Hugh’s News – February 2020

This winter continues to be particularly mild to me, with just a handful of mornings when I have had to scrape the frost off my car windscreen.  Has that been your impression too?  Even the Welsh hills across the Dee have only had a dusting of snow on the odd occasion that I have noted.

The results for my Big Garden Birdwatch in January were pathetic! The variety and numbers of birds that I recorded in the allotted hour were the lowest I have seen for many a year.  I am sure this was related to the especially clement weather we had at the time.  The lack of birds does not necessarily reflect a fall in bird populations, but rather indicates there was lots of natural food for the birds around the locality and so they were less reliant on “food bank” hand-outs! How did your count go?

However, while we have escaped the severe cold, we have certainly made up for the lack of snow with plenty of wind and rain!  At least the ducks and geese like it! Storm Ciara gave Wirral a true battering, and Storm Dennis is about to sweep across as I write.  The wind chill factor was noticeable at times, but even these events do not last long.

I have spring bulbs blossoming and various buds showing well in the garden, as I am sure you have.  The lawn has barely stopped growing.  So while we may yet get a sting in the tale, it looks like spring may be just around the corner.  I hope I haven’t spoken too soon!

A promising sign is that the first Avocet returned to Burton Mere Wetlands on Thursday 13th February – last year it was just a day later on 14th February. This species is always one of the first of our summer migrants to return, and the especially early re-appearances may well indicate that the Dee birds winter in the UK rather than on the continent.  Soon, we should have Wheatear and Sand Martin passing through, then we can really welcome in spring and the flood of other summer visitors.  Bring it on!

Hugh Stewart