1988 November and December
November 1st
A cold frosty day with
overcast sky. At the Holmes, I saw a Wren creeping about down
the back garden, several Blue Tits and Great Tits, the odd
Thrush and Blackbird, and a Magpie that flew over. It is lovely
to watch the wildlife there – it’s like a forgotten secret
garden. Down a tree trunk and across my path scampered a large
furry Grey Squirrel - a lovely surprise for me.
November 5th
For the past week the
days have been gorgeous, with frosty mornings, clear blue skies
and plenty of bright sunshine. In our garden the Yellow Flag
have split their seed pods and released the ginger brown seeds
from their white pith casing.
November 20th
Last night David said
it’s going to snow tomorrow, and this morning we awoke to the
valley covered in white. By dinner the sky was clear blue with
brilliant sunshine. Walking down the valley we saw half a dozen
Magpies flying about, and there were lots of Sparrows and the
odd Starling in the naked knurled Hawthorn bushes.
November 27th
An overcast, cold, grey day. On the 25th Susan saw a
large brown bird fly over, and I saw it flying lazily over the
drive. It was big, flew like a crow, and was chocolate-brown all
over. David has suggested that it might have been a Short Eared
Owl as they are big, brown and fly by day sometimes. I love you
God.
December 3rd
While watching the birds
this dinner time, I saw, hopping about a naked tree-trunk and
pecking here and there, a black and white Lesser Spotted
Woodpecker, with red on its head. I was overjoyed. This must
only be about the third time I have seen one of these birds.
Then as
if this were not treat enough, there were three Tree Creepers
flitting through the trees, flashing their white bellies. Many
Blue and Great Tits were flying about, foraging for food, and a
Coal Tit came to the bird feeder.
December 4th
To my delight this
dinner time I saw a Tree Creeper close to. Its delicate curved
beak and white belly could clearly be seen. There were a couple
of ruddy-pink breasted Chaffinches on the footpath; and amongst
a flock of Blue and Great Tits, I saw a Chaffinch-size bird.
This
appeared to have black and white striped back-feathers, and
pink-red plumage visible as well. I am sure it was a new kind of
bird; possibly a Stonechat or more likely a Brambling. Later I
saw two Jays fly into the Rhododendrons, their azure-blue
feathers clearly visible.
December 23rd
On the lodge near the
Holmes’s I saw 13 large white, black & yellow-billed Whooper
Swans. A lovely Christmas sight! In the field were half a dozen
fat white domestic geese, with orange beaks.
December 31st
In the Clough Valley
today I saw a flock of Chaffinches and Sparrows. There were also
several Blackbirds flying around and I saw a Robin close to. In
the garden David’s Snowdrops are coming up, and my crocuses are
in bud. The Daffodil shoots are 2” long.
The first volume of the 1989
journal is lost, and we continue from the beginning of July.