Sunday, December 31, 2006
Yesterday, we did the 9-mile walk from the Ridgeway car park at Bury Down. We started off in fine dry weather but the rain hit us on the top of Old Down and drenched us - sometimes with spatters of hail - all the way back to the car. We saw kite, buzzard, yellowhammer, and one stonechat.
Again, on the cross-country drive home, we had to turn and find another way - this time on account of a particularly deep flood. Even then we had to negotiate several more large puddles before reaching the M4 at Theale, and the going on the motorway itself was slow because of flood debris across the road. We're all going to drown.
Saturday December 23rd
It looks as though it's been snowing on Hodcott Down, Berkshire - but the ice coating the hawthorn berries is possibly rime, the freezing fog in the second picture streamlined by wind.
There were plenty of birds all along the bridleway, including loads of blackbirds and fieldfare, and some redwing. But the fog didn't lift so birding was limited.
As we drove home through the lanes, the driver of a vehicle recovery truck flagged us down and advised us that Streatley Hill was closed because of ice. We're all going to freeze.
Again, on the cross-country drive home, we had to turn and find another way - this time on account of a particularly deep flood. Even then we had to negotiate several more large puddles before reaching the M4 at Theale, and the going on the motorway itself was slow because of flood debris across the road. We're all going to drown.
Saturday December 23rd
It looks as though it's been snowing on Hodcott Down, Berkshire - but the ice coating the hawthorn berries is possibly rime, the freezing fog in the second picture streamlined by wind.
There were plenty of birds all along the bridleway, including loads of blackbirds and fieldfare, and some redwing. But the fog didn't lift so birding was limited.
As we drove home through the lanes, the driver of a vehicle recovery truck flagged us down and advised us that Streatley Hill was closed because of ice. We're all going to freeze.
