Harwood Forest

Snowy views around Harwood

New Owl nest boxes 

Cheviot Hills from Steng Moss

Yesterday spent most of the day walking through Harwood forest on a usual circuit of about 11 miles from the village to Tutehill moss, Hemmel hill, Chartners, Fallowlees farm and back to the village via Redpath. No birds to see apart from 3 Buzzards and 2 Bullfinches but still filled a page in the notebook. I have noticed a few large nest boxes have been put up in the forest. Snow was the main feature with up to 6 inches along the sheltered tracks but sparser in exposed areas. There is something satisfying about walking on virgin snow with only a few deer and fox tracks crisscrossing the forest paths and roads. The snow petered out at Rothley and on the way back a Stoat in ermine ran across the road in front of the car at Rothley cross roads. Something just as hard to see these days as a white Stoat in winter time was a stubble field and a fine one at that at Longwitton. It had mainly Red legged Partridge and Pheasant in it but also a large mixed finch and bunting flock. I think I looked at every bird with the usual species in very good numbers but I  couldn't pick out any Bramblings but worth another look when passing.