The Day it Snowed!

I think the 5th February will live long in the memories of the people of Helpston as the Day it Snowed! Whilst the schools were closed and the roads were blocked, the school field and the green in the new buildings were very busy indeed, with both children and adults out and about building snowmen (and women) and igloos; sledging and even cross country skiing! The sound of the silence with so many cars off the road and so few trains running was stunning!

Of course the snow is great fun for us (to a point, of course), but it creates real difficulties for the birds and animals that share our countryside. Fristly they struggle to find food as it is buried under the snow; secondly they struggle to cope with the cold and of course as they have to forage harder for food, they use up more energy in the process.

And the cold weather forces many more birds to the bird table than usual. Ann and Colin Bell had long tailed tits in their garden on Crossberry Way for the first time. So do keep feeding the birds and watch out for unusual visitors.

As I walked across the Heath Road paddock at dusk yesterday I caught sight of a barn owl flying towards Heath Road, coming from the direction of College Cottages. It flew over Heath Road and off towards Royce Wood - the first time I've seen one in the village itself, although I know they have been seen regularly in the past.