The frost I woke up to this morning quickly disappeared as the sun came out, which gave me another opportunity for a leisurely stroll around my village.

As I walked past the ponds, I saw several Canada geese gracefully gliding across the water. A couple of geese came into land, their wings outstretched and feet preparing to touch down on the water.

I've heard of getting your ducks in a row but not geese.

In addition to the Canada geese, I also spotted some lovely tufted ducks. The males have black and white plumage and tufted feathers, while the females have a more subtle brown tone.

Looking up into the trees, I noticed a couple of magpies flitting about. We have an old nursery rhyme associated with magpies. It suggests certain meanings based on whether you see one magpie on its own or several magpies together.

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told.

Out of the blue, the heron I had been trying to photograph suddenly appeared on the pond. I quickly retraced my steps, hoping to get some shots. However, just as I approached, the heron took flight once again. Even though the photos aren't great, at least I got something. Frustrating, though!

Just as I was about to leave in disappointment, a cormorant descended onto the water’s surface, much to the Canada geese's chagrin. It was a nice surprise for me, though. However, photographing the cormorant was more difficult than anticipated. The bird was constantly diving beneath the water’s surface, making it difficult to get a clear shot.

In the adjacent field, a group of longhorn cattle was grazing, with one using a fence post to scratch an itch.

The snowdrops have been blooming for a while now, but the vibrant crocuses are just beginning to emerge. Spring is on its way!