The Shape of Things to Come - Ramones

Overnight the wind had veered into the south bringing with it a far warmer feel to the day, but on the down side continuous light rain. It will take much more than this to deter me from venturing forth and by 08:00 the cemetery was far behind me.

Not a trace of frost or ice at Radipole. and with the sluices remaining open the water level was diminishing encouraging Common Snipe, 36 in all, to venture out to feed in the open.

The big surprise was the arrival of a Common Sandpiper which regularly over winter in the county but remain pretty much static in their chosen location (such as Holes Bay, Poole Harbour) making it likely that this was an early migrant?

On the way to Portland, a male Mallard was seen at Ferry Bridge, the first for the Island this year, but as it was high water nothing more than a couple of waterborne Brent Geese. An illuminating hour at the Bird Observatory not only allowed me a loan look along the Book Shop shelves but a chance to appraise 'The Birds of East Asia' at my leisure.

In Southwell the Crocus were bloomin, albeit a little hampered by the weather, but the rain continued and by mid-day the wind was again seeking the east making it cold, good job then that I had a lunch date with

Maggie & John Gifford plus Lesley, to my right, which we took at The Spy Glass pub at Overcoombe close to Weymouth. Good food, great company and if the words herein are a little slurred, a good drink.

Global Warming is always a good topic, for which I don't have too much time, but with happenings locally who knows. Reports on this site of Carrion Crow and Long-tailed Tit carrying nesting material during the month of January, then maybe the next couple of reports will not surprise. Terry Coombs tells me that Blackbirds are sitting on eggs, 4 to be precise, while in Dorchester

a pair of Tawny Owls have already hatched 3 young while one more egg is yet to bare fruit.

All photographs on today's post are from the archive for illustration.