The temperature today reached minus thirteen. How many birds are dying in these arctic conditions is any body's guess but it must be in the millions. Visits to Brookleys Lake, Dimmings Dale and JCB Lakes at Rocester to complete this months Webs count produced just over two hundred birds. Apart from the ornamental lake at Rocester which had some open water, all three sites were completely frozen. Last month Brookleys Lake alone held nearly eight hundred birds, today it held just eight!

JCB Lakes: Goldeneye 1, Mandarin 5, Egyptian Goose 8, Mallard 46, Coot 87, Moorhen 2, Black-headed Gull 49.

Dimmings Dale: Mallard 4, Marsh Tit 1.

Brookleys Lake: Mallard 8. AB

Peakstones: seven Ravens over Peakstones Fm this morning. TE

Cherry Lane: two Woodcock flew over at 1635. Thirteen magpies roosted at Hales Hall Caravan Park. DP

Kingsley: 18 Whooper Swans flew east at c1600. RBA

Some cracking photo's taken today by TE at the Ramblers feeding station and the feeding station along the old Oakamoor-Denstone train line.