Bitter

It was absolutely bitter this morning as we set out to do a little shopping in town, so no pictures of the parkland today.  Instead, some pics from our walks over the past few days when it has been just as cold.  The icy weather has meant being able to walk paths which would normally be too muddy after all the rain we've had.  It also means that we have to venture forth well wrapped up.

Among the trees which surround Mapperley Reservoir, things look a bit less cold, but the trees are still looking skeletal against the pale blue sky.

Walking around Straw's Bridge a couple of days ago revealed a bright jewel of a bird.  A Kingfisher was perched in one of the lakeside bushes, but wasn't very keen to be photographed, so this was the best I could do unfortunately, before he (identified as a male by the all black bill - females have a reddish lower mandible)  flew off with a single piercing whistle.