The North-Northwest wind cut through the morning, making the 10°C air feel nearly half that as it gusted across the recreation ground. Undeterred by the 40 mph blasts, a dozen rooks claimed the football pitch for their breakfast, while jackdaws patrolled the cricket field.
   The walk through the cemetery was a botanical delight; the vibrant yellow of a Laburnum tree stood in stark contrast to the wild, weedy bank where the insects remained tucked away from the gale. Greater stitchwort and bird’s-eye trefoil dotted the grass, though the local corvids weren’t keen on sharing the view, taking flight as soon as a human silhouette appeared. A quick dash by a small bird and a lively Cockapoo provided the final flourishes to a brisk 56-minute trek.

The Stats
Distance: 2.56 miles
Duration: 56 minutes
Intensity: 25 Google Fit Heart Points
Air Temp: 9°C – 11°C
Wind Chill: 5°C – 6°C
Wind Speed: 30–40 mph (NNW)
Key Sightings: Rooks (12+), Jackdaws (7), Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeons (3), Laburnum, Greater Stitchwort, Bird’s-eye Trefoil.

Today, we had two incredibly rare visitors to our garden in the shape of a pair of partridges. This is the first time we have ever seen these beautiful birds in our garden. I took many photographs of them through the kitchen windows. We also saw a pair of collared doves and a pair of dunnocks. Quite a few goldfinches were coming and going to the sunflower seed feeders. Our resident wood pigeon was also around and several feral pigeons. I couldn’t help noticing that the partridges weren’t at all aggressive, like the feral pigeons. A few different species of birds were peacefully feeding at the same time. I took a photograph of the two partridges, the two collared doves and our resident wood pigeon searching for dropped seeds beneath the feeders at the same time.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.