The morning after the night before

poplar view
Originally uploaded by wherethewolvesare.

We’ve had a dusting of snow this week. People in places that get proper snow would call it a heavy frost, the news folk are saying it’s the start of the next ice age. Like I said, we’ve had a dusting of snow. In the week after Christmas, it makes everywhere look very pretty and festive, and its given us some lovely days and some not-so-lovely days.

This sketch is part of the row of hawthorns and Lombardy poplars at the back of the house on a very lovely afternoon, last Thursday, I think. The gulls were probably black-headed or common gulls. There’s often at least a handful of each on the sports field up the road, at this time of year. Late afternoon, I usually see them and a few larger gulls, like great black-backed gulls, flying off to roost for the night.

In the garden, early this morning, it was the most amazing morning. I was just putting some rubbish into the outside bins, but I was struck by the still and quiet, there was virtually no traffic noise – everyone recovering from last night, I suppose. The only sound was natural, sound I wanted to hear. For midwinter, the birds were virtually putting on a dawn chorus. Greenfinch, sparrow, collared dove and blue tit all in full song, with blackbird, robin, goldcrest, crow and magpie in attendance. The grey squirrels are also thinking of spring already, as 2 chased through the hawthorns and away down the hedgerow.

Happy New Year!!