Two days ago Rosemary sent a picture of the Long Tow Ice.
There were also ice bushes on Steventon Hill. A stream of water off the fields running down the road got splashed and froze. It looked so dangerous at night that I got off and pushed my bike down.
It was much milder today and the ice has melted and most of the flood water has gone from the Abingdon Vale Cricket Ground.
Rob Jones is an author and illustrator from Abingdon. His new book is called Where’s Brian’s Bottom? It is a board book about a sausage dog who is so long he can’t find his bottom! The reader then goes through the house asking different pets if they’ve seen it. The fun thing about this book is that it actually folds out to over 2 metres long, so you can see through the whole house once you’ve finished it.
It’s published by Pavilion Children’s Books and is available from all booksellers, including Mostly Books who have been very supportive of Rob’s previous books. See https://www.pavilionbooks.com/book/wheres-brians-bottom/
I returned to the Abbey Fishponds this morning for the monthly visit and it was below zero. Our garden thermometer showed -4 °C when I set out
The are plenty of birds and bird song despite the cold. They not only have the wild life area but there are also lots of surrounding gardens. I think this is a Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) but am happy to be corrected.
An area of sedge appeared to have been cleared and piled up since my last visit. Small streams crossed the area.
Crows were looking for food in the ground where it was not too hard.
Most of the ponds were frozen, and today the ice was solid enough to stand on.
The ice had embedded leaves and twigs.
There were quite a few blackbirds together on the ice near the bottom entrance and some of the males were squabbling. Why don’t they conserve their energy?
There were lots of chopped up trees and branches that could provide some cavities and shelter from the cold, possibly insects and food stores too.
Robins fluff up their feathers to keep themselves warm.
I was glad to get home with the modern convenience of central heating and warm up.
There was an icy start to the day with temperatures overnight of about -6. The river alongside Thames Street was frozen.
The remaining flood water on Hales Meadow (Abbey Vale Cricket ground) has also frozen over.
As has Rye Farm Meadow. Not enough to bear my weight.
Comments on facebook said that the cabin cruiser that had been attached to the long boat on Nags Head Island came adrift during the floods.