Better late than never, here's news of Horrid of Henbury's first ramblings of 2025.
Occasional Notes from a Dog Walker
January 2025
Torrential rain started the New Year – the field-floods had dried, but replenished overnight. Then hard frost (Andertons Lane again became a skating rink) with dazzling sunshine that wasn't warm enough to melt all the frost. A brave snowdrop opened its flower prematurely.
A few days later – rather wet snow. Birds flocked to the feeders; we had a jay, a woodpecker and a very large corvid that could have been a raven (or just a very big crow!) – ravens have visited in harsh weather before. In addition there were all the usual suspects – a whole gamut of tits (although the longtails didn't come in large numbers), goldies, greenfinch, chaffinch, and the wren.
Over the fields Dot the Dog and I had to negotiate snow, slush and large puddles. Four paw traction was much superior to two feet!
A second snowy night really excited DtD. Our morning walk lasted nearly twice as long as usual because she wanted to play ball and had great fun excavating her toy from several inches of snow. The field-flood behind Henbury Rise was mostly frozen but several ducks swam vocally around the small open water centre and a pair of wagtails pottered around on the surrounding ice.
Eventually came the thaw with mud and slush. DtD did not enjoy being washed down after her walks. Even so, signs of spring appeared, with snowdrops coming up. Flowers not yet open, but hints of white already in their buds.
S spotted a pair of fieldfares in the garden and the wagtails were about again over the fields. A thrush appeared briefly, looking for snails, but scuttled under the hedge as Dot and I walked past. The snowdrops' flower buds began to swell.
Even though the snow had gone, the ice remained on the field-floods in large part. I watched the wagtails running about – amazed that they were so sure-footed on so slippery a surface. The thrush reappeared several times but was very shy. Several scrapes alongside the track from Anderton's Lane towards the cottages suggested that the badgers had been looking for worms and a tuft or two of white fur on the path indicated that foxy had dined well.
Storm Éowyn hit hard with wind – but there seemed to be relatively little damage. A few fence panels (not ours!) were down and a sizeable piece of sycamore came down on to the roof of our shed – no damage done. Then Storm Hermiana – rain and flooding of the field paths. Dot the Dog needed a good hosing down!
As ever
Horrid of Henbury