Winter Birding

So it is pretty cold, icy and snowy over much of Europe. But the birding does not stop. There are few rarities around in winter for twitchers to chase, but it is still well worth getting out there. At this time I prefer to walk in woodlands. They are fairly silent but there is something tranquil about them and it is easier to spot things with fewer leaves on the trees, at least in broadleaved woodlands. My favourites, woodpeckers, can often be found fairly easily in winter, too, as they can be heard hacking away at trees and stumps in search of prey and then tracked down. Yes, it's a good time for tracking mammals, too, with all that snow on the ground. This "Festive Season" is also a time for many for eating and drinking in quantities, and walking, birding or not, in the woods helps blow away those cobwebs. Wrap up, take a thermos of hot drink, and off you go.