Having grown up in the depths of the South Hams countryside, I have an great affinity for back lanes. Whilst some can be busy with traffic, others are quiet and provide a great place to wander, musing at the plants in the hedgerows and watching birds go about their daily lives.

One such back lane for which I have a certain fondness is Mill Lane in Frogmore. Walking here brings back memories of walking with Dad to see the snowdrops at the top of the hill, and enjoying the wildlife and scenery along the way.

On a grey and somewhat gloomy day I set off along the lane, stopping to peer into the stream, which was whooshing in the leat beside the road. Sometimes if you look carefully you can spot eels swimming here but today with recent rain having stirred up some sediment, the water was slightly opaque.

As I walked along the road I delightedly splashed in puddles, which in some places were as much of a stream as the watercourse that flowed alongside.

As I approached the gateway to the village’s amenity field I started to hear lots of different birds, with the metallic trill of long tailed tits and the tinkling song of goldfinches emanating from the tree tops. I spotted blackbirds and redwings feasting on berries and having seen them demolishing ivy berries in December they now appeared to be working their way through the haws, that have been so abundant this season. As I watched them I wondered if they have an order of preference, noting that the holly berries nearby looked untouched.

A high pitched “seep seep” call alerted me to the presence of a goldcrest and firecrest and I watched as they picked their way through the tangle of branches above my head. These birds that are the smallest in the UK seem to be everywhere this winter along with an abundance of chiff chaffs.

I recently heard that the chiff chaffs which spend the summer here may no longer be migrating away for the winter, and with more northern birds coming to join them their numbers have been boosted. Although I don’t know if this is true, I did recently see nineteen chiff chaffs all in one go. So I wonder if the same can be said about Firecrests which keep popping up everywhere I look, including at home in my landladies rose bush.

Like many other birds wood pigeons migrate to spend the winter in our “milder” climes. Looking around, I seemed to be surrounded by what I like to call pigeon trees, with each tree adorned by two dozen or more pigeons amongst their branches. In the skies above I observed a big flock of pigeons swirling around in their own interpretation of a starling murmuration. As they settled on some power lines for some reason I decided I to count them: 290 in total. I think I will stick to estimating next time.

I sloshed through the amenity field and up to the wild wooded part but I found my exit was blocked by a locked gate, so I returned through the marshy field where a robin had taken up residence and was singing its heart out. The wood pigeons were airborne again and looked even greater in numbers as they whirled up from a set aside field.

I walked a bit further up Mill Lane to the little hamlet of Mill Farm where on the bank a small glimmer of brightness shone through the gloom in the form of an iris flower which did much to raise my spirits.

On my return to the village, I walked under a tree and unintentionally spooked a gang of birds that “chatted” their disapproval as they flew away. I could see that these birds were large thrushes, and their call made me inclined to say they were fieldfares, however thanks to the dark skies gracing the day, I could only see their silhouettes.

The outline of a sycamore tree was also silhouetted against the sky. Hanging from its branches were bundles of unfallen seeds, no doubt a result of the abundant “Mast Year” we have just had; I realised that it is not just the oaks, beeches and berry forming bushes that put all their energy into seed production like this.

Returning to my car, I decided to drive up to top of Mill Lane to see the snow drops that dad loved so much. I wasn’t sure if they would be out yet, since they are in quite a shaded spot. However I was in luck as there were some already in bloom and others were just starting to poke their heads out from beneath the ivy, their presently upright flowers cradled by slender bracts. I think there will probably be great display by the end of January.