FROSTY STARLINGS, SOME OTHER BIRDS AND A LYNX

I rarely remember to take my camera into town but on a particularly frosty morning, I did. We haven't had Starlings up on our bit of the moor at all this year, so I was delighted to see this tiny murmuration up on the frosty TV aerial of a 1980's house. 

Their markings remind me a tiny bit of those on the Golden Plovers who, incidentally, appeared again on Wednesday after an absence of at least a month:

After many years, I have a tame Robin, who will get within six inches of me. No feeding from the hand yet but it follows me around, especially when I'm preparing Trigger's food. I took this during the RSPB Garden Bird Survey last weekend:

Some of the Chaffinches are getting pretty close at feeding time too. They're SO hungry at this time of year I suppose. 

Just before Christmas, we went to visit M's dad in Paignton and got some fish and chips in Brixham. We were inundated with greedy Turnstones rather than Gulls and I took this on my phone. I'm terrible about downloading pictures from it and have meant to put this in for ages. Not great quality I'm afraid but better than the Goshawk I took last week which was unpublishable! 

This is a very beautiful thing flying. You might not agree but I absolutely love them and we are blessed with a variety of different ones thundering over....often on a Tuesday I find. This Lynx was weaving all over the place. Look at the heat haze on it....gorgeous. 

Trigger went down to see his ladies this week before the snow started and I managed to get a good sequence of him going into a roll:

We haven't had as many glorious sunrises and, of course, it's getting light earlier and earlier. By next week I may be too late at 7.30am. This was a good frosty one though; same day as the Starlings:

I've had two commissions to do since I last posted. One of Poppy for CT at http://countrysidetales.blogspot.co.uk/ and one, which I started today, of Thelma's dog Moss ( http://northstoke.blogspot.co.uk/ ), which has a cautionary tale attached to it. I drew Moss before Christmas and decided to leave sending it for safety's sake until the festive post frenzy was over. I gave it to M to post in the new year, but forgot to ask him to get proof of postage. I also forgot to scan it so couldn't even send Thelma a print when, after a couple of weeks, we decided it was lost. Over four hours work down the drain. CT's has gone recorded delivery! Moss will be done but it's very strange doing him again. 

Right, time for other stuff. The January bits and pieces post is going to be a big one so I'd better start editing now. So until next time, here's Snippet at Dawn. Have a lovely weekend everyone. It's supposed to start snowing heavily here at 3.00am. Hoorah!