Daily Nature Log 11th January 2026

 

Rooks around the rookery

  When I left the house, the powerful wind was cutting through the woollen scarf I was wearing, freezing my earlobes. The current temperature here is 4°C, but the wind chill makes it feel like -2°C. I carried an umbrella, as there was a 90% chance of rain here today.
  I walked along Foxy Lane, where the strong wind was whistling through the evergreen pine trees. The fronds of the longer grass underneath the trees were being swept over by the force of the gusty wind. I entered the recreation ground and quickly began to walk along the outskirts. A solitary crow flew up over the hedge, complaining loudly with a guttural, rasping croak when I drew near.
  I left the recreation ground and began walking around the cemetery pathways. A single wood pigeon was perched in the centre of a leafless tree growing in the hedgerow adjoining the playing field. I couldn’t help thinking how invisible this bird would be when the foliage is on the trees. I noticed the red crab-apple-type fruit on a couple of the trees had almost disappeared—obviously the work of hungry birds during the recent snowy days.
  I admired the early snowdrops as I left the cemetery and began to walk along the road past the allotment site. A male blackbird was turning the fallen leaves over on the borders, searching for food. A sparrow speedily flew across the road and the blackbird disappeared under a shrub.
  The cold, powerful wind was blowing strongly as I walked past the leisure centre and the cricket pavilion. I passed a man walking a black Labrador as I walked towards Foxy Lane.
  I noticed a medium-sized Camellia shrub growing in a garden, full of strong flower buds ready to burst into flower when spring arrives. The garden next door was somewhat uncared for, and I was not surprised to notice a few tiny common daisies in flower. There was also a fine specimen of ling growing out of control in a corner.
Today I walked for 1.5 miles in 30 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.

Sunset