January 2008

Appalling conditions with strong to gale force winds making hard to stand up and driving rain or sleet making birding almost impossible all that was seen was 4 Teal (Triangle) and a Stonechat at the Warren.

A spring like day with plenty of sunshine and light winds, 47 Pink-footed Geese went S, 6 Teal (Walker Butts), 3 Eider N, 27 Common Scoter (1 N, 26 S), 19 Red-throated Diver (13 N), a Great Northern Diver N, a Grey Heron N, 52 Wood Pigeon in North Field and a Stonechat at the Warren were the best of the days watching.

A much quieter day in some sunshine to start with before cloud moved in a light SW wind, highlights today 72 Pink-footed Geese NW plus others calling before light, 16 Wigeon on the Humber, 7 Teal in Walker Butts, a Water Rail (Canal), a Jack Snipe on Clubley’s, 2 Stock Dove and 48 Wood Pigeon in Church Field, 3 Stonechat and 2 Goldfinch (1 S).

Probably the best day of the month with some birds on the move in bright sunny conditions in a light W-SW wind.

Highlights of the day were 1619 Pink-footed Geese W-NW, a Grey-lag Goose blogging, 169 Brent Geese on the Humber, 11 Wigeon (6 S, 5 on the sea), 2 Teal in Walker Butts, 7 Eider N, 16 Red-throated Diver (13 S), a Peregrine over the Humber, 2 Stock Dove (Church Field), 12 Skylark (4 S, 3 came in and 5 in the Triangle), 2 Meadow Pipit S, 3 Stonechat, 3 Goldfinch (2 S), 2 Siskin S, 3 Linnet (1 S, 2 Triangle).

Some lengthy sunny spells in a cool force 4 W wind of note were 300 Brent Geese u-turned back north, 35 Wigeon (10 in, 24 S), 1 Teal S plus 2 in Walker Butts, 18 Red-throated Diver, 2 Gannet S, 20 Lapwing S, a Siskin at the Crown and a Bullfinch between Rose Cottage and the Church.

A cloudy windy day with a few ducks heading south at sea but little else of note. Highlights today were 40 Teal and 38 Wigeon S, a Pintail in Walker Butts, 8 Red-throated Diver, a 1st winter Iceland Gull S at 14.30, 2 Stonechat and a Snow Bunting S.

Sunny periods throughout the day, in a SW3-4 wind. Of note today were 52 Shelduck on the Humber, 43 Mallard and the Pintail in Walker Butts, a Sparrowhawk at Kew , a Jack Snipe at Cliff Farm, 3 Stock Dove and a Barns Owl in the Triangle.

Another cloudy start with a brief squall mid morning, then clearing to leave a bright sunny day with a W4 wind increasing to 6. The drake Pintail was the only bird of note seen during the day.

A cloudy day with a little sunshine early afternoon and a light to moderate SW wind. The only birds of note today were a drake Pintail in Walker Butts, 600 Lapwing on the Humber and a Barn Owl in the Church Field.

At least no rain today with just the odd glimpse of the sun highlights today were 21 Wigeon, 1 Ringed Plover, 1600 Golden Plover and 40 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, 2 Song Thrush and 3 Chaffinch at Kew.

Torrential rain most of the day adding to the flooding problems very little of note seen with 1 Red-throated Diver, a Sparrowhawk, a Meadow Pipit in Clubley’s, 2 Song Thrush at Kew and a Redwing in Canal Hedge.

A nicer day than of late with some sunshine a few birds moving at sea but little in the way of grounded birds.

Highlights today were 19 Pink-footed Geese S, 42 Wigeon and 55 Teal S, a Pintail on Walker Butts plus 2 S, 3 Common Scoter S, 18 Red-throated Diver, a Little Egret on the Humber, 400 Lapwing on the Humber plus 76 came in, a Snipe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull S, 3 Song Thrush at Kew and a Rook S.

A dry dull day with a light variable wind birds seen today included 88 Brent Geese, 112 Shelduck, a Sparrowhawk and a Merlin in the Triangle, a Water Rail along the Canal, 35 Lapwing, a Rock Pipit by the Tank Blocks, 2 Stonechat (New Scrape), 2 Song Thrush (Kew), a Linnet in North Field and 23 Snow Bunting around Chalk Bank area.

More dull wet, windy weather with constant drizzle or showers in a strong SW wind little seen today except 5 Little Grebe, a Snipe (Triangle), 12 Black-tailed Godwit, a Rock Pipit on Clubley’s and a Song Thrush at Kew.

Constant rain slowly petered out becoming showers being pushed on by a strong SW wind a few birds at sea but on the whole little change. Of interest were 2 Teal and 5 Common Scoter S, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 Gannet N, 500 Golden Plover and 150 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 22 Collared Dove and a Song Thrush at Kew.

Little change more wind and rain with highlights of 17 Brent Geese (Humber), 2 Teal, 8 Red-throated Diver (7 N), a Little Egret went south but could have dropped on the Humber, 600 Golden Plover and 105 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), a Rock Pipit at the Warren and a Stonechat (Clubley’s).

More heavy rain today with extremely low pressure and a moderate-strong W wind causing plenty of flooding in the fields, all that was of note was 5 Teal and 22 Mallard in Walker Butts, 350 Golden Plover (Humber), a Jack Snipe and Snipe in the Salt Marsh, 113 Black-tailed Godwit, a Song Thrush (Kew) and a Siskin in the Crown.

Very little change in overcast conditions with frequent heavy showers of note were 2 Teal and 20 Mallard (Walker Butts), 2 Ringed Plover, 51 Black-tailed Godwit, a singing Song Thrush at Kew and 5 Reed Bunting in Church Field.

High water wader count today produced nothing remarkable bit sightings did include 2 Teal (Walker Butts), a Sparrowhawk, the Purple Sandpiper off the Crown, 180 Black-tailed Godwit, a Single Wood Pigeon and 7 Magpie.

Bright and sunny in a light NW force 1-2 very little seen except 2 Teal (Walker Butts), 102 Black-tailed Godwit, a Barn Owl in Church Field and a Stonechat at New Road. At Beacon Ponds a Little Egret and a Scaup were present.

Cloudy with heavy rain by midday in a light N wind all that was observed today was a Merlin in the Sheep Field, 220 Golden Plover and 45 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, and a Song Thrush in the Crown.

Very little of note except 2 Teal (Triangle), only 7 Ringed Plover (Middle Camp), 60 Black-tailed Godwit and a Stonechat at Middle Camp, to be fair there was a force 6 SW wind and frequent heavy showers.

The highlight today was some sunny periods in a strong W wind producing hardly any notable sightings at all except for 31 Ringed Plover of Middle Camp, 40 Black-tailed Godwit and a Wood Pigeon at Kew.

Cloudy most of the time with the odd shower in a strong SW wind making birding difficult, little of note seen except 350 Golden Plover and 36 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, 1 Stonechat, a Song Thrush at the Crown and 13 Siskin went S.

Squally showers in a very strong westerly wind making birding near impossible with 2 Kestrel in the Church Field, 53 Lapwing S, a Stock Dove in the Triangle and 2 Stonechat being of note.

A quiet winters day with at least some sunshine of note were 3 Lapwing in the Triangle, a Jack Snipe in the Salt Marsh, 53 Black-tailed Godwit, a Barn Owl in Church Field, 2 Stonechat, single Song Thrush, Redwing, Goldfinch and Siskin, and 2 Snow Bunting went S.

Some sunny spells today in a moderate S-SW wind making rather pleasant than of late of note today were 35 Pink-footed Geese blogging, 7 White-fronted Geese that came in and then landed in Long Bank, single Wigeon and Teal S plus 8 more Teal in Walker Butts, 2 Eider, a Fulmar S, 3 Lapwing in, 6 Sanderling S, a Dunlin S plus 5 came in, 200 Black-tailed Godwit (Tank Blocks area), 18 Siskin in the Crown and 2 Snow Bunting S.

No snow today but overcast in a strong SE veering S wind with little of note found except for 26 White-fronted Geese in Walker Butts before heading north, 1 Teal, 46 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Wood Pigeon (Church Field), 2 Song Thrush one of which was singing!

Some snow/sleet showers on and off during the entire day in a strong SE wind making birding difficult, of note was 5 Teal S, 4 Eider on the Humber, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, 39 Lapwing on the Humber, a Jack Snipe in the Salt Marsh and 38 Black-tailed Godwit.

With a strong SE wind blowing the sea was about the only place there were any birds of interest with 4 Wigeon S plus 5 in, 26 Teal, a Pochard S, 17 Eider, 18 Common Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser S, 31 Red-throated Diver (23 N), a Great Northern Diver S, a Great Crested Grebe S, 13 Fulmar (1 N, 12 S), 33 Gannet S, 2 Pomarine Skua N, 5 Kittiwake and a handful of Auk’s.

Elsewhere 12 Black-tailed Godwit (Tank Blocks), a Stonechat (Triangle) and a Fieldfare at the Point was about the sum of it.

After the hangovers cleared an overcast day with light SE winds prevailed with these birds being of note 2 Brent Geese S, 24 Wigeon (19 S), 25 Teal S, 2 Pintail S, a Tufted Duck S, 19 Common Scoter S, 12 Goldeneye (4 N, 8 S), a Red-breasted Merganser S, 10 Red-throated Diver, a Gannet S, 1 Water Rail, 21 Ringed Plover, the Purple Sandpiper off the Crown, 27 Black-tailed Godwit, a Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechat, 11 Fieldfare (5 S, 6 Church Field), a Mistle Thrush (Kew), 1 Goldfinch, 20 Siskin and 2 Linnet in the Crown car park.

North of the area 260 Brent Geese were in the fields and 17 Twite were at Skeffling.