9 February - Cold and Icy

With the cold weather continuing the fields around Helpston remain covered in hard, crisp snow today.

I walked along Maxey Cut and right around the old pits anti-clockwise. The eastern pits are still only half frozen but all the pits on the western side of the complex were frozen over.

Two goosander flew up off the Cut as I walked along and there were about 20 or so tufted duck and pochard on the pit to the south of the Cut. A green sandpiper flew east-west parallel with the Cut.

A small flock of siskin were feeding in the alder trees that form the shelter belt north of the main pit and there was a kingfisher on the Cut as I walked back to the Helpston road.

The sheep at the Blacklands, (opposite Castor Hanglands) are finding it very difficult to find food at the moment and were gathered round the gate waiting to be fed this morning - usually they have to be called in. We are feeding them on hay and sugar beet at the moment.

I walked around Bainton Pits between 4-5pm and spotted a mealy redpoll as I unlocked the gate at the main entrance. This is the continental race of the species and is generally a lot whiter and brighter (often described as frosted) than its English cousin. This one was feeding on birch on its own with 4 chaffinch. There were also 2 goosander on the main pit, which was half frozen along with good numbers of wigeon, gadwall, pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye (8) and great crested grebe (8). All the other pits were frozen over.

What will the weather bring next?