Frozen debris on the riverbank, a product of the recent storms.
AN EARLY MORNING WALK ALONG THE FROSTY RIVERBANK produced 37 bird species including one new one in Ribchester for me, Common Raven, which flew across the valley calling. A pair of Common Buzzards circled to the north of the village, a pair of Common Goldeneyes were on the river and two Common Kingfishers were the highlights of a pleasant walk. The three oystercatchers are still along the river as well and a total of six Grey Herons was my highest so far. I have just started to record my local sightings on www.ebird.org. I heard that they will probably enter an agreement with the BTO evenutally but their online input form is by far the most user-friendly. A Song Thrush in hedges near The Boat House was the only one I have seen so far this year and the long-staying Trumpeter Swan was still on the river - I wonder where it came from? The main asset of the patch is the river but there is other potential in the bird feeders around the village as well as the tall trees of the church yard.