Feed the birds.

 long tailed tits

We have now been snowed in for 2 weeks with more forecast over the next few days along with freezing temperatures. We had a blizzard yesterday for most of the day.We cannot get our car to the top road and have relied on our guests and neighbours for a lift into Inverness for basic provisions. Our guests have had to leave their cars between the top gate and the road as the lane down to the cottage had nearly one foot of snow laying on it. The Hogmanay celebrations in Inverness were cancelled due to the extreme weather conditions and treacherous roads. I have given up trying to defrost the bird bath and it is now used as a feeding station after noticing that the birds have been eating/drinking the snow. In this weather you realise that the birds really rely on you for food and we have counted 17 different species at the various feeding stations dotted around the garden.

male siskin and robin

Most are present all year round, some are winter visitors and a few rare ones were spotted. The species ranged from Britain's tiniest bird, the goldcrest weighing in at just 5g and measuring 8.5cms from beak to tail, to the predatory sparrowhawk which can weigh up to 400g and can be 35cms in length. Between these two extremes we have seen coal tits, blue tits, long tailed tits, great tits, siskins, robins, chaffinch, dunnock, greenfinch, goldfinch, blackbird, great spotted woodpecker and a rare visitor- the fieldfare. Also the ever present pheasants and hooded crow. Guests at Aspenwood and a neighbour reported seeing a rare snow bunting in their gardens. They all need feeding.

tiny goldcrest