11/1/10: Snow Patrol, North Heath

If it's going to be cold, I rather like the snow - makes urban areas look a lot more natural, or at least covers up a multitude of ugly sins perpetrated by the human species, including my pet hate of 'car-parked-over' front gardens.

As is often the case, I took a rather round-about route to the local shops and back, including Northumberland Way, Birling Rd, Ramsden Rd, Buxton Rd, Elm Grove, Lesney Park, Park Crescent, top of Birch Walk, Carlton Rd, Cavendish Av, the alleyway behind Brantwood Av and Brook St. After which I made a circuit of Bursted Woods.

There were good numbers of House Sparrows in Northumberland Way, where a number of properties have older style eaves, also 3 Blackbirds. 3 Collared Doves were seen in this road, and 2 more up to Lesney Park.

14 Starlings were feeding on the grass embankment next to the school on Colyer's Lane, and there were significant numbers along my route. 4 Black-headed Gulls were on roofs in Ramsden Rd. A Great Tit, House Sparrows and a Robin were at the junction of Ramsden Rd and Avenue Rd.

2 Magpies were seen in Park Crescent.

Very large numbers of Wood Pigeons were seen, usually sitting in the crowns of larger trees.

There was a Redwing, 2 Blackbirds and a couple of Grey Squirrels at the top end of Birch Walk. A Fox was seen foraging on the north side of the path.

2 more Redwings (possibly 4 in total) were seen around Brantwood Avenue.

A Pied Wagtail was on the roof of the Nat West bank on the corner of Limewood Rd/Bexley Rd. Another, or possibly the same individual, was later seen foraging on the ground outside a fast food outlet at the junction of Brook St and Mill Rd. There were also 8 Feral Pigeons here.

4 Redwings were in a tree in a garden behind Sussex Rd. They too could have been the same ones seen earlier.

There were several Magpies in Bursted Woods. A couple of Brown Rats were seen, and squabbled briefly. A Wren was foraging on the ground in patches kept free from snow cover by brambles. At the west end of the wood 2 Ring-necked Parakeets were seen, and more than 30 Wood Pigeons took to the air.

A Dunnock was later seen in my back garden.