Weather: 5°C – 6°C (Feels like 0°C to -3°C), moderate/fresh easterly wind.
Wildlife Sightings:
Birds: Gulls (2), Wood pigeons (multiple), Feral pigeons (8+), Crow (2), Blackbirds (3m, 1f), Green Woodpecker (Sighting of the Day), Dunnock.
Trees/Plants: Holm oak, Pine tree.
Domestic Animals: Schnauzer, Briard (7-month-old French sheepdog), Spaniel-type dog.
Notes:
Completed the walk in the opposite direction to avoid the football match on the recreation ground. Highlight was the green woodpecker’s distinctive swooping flight across the cemetery.
Daily Nature Log Date: 24 January 2026 Location: Cemetery, Cows Lane, and surrounding areas.
🌡️ Weather & Conditions Temperature: 6°C to 7°C (felt like 2°C to 3°C) Wind: Strong southeasterly (15–18 mph) Conditions: Breezy, moderate winds with light cloud.
🦅 Wildlife Sightings Magpie: One perched at the top of a tree near the cemetery. Corvids (Rooks): A pair sailing on wind currents; later, a full parliament flying above the rookery. Crows: One feeding on the recreation ground; another joined it after a brief stint in the hedgerow. Wood Pigeons: Several flushed from the cemetery pathways. Dunnocks: One in the cemetery hedge and a group of six in the brambles by the leisure centre. Partridges: A group of six identified by their unique, quick-fluttering flight-method. Gulls: Approximately twenty heading towards the coast. Robin: One spotted on the cemetery road, seeking cover in a shrub. Feral Pigeons: Roughly twenty circling the abandoned factory rooftop.
📝 Field Notes Today I had a lovely chat with a lady at Cows Lane. I finally learned that her dog is a Jack Russell, not a Bull Terrier as I had previously thought based on its head shape! I also managed to capture a couple of beautiful photographs of the sunset over the farmer’s field adjoining the cemetery.
Daily Nature Log Date: 23 January 2026 Route: Foxy Lane, Recreation Ground, Cemetery Road, and Main Road.
🌤️ Weather & Conditions Temperature: 7°C (Mild) Wind: Fresh breeze from the SE (17–20 mph / 27–32 km/h) Conditions: Light rain with a “feels like” chill of 3–4°C.
🌿 Flora & Fauna Observations Birds: * Crow: One disturbed at Foxy Lane; flew off with a rasping, grating croak. Wood Pigeons: One spotted flying away from the cemetery; another perched in a leafless rowan tree. Later, a pair disturbed near pine trees. Green Woodpecker: Sighting of the Day! Low, swooping flight with distinctive green plumage. Dunnock: Hopping under a hawthorn hedge near the main road. Plants: A single daffodil along the roadside verge, almost in full flower.
📝 Field Notes Light rain was forecast, so I set out with an umbrella. The walk became quite unpleasant as the rain and sharp breeze picked up near the cemetery. The highlight was definitely the green woodpecker; its flash of colour was unmistakable even in the overcast conditions. Had to raise the umbrella for the final stretch toward the leisure centre as the rain turned heavier.
🏃 Activity Metrics Distance: 1.87 miles Duration: 40 minutes Intensity: 25 Google Fit Heart Points.
Daily Nature Log Date: 22 January 2026 Distance: 2.29 miles | Time: 48 minutes | Heart Points: 26
There was a cutting wind when I started my daily walk today. The temperature felt like around 1–4°C (34–39°F) with a sharp breeze, despite the actual air temperature being around 5–7°C; this was due to wind speeds of about 13–15 mph (22–24 km/h) from the south-easterly direction, bringing a chill factor. When I arrived at the recreation ground, I saw about 20 gulls spread out all over the field feeding on the grass. They were probably feeding on the worms and other creatures that come to the surface after rainfall. A few drops of rain began to fall, and it began to feel quite unpleasant in the windy conditions.
I decided not to bother walking around the cemetery today and began to walk along the cemetery road towards the golf course. I could hear the friendly Pitbull barking in his garden as I walked by.
I noticed a pair of large Herring Gulls flying over the hill on the golf course, drifting and coasting along in the wind with their large wings outstretched.
When I arrived at the leisure centre, I met a young woman with a brown-coloured Cockapoo-type dog on a lead. The dog, barking excitedly, jumped up onto my legs in a friendly manner; the young woman grinned and apologised.
I noticed another six gulls feeding on the grass in the town football club ground as I passed the five-a-side football pitch. I also passed a healthy-looking Camellia shrub covered in strong buds, ready to burst into flower when the conditions allow. This is probably another virtue of the recent incessant rainfall, as Camellias are acid-loving plants. Today I walked for 2.29 miles in 48 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 26 heart points.
Daily Nature Log Date: 21 January 2026 Route/Location: Cows Lane, Recreation Field, and the Cemetery
🌿 Wildlife & Flora Observations Birds: Wood pigeons (perched on Cowslip Lane and near the allotment site); a group of six partridges near the allotment gates (my “sight of the day”). Plants: Large, green, leafy Alexander shoots (invasive) on the recreation field banks and behind the five-a-side pitch. Domestic Animals: A brown Labrador and a friend’s white pug.
🌤 Weather Conditions General: Heavy rain for most of the day with a break in the early afternoon. Temperature: 6–7°C (felt like 3–4°C due to wind chill). Wind: 13–19 mph with strong, sharp gusts.
📝 Field Notes I entered the cemetery and began walking along the main pathway; a couple of wood pigeons suddenly flew up rapidly from the ground towards the trees alongside the allotment site. I noticed a couple walking a brown Labrador at the top of the cemetery that started barking loudly as I drew near. The lady owner grinned and shouted, ‘Don’t worry, he’s just being friendly.’ I couldn’t help thinking that was a loud, aggressive way to show canine friendship. The highlight was seeing the partridges. They were spread out just inside the allotment gateway with their long necks stretched out before they spotted me and took flight.
Daily Nature Log Date: 20 January 2026 Route: Foxy Lane, Recreation Ground, and Cemetery
🌤️ Conditions Temperature: 7°C to 8°C Wind Chill: Approximately 4°C Weather Notes: A strong, cold breeze was blowing which pierced my coat and gloves.
📝 Observations & Narrative I started my daily nature walk slightly later today. I met a young man walking two small dogs on leads and stopped to ask him what breeds they were. One of the dogs started barking furiously; it turned out to be a Jack Russell, and the other was a black Pug, which promptly joined in with the canine chorus. I continued along my way and turned into Foxy Lane, where I passed a family walking a spaniel. I thought perhaps today was going to be a ‘canine day’ due to the later time of my walk. In the recreation ground, I spotted a pair of magpies flying towards the pine trees, and a wood pigeon flew over the adjacent fence into the cemetery. When I arrived at the cemetery road entrance, my ‘friend,’ the pit bull terrier, began barking loudly from his normal position on the trampoline in his garden. This disturbed me somewhat, as I thought we had moved past this aggressive behaviour in our ongoing, distant relationship. Inside the cemetery, I disturbed three wood pigeons who instantly took off in various directions. I couldn’t resist taking another couple of photographs of the early snowdrops growing near the gates. On the way back, I passed another couple walking a poodle-type dog.
📸 Sightings Birds: Magpies (pair), Wood pigeons (4) Flora: Early snowdrops Dogs: Jack Russell, Black Pug, Spaniel, Pit bull terrier, Poodle-type.
🏃 Activity Stats Distance: 1.68 miles Duration: 35 minutes Google Fit: 21 Heart Points.
Daily Nature Log Date: 19 January 2026 Route: Leisure centre, recreation ground, and cemetery.
Observations: The temperature felt cooler today due to the wind. While the air temperature was around 7°C (45°F), it felt closer to 3°C (37°F) due to the strong, breezy conditions. I commenced my daily active wildlife walk along the usual route today. A few solitary sentinel wood pigeons were perched on random rooftops as I made my way towards the leisure centre. I could hear another wood pigeon gurgling in the background with its typical territorial call. When I began to walk around the outskirts of the recreation ground, I saw about twenty gulls spread out in all directions. A wood pigeon flew up from the large rainwater container situated in the far corner. Several sparrows were flying within the hawthorn hedgerow adjoining the cemetery; they seemed to enjoy skipping from one shrub to another to stay together. I walked through the cemetery gates and watched the same group of sparrows skimming the tops of the shrubs in the opposite direction. A single corvid flew overhead; I believe it was likely a rook returning to the rookery. A couple of wood pigeons flew off in separate directions as I made my way along the pathways. Quite a few fallen autumn leaves remained under the trees, giving off a powerful, musty seasonal aroma thanks to the recent rainfall. Further along, two crows were feeding on the grass, distinguishable by the colour of their powerful beaks. It was lovely to see a line of early, sparkling white snowdrops in flower leading to the cemetery gates. I also noticed that the buds on the daffodils along the cemetery road are ready to spring into bloom at any moment. A large herring gull was running quickly across the golf course as I walked past. Finally, I spotted a wood pigeon perched in a silver birch tree, where the leafless branches revealed a nest from last year’s breeding season.
Activity Data: Distance: 2.59 miles Duration: 58 minutes Google Fit: 28 Heart Points
Wild Walk .🥾 I started my daily walk along the usual route. When I reached Cowslip Lane, I met a man I had met before walking his two Cairn Terriers. I passed the time of day with him, discussing how he was allegedly recently ripped off by a vet when one of his dogs became unwell. I began to walk around the outskirts of the recreation ground, where I noticed a black-and-white bird feeding on the grass. At first, I thought it was a magpie, but I quickly realised it was too big to be one and took a close-up photograph. Later, Google Lens identified it as an oystercatcher. Apparently, it is quite common to see them foraging on green areas during the breeding season. Several sparrows were flying along the hedgerows bordering the cemetery, and a blackbird flew towards a thick, bushy shrub. I began walking along the pathways in the cemetery, and a pair of wood pigeons rapidly flew away as I approached. As I left the cemetery, I noticed a tiny wren taking shelter in a leafless shrub. A single jackdaw was perched on a rooftop when I completed my walk. Today, I walked for 1.66 miles in 34 minutes,
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Daily Nature Log
Date: 18 January 2026 Route: Cows Lane, Recreation Ground, and Cemetery. Distance/Time: 1.66 miles / 34 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 21 heart points.
Weather
The teamperature was around 4°C, but due to a southwesterly wind of about 11 mph it felt much colder.
Species Observation Notes
Cairn Terriers–Two dogs being walked by a local acquaintance. Oystercatcher–Black and white; larger than a magpie; foraging on the grass. Sparrows— Several seen flying along the cemetery hedgerows. Blackbird– Flew into a thick, bushy shrub. Wood Pigeons–A pair that flew away quickly upon approach. Wren–Tiny; sheltering in a leafless shrub near the cemetery exit. Jackdaw–Perched on a rooftop at the end of the walk.
I commenced my daily walk slightly later than usual today, and I had an enjoyable time. I managed to capture a nice photograph of the sunset on my way round. When I arrived at the start of Cows Lane, I noticed a wood pigeon and a blackbird perched on the top ridge of one of the houses. A solitary magpie was sitting on a rooftop a little further along the way. I met a man I have met before walking his small white Pug, and we greeted each other as we passed. I entered the recreation ground and began walking around the outskirts of the cricket field towards the cemetery entrance. I noticed the topmost branches of the trees in the rookery were full of rooks. Then, with a sudden explosive clamour of sound, a black cloud of rooks rose into the air and began noisily calling to one another. My Pitbull canine friend was seated on the top of his trampoline, quietly watching me and impassively twitching his ears as I passed. I noticed a tabby cat walking along the top of a fence two doors away, and I wondered how the Pitbull would have reacted if he had seen it. I entered the cemetery and quickly walked to the farmer’s field at the top end, as I wanted to take a photograph of the sunset before the sun disappeared. I took a couple of nice photographs before it almost set completely behind the clouds on the horizon. I continued along my way and then noticed a feral pigeon on the roof of the leisure centre. When I reached Foxy Lane, I saw a lady with a Bull Terrier on the grassy area underneath the pine trees. Today I walked for 1.95 miles in 42 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.
STATISTICS
Date: 17 January 2026
Distance: 1.95 miles
Duration: 42 minutes
Heart Points: 25
Wildlife Observations:
Birds: Wood pigeon, blackbird, solitary magpie, rooks (in the rookery), feral pigeon.
Other: Tabby cat.
Domestic Animals:
Small white Pug, Pitbull (on a trampoline), Bull Terrier.
Route Notes & Highlights:
Started at Cows Lane, moved through the recreation ground and cricket field to the cemetery.
Witnessed a “black cloud” of rooks taking flight with an explosive clamour.
Captured photographs of the sunset from the farmer’s field before the sun dipped below the horizon.
johnandmargaret1607 