winter freeze and freezing woodcock

Freezing temperatures continue.

On Christmas Eve I went to dig leeks and could barely penetrate the frozen earth to break the leeks from the solid soil with my garden fork.

Pity then, our birds who feed by probing the earth. This is the time of year when continental woodcocks join our native population. They are unique and slightly eccentric members of the wader family and have long bills for probing the woodland floor.

Our family Boxing Day walk took us through Crimea Plantation which is next to our Mushroom Farm site where I took this photo with my phone.

Any woodcocks hoping for a meal in this frozen place would have been very disappointed.