Cold Edge

The site surpassed it's name this afternoon. Freezing cold but it was nice to be out though not a great selection of birds with no sign of any geese in the fields - they've 'legged it' !
1 Fieldfare scoffing berries on a garden Cotoneaster.
1 f Stonechat near the top small pond - a struggle to find food in this weather.
c20 Goldfinch feeding on the alder tree seeds
20 Mallard on the ice - both large dams totally frozen over
Red Grouse on the moor were pretty vocal
3 Wrens in the small plantations - they will struggle up there if this cold spell continues
A few corvids including 5 Rooks chasing about around the former rookery - hope they settle to recolonize that site this year. Also 2 Ravens heading over >E

 Track heading past the top dam (Haigh Cote) out of site up the banking on the left

 

Sunshine in the haze late afternoon reflecting on the iced over lower dam Leadbeater Dam

 

Also in the tree and shrub areas around Wainstalls Village

Several Blackbirds, 18 Collared Doves, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest and 7 adult Herring Gulls >W

Unfortunately there was nothing doing near 'The Delvers' which has traditionally been a reasonably good winter site for Brambling - though there don't appear to be any feeders around there now !