Full River

The current heavy and persistent rain has swelled the Alyn. Here is a vie from the Sarn Bridge.

Mallards

There are mallards by the bridge. I counted 7 this morning but sadly the camera on my phone is not good enough for me to get close ups.

Here are my best efforts.

And a short video

That water looks really cold.

A Couple of Snowy Snaps

Trimming

The wild rose that was encroaching on to the path that I blogged about on January 9th has been cut back. It is sad in one sense but necessary to maintain the thoroughfare.

However, there has been additional trimming of the hedgerow on the way back to the village.  The trimmed branches have been trimmed and left on the verge. Presumably these branches too were threatening the pathway, although I had not noticed them.

I still have a lot to learn which is why I do not fully understand the need for this trimming. This is the time of year when birds are starting to build their nests in the hedgerow and this may be disruptive. Alternatively it may have no effect at all. Or, it may provide a valuable source of materials for nest building. In any event, this is all part of the life cycle of the Lane which balances the need to provide a thoroughfare for the people of the villages with providing a habitat for the local wildlife, both animals and plants.

Hemlock?

This plant has shot up and flowered opposite the dog bin. I rushed to the wild flower identification literature and to my surprise the closest match I could find was Hemlock. (It loooks a bit like Cow Parsley too). Surely some mistake! I am not a botanist and if I have made a mistake, which is more than likely, I would love to know. In any event, early February is very early for any of the potential candidates to be flowering.

I thought I'd found a sink hole...

I thought I'd found a sink hole.

But it turned out to be a hidden storm grid. It was so full of mud that it was as if it had been turfed. So I cleared it out a bit.

I thought that the powers that be had to regularly make sure the grids are clear. I think a visit to Sarn Lane us a bit overdue. 

The other thing I noticed was that the water inside the grid was just lying there. It did not appear to be flowing anywhere. If it doesn't flow away, then it overflows and there is a flood. Is there a blockage somewhere that is stopping the flow. Perhaps the powers that be should have a look.

Bird Song Illiterate

Sadly for me, I have no ear for birdsong. As I walked along the Lane this morning, the singing was really loud. Lots of birds, lots of different songs, all being belted out. But I can't tell one bird from another. I have tried to learn the songs, but once I get out in the open, it all goes out of my head.

I think I will have to try recording the sounds and then try and pick them out of the soundscape.