Well the whole family including me have had some sort of lurgie (flu like symptoms) for the past few days. And Christmas day was no better, but I couldnt cope with staying in any longer so at midday I decided to head out for a walk in the woods around the house.
There has been snow lying for a total of 27 days so far this winter and you can tell. Almost all the trees round about show signs of bark stripping.
This one has been done almost right round.
There is about 4 left, which I covered up with an old tree tube I found under the snow.
Even the bigger trees arent immune.
The culprits burrows
I was only out for around an hour. But in spite of feeling groggy the sun felt warm and the air refreshing.
I heard buzzards calling, and rooks getting upset about something, I saw lots of wood pigeons flying over head. But no sign of the two red kites that have been hanging around for the last couple of months.
There were plenty tracks out though. Most were rabbits, and many were not distinct as the snow has been lying so long.
This was a small clawed animal that had stepped over the prints of a neighbours dog.
Not sure what it is yet. Ill have to look it up.
Blackbird prints
Roe deer tracks.
Last week I saw a herd of over 55 Red Deer on the hill behind the house. They seem to be moving much lower because of the snow.
View across the glen
At the start of the week (before we got ill) I took my daughter and one of her friends skiing down here
You can still see our tracks as it hasn't snowed since
Heading back to the house
Today Ill be trying out my new bowl carving knives and planning a shave horse to go with my new draw knife. Oh and cooking some local roe deer for this evening when my sister and her husband are round.
There has been snow lying for a total of 27 days so far this winter and you can tell. Almost all the trees round about show signs of bark stripping.
This one has been done almost right round.
There is about 4 left, which I covered up with an old tree tube I found under the snow.
Even the bigger trees arent immune.
The culprits burrows
I was only out for around an hour. But in spite of feeling groggy the sun felt warm and the air refreshing.
I heard buzzards calling, and rooks getting upset about something, I saw lots of wood pigeons flying over head. But no sign of the two red kites that have been hanging around for the last couple of months.
There were plenty tracks out though. Most were rabbits, and many were not distinct as the snow has been lying so long.
This was a small clawed animal that had stepped over the prints of a neighbours dog.
Not sure what it is yet. Ill have to look it up.
Blackbird prints
Roe deer tracks.
Last week I saw a herd of over 55 Red Deer on the hill behind the house. They seem to be moving much lower because of the snow.
View across the glen
At the start of the week (before we got ill) I took my daughter and one of her friends skiing down here
You can still see our tracks as it hasn't snowed since
Heading back to the house
Today Ill be trying out my new bowl carving knives and planning a shave horse to go with my new draw knife. Oh and cooking some local roe deer for this evening when my sister and her husband are round.
from a beautiful part of the world 
