A Hard Frost

We had a hard frost last night, the air temperature -3.4C at 9 this morning, and struggling to get above zero by midday except in places touched by the sun. Here, a gorse has burst into flower at a very unseasonal time.

On such cold mornings, when puddles and bird baths are frozen, this one solidly to a depth of a centimetre, the birds are desperate for water. This is a siskin, a pretty little bird which, sadly, is a rare visitor to the garden although there are flocks of them in Dunrobin woods half a mile away.

Even when one takes out a jug of hot water it's only an hour or so until the surface once again freezes over, but it's well worth the effort for the number of birds attracted for a drink.