Yule Yomp Part One.

I am one of those horribly organised people [years of working full time whilst looking after the house with a family] and am usually well ahead with the game when it comes to Christmas. The final pre Christmas food shop is done at 6.00am so I can then enjoy the few days in the slots when I'm not working away from the crowds and start to relax.

It is important for me to get out into nature near Yule to find an oasis of calm in amongst all the mayhem around me. This year we've been back to our nearest spot- Warnham Nature Reserve. These are a few of the wildlife shots Mr GBT took today.

This is part of a harvest mouse breeding programme as they are declining in numbers in the wild. The Reserve have successfully released several of these delightful little mammals at another wildlife haven in the district.

These were at the feeding station- they've kindly built a long hide so we can sit there and quietly watch the birds going about their daily business.

The bottom one is a female reed bunting. I have learnt to look at "little brown birds" with more care since realising that one that I dismissed airily as a sparrow a few years ago was actually a dunnock. They may lack the colourful plumage of some of their more eyecatching feathered counterparts but I think there is a real beauty to the patterns and muted shades. Certainly not a plain Jane!

Arilx