Christleton Today starts this month with the continuation of our weather story. Last year was the driest year for rainfall for many years, also the warmest and sunniest. January has now gone in a completely different direction, dull and wet with some snow at the beginning of the month, and everyone really fed up with the conditions. Yet compared with the rainfall and flooding in other parts of the country we are really well off.

The Church’s year starts with Epiphany and at St James’ the beautiful Victorian figures from the Bible story are displayed under the Atlar table. The service of Epiphany was reflected in the stations; Gold for a King, Frankincense for God and Myrrh for Burial. On Tuesday 13th January our Rector; Rev. Dr. Stefan Collier was inducted as Rural Dean of the Chester Diocese in a memorable service at St James’. Following refreshments in the Parish Hall, Beryl & I walked up towards the Lych Gate, and I took the floodlit image of St James’ Church against a dark blue and black sky. As we did so a tawny owl called from one of the churchyard trees, a magical moment. On the same evening it was reported that another was calling from trees at the High School.

The January Luncheon club planned by Dr Liz McClure, saw guests entertained by a Pipe Major from the Wirral Pipe Band, who after leading the haggis into the room, addressed the beast with a Robbie Burns address, before we all sat down to an excellent meal of haggis, neaps and tatties, provided by the Luncheon Club team. The Luncheon Club goes from strength to strength, now in its twelfth season.

The kingfisher again provided the excitement in January with regular sightings along the canal. I’m certain that I photographed two individuals and think that there are two pairs along the canal. One pair seems to favour Christleton, and the other usually displays at the end of the long straight at Waverton. Redwing and fieldfare, migrating thrushes were also present when we had the icy days at the beginning of the month, stripping the berries off the hawthorn and blackthorn hedges. Flocks of Icelandic pink footed geese flew regularly over the village the whole month, calling their distinctive cackling call as they changed formation frequently into new Y shaped patterns. We carried out the Big Garden birdwatch again this year, and were pleased with more species than usual. 5 Long tailed tits, 2 robins, 1 sparrowhawk, 3 starlings, 20 house sparrows, 2 blue tits, 2 coal tits, 2 great tits, 1 wren, 1 magpie, 2 dunnock, 1 wood pigeon, 1 blackbird. We also recorded jay, buzzard and kestrel during the month.

We walk the section of the canal between Rowton and Christleton regularly, and I’ve included some of the scenes I took along our section of the canal on the coldest and icy days at the beginning of the month. We just love this walk, and it seems to change its mood daily, with something new to see each time.