All in all it's just another winter's day

 It was a fine, cold, frosty morning as I set out, thinking this is what a winter's day should be like. I carefully found my way over the ice-bound pavements and was soon striding out normally once I reached grass, where my feet could get a bit of grip.

I headed to the hide at the Mere once more, given the water's iced over in places I was hoping to see an early morning Bittern again. If only. As it happened I didn't see a Bittern, but one of these days I will get another opportunity to have unobscurred views.

A GSW was drumming yesterday morning in the wood and 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen or heard on my walk today, but none of them were drumming.

Cold, blue light pervaded the view from the hide

In the hide I watched for a while hoping something interesting would turn up. The Mute Swans were acting as ice breakers, carving their way through, and a few Goldeneye paddled about in the small patches of clear water. 

I stamped my feet and blew on my hands trying to stay warm - neither of these helped much, my extremeties remained comfortably numb ❄️❄️

Half an hour later the view was, at times, much better as the sun got up above the tree line.

Warm, softer light with the sun shining

The fat old sun was obscurred by clouds (Cirrus Minor?) every now and then, but I had high hopes that it would eventually come out and stay out.

Meanwhile 2 Whooper Swans had flown in at the west end, avoiding the thin ice on the Mere. I wondered how long they would stay, as they don't usually hang about.

Whooper Swan flapping about

Whooper Swans at the west end

10 minutes later the swans were off, flying eastwards.

Point me at the sky and let me fly

Whooper Swans going elsewhere

It was a bit gloomy when the swans flew off - let there be more light! Still, that's what winter brings, half-lit and gloomy days along with a few bright ones in and among.

As I needed to get my limbs moving and my blood circulating again, it was time I was elsewhere too so I packed up and set off. 5 minutes later I could feel my fingers coming back to life 🤣

The usual Redwings and Fieldfares were in the hedgerows and hawthorns, so I couldn't resist another photo.

Redwing in the early morning sun

 

As I was writing this I was struck by the fact I had unconsciously used a few Pink Floyd song titles. So I carried on and used a few more 😀 I think there are 13 Pink Floyd song titles hidden in the text above, ignoring the blatant partial one in the heading. Also, a little known album title is there too.

Songs:

If

One Of These Days

Comfortably Numb

Fat Old Sun

Obscurred By Clouds

Cirrus Minor

High Hopes

The Thin Ice

Stay

Point Me At The Sky

Let There Be More Light

Time

Coming Back To Life

Album title: More - a soundtrack from 1969