Ice Curtain

Icicles have always been a fascination, the way they grow, their purity of form and the way they glisten in the sunshine.

The roof of the pool room has a good crop at the moment.

They are forming a curtain, and growing on a daily basis. I think that the snow on the roof warms up sufficiently in the sunshine to melt a little, but the icicles in the shade are cold enough for the water to freeze as it reaches the end. I wonder how long they'll grow to before the thaw comes?

The large number of gulls prepared to feed in the garden continues to surprise me. I was good to be able to watch this first winter Common Gull at close quarters.

If I hadn't cut the tip of the left wing off this would have been a good photo, but it still is instructive in seeing the exact pattern of the feather tracks on the bird. After starting off as the nervous visitors yesterday, Common Gull were very much holding their own today, quite willing to defend their space against the more numerous Black-headed Gulls. There were more circumspect when Herring Gulls arrived. At first light there were eight Blackbirds within a yards of the house, and others around the shrubs at the sides and back, but still I've had no winter thrushes in the garden. Redwings are reported as exceptionally numerous in some places, but I assume they head inland and don't hang around here.