Snow Living

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smurf







It doesn't really compare to the whiteout of last winter, but it's cold enough, and the East Anglia peninsula is now capped with an icy crust of snow.







But food is plentiful for some. Fieldfares have been visiting the berry bush outside my kitchen window, providing (for me) a rare opportunity to see these beautiful thrushes up close.





Like the redwings...



...fieldfares are winter visitors, coming here from Scandinavia. Blackbirds are present all year round.



As indeed are song thrushes right



Not a bad species list for one bush! bigsmile
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Over the years, I've had a few opportunities to photograph foxes against pure snowy backdrops, but it's the nature of the game that you always want more whistle However, my fox sightings drop dramatically in these kind of conditions, even in the Surrey Hills. Norwich has plenty of foxes, but they are much more nocturnal than their southern cousins. But their feet still betray them sherlock (Belgian shepherd included for scale.)



And down on the frozen broad, someone else is leaving footsteps on the ice!





The otters must be fishing in the river at present. This trail led out of the frozen lake and into the snowbank, where the typical bounding gait of a mustelid was clear.


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Of course, some mammals are easier to approach wink

Taking BreathFrigid

Comments

Nicolas Borgsmidtnopanic Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:21:01 PM

Wonderful pics, Adele. Fresh weater. The few colours really live up !

ERWINWulpen Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:26:43 PM

Wonderful Pict ,Asele looks very cold there.....

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:27:15 PM

Thanks Nic! smile This is a very artistic season if you look with care. Whatever colours still exist are far more dramatic for the general starkness.

Adele BrandSittingFox Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:28:21 PM

@Erwin - well, it is, but not compared to eastern Europe right now right

Having said that, the snow is living black ice everywhere as it slowly melts, so walking feels hazardous!

Thanks! smile

Nicolas Borgsmidtnopanic Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:39:22 PM

I´m ready to get out with the cam. Bought some very warm skiing trowsers today. psmurf

Words Tuesday, February 7, 2012 10:08:12 PM

Beautiful series of shots. It's getting slippery here too, but still very picturesque.

Stardancer Tuesday, February 7, 2012 10:33:08 PM

You ventured out in the snow! I can imagine that Khamsin had a blast!

Lovely photos.

up

smile

Loiscakkleberrylane Tuesday, February 7, 2012 11:17:41 PM

Beautiful rendering of the art in nature. Does Khamsin enjoy the wildlife too?

Jimmy Quekpabha Wednesday, February 8, 2012 5:49:24 AM

Thank you for the beautiful photos.

Weatherlawyer Wednesday, February 8, 2012 9:13:38 AM

Are Belgian shepherds really that nosey?

Plenty of berries this season. They were washing into the drains for weeks in Newcastle under Lyme/Stoke on Trent before the snow.

Darkogdare Wednesday, February 8, 2012 4:32:51 PM

I've seen otter yesterday morning, while walking on the seawall, just few meters from me. It was first animal, except gulls, ducks and other birds, that I've seen since that harbor seal in November happy

RobinRobinL Wednesday, February 8, 2012 6:46:58 PM

Adele, wonderful! Your Kingfisher looks rather forlorn. It's nice to see the white of winter, once in awhile. Just so long as it doesn't last long! I love the shot of the Coot. Looks like it is just skating along enjoying the ice! lol
Your Fieldfares are very similar to our Robins. They are definitely related I think!
Hope your snow is gone soon!

Mariemarieandrabi Thursday, February 9, 2012 7:33:53 PM

love what beautiful

studio41 Saturday, February 11, 2012 9:01:45 AM

a lovely visual feast here, Adele. bet this was very enjoyable!

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:12:45 AM

@Nic - good move! I'm appreciating the coat that I bought for Saskatchewan, I have to say. It was bitterly cold in East Anglia this morning.

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:14:04 AM

@Words - well, after this, East Anglia turned into an icebox smurf so we've still got some snow, but it's scattered about like Saskatchewan in March right

Thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:15:31 AM

@Star - she did! smile She loves her walks, snow or not! As for me, it was a useful opportunity to test my snowboots!

Thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:16:13 AM

@Lois - she's interested in anything and everything! Fortunately she's not an obsessive chaser, but if it moves, she'll notice!

Thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:16:43 AM

@Jimmy - thanks! smile Winter came late this year, but it seems to be making up for the delay smurf

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:19:56 AM

@Weatherlawyer -

Originally posted by Weatherlawyer:

Are Belgian shepherds really that nosey?



Goodness, yes. They want to investigate anything and everything. If I switch on the TV, she'll watch it intensely. She watches my computer monitor (she's startled me once or twice by barking at animals on the screen!) Even loading the washing machine has to be watched, and she has taken exception to the printer knight

Thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:20:29 AM

@Darko - excellent! yes Such fun creatures to watch.

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:23:42 AM

@Robin - yes, they're both members of the thrush family, unlike our "real" robins, which are a species of flycatcher! right

Very cold here this morning, although the sky is bright.

Thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:24:16 AM

@Marie - thanks! smile

Adele BrandSittingFox Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:25:06 AM

@Jill - thanks! smile Enjoyable yes, although rather tiring with all the hiking on difficult paths!

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl Saturday, February 11, 2012 11:18:03 PM

Originally posted by SittingFox:

Belgian shepherd included for scale.


Riiight. lol

DenisDenis-12 Tuesday, February 14, 2012 6:51:15 AM

up up up cheers Excellent blog. Nice birds!

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