We had a cold crisp frosty morning to bring in the New Year, and this was to be a pattern that would continue for most of January.
There have been no SEPA water levels to read this month after their website was compromised; but with the way the cold snap has been and hard frost up on the high ground, the system has been slowed up a bit with next to no spate on it. There has not been too much movement of birds along the estuary this month, think they have been trying to conserve their energy during this cold snap!
Swan and Redshank numbers remain low, but we did see our 1st Shell duck (25th) and 1st Curlew (14th).
There have been a few more Oyster Catchers, Dabchicks and Siskins about, and the seals are still busy feeding on the kelts. A lot of the work undertaken this month has included more strimming along some of the pathways; and also pruning back some of the overhanging canopy and taking back some of the heavier growth along the path sides. There were a few old bird boxes that had come down in the bad weather.
These got a quick patch up, coat of stain and put back up again.
The 15th saw the start of the rod fishing season again up on our Cargill beat
but with Covid restrictions in place, it was to be a much quieter opening day on the whole river, but there have still been a few local anglers managing to get out for a cast, hopefully things will improve soon!
It has been a much colder month with very little movement on the mercury; but for all that the season is marching on and the Snowdrops
and the Aconites are pushing on up through the frosted ground, a sign that we are getting through this winter!
The river has slowly been settling back to a decent level, but on the weather front the forecast is for more of same as the cold snap is set to continue into February.
Dago