Cold comfort

HOW WILDLIFE WILL BE COPING WITH THE WINTRY WEATHERAND HOW WE CAN HELP

- ALAN WRIGHT

WE HAVE had a bit of everything over the past 10 days - snow, blow, rain and, as I write this, it's bright sunshine.

Storm Isha has blown trees and branches all over the place, while its showery skirt brushed away the remains of last week's snow and ice.

This was good news for me and Alfie, my dog, because we looked a bit like a rubbish Torvill and Dean on a couple of our morning walks.

However, our wildlife must be a bit confused, having had their food supplies covered in snow and trapped in hard ground.

Then the ground softened but getting to it was a bit hazardous in 80mph winds. Small birds are easily grabbed by gusts and blown off course.

In fact, the North West coast is famous for sheltering birds that have been blown off their route and landed on a beach at Southport or Fleetwood. "I am just off out to New Jersey to get some grubs dear, won't be long... Isn't that Blackpool Tower?" We really do get some longdistance mistakes on our shores.