Daily Nature Log. 17th January 2026

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.