are now beginning to show locally, these will be passage birds returning north to breed.