January 2010

Bright and sunny but cold with a force 3-4 N wind, little of note except single Wigeon and Teal, 2 Tufted Duck (1 S, 1 Canal), a Peregrine over the Humber, a Woodcock (Warren0, 2 Sky Lark, 2 Stonechat, 12 Fieldfare (Triangle) and 6 Redwing.

Some sunny spells to start with until snow showers moved in becoming just snow by mid-afternoon in a stiff N wind, of note today were 8 Wigeon (7 N), a Teal, a Tufted Duck (Canal Zone), a Long-tailed Duck N, 2 Gannet N, a Shag S, 2 Woodcock (Point), a Bonxie blogging, a Glaucous Gull S, 3 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing. The big tide pushed on by the wind and a big swell trickled onto the road but caused no damage.

Bright and sunny most of the day with a cool force 3 NW wind highlights were 143 Pink-footed Geese S, 49 Wigeon, 10 Teal (6 S), 25 Common Scoter S, a Red-breasted Merganser S, 2 Great Northern Diver S, a Snipe (Church Field), 3 Stock Dove (Point), 3 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing (Church Field).

A mainly cloudy day with the occasional sunny spell with some birds on the move keeping some interest. Of note today were 5 Shelduck in, 77 Wigeon blogging, 7 Teal, a Tufted Duck S, 7 Scaup (1 S, 6 N), a Goldeneye S, 155 Red-throated Diver, a Shag S, a Peregrine over the Humber, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Knot in, 2 Woodcock, a Stock Dove blogging, 2 Sky Lark (Triangle), 2 Stonechat, 51 Blackbird, 11 Fieldfare (3 S), 10 Redwing (4 in), 7 Goldfinch.

A fine day with plenty of sunshine with light E-SE winds producing some light passage with the highlights being 8 Wigeon S plus 10 on the Humber, a Scaup on the Humber, a Goldeneye on Clubley’s, 2 Great Northern Diver S, a Great Crested Grebe on the sea, a Peregrine, a Water Rail (Kew), 73 Lapwing, 5 Woodcock, a Rock Pipit (Tank Blocks), 162 Fieldfare (120 Triangle, 35 S), a Mistle Thrush (Middle Camp), 4 Linnet (3 S), 2 Twite S, 14 Snow Bunting (New Road)

More cloud with light drizzle and a force 2-3 E wind producing some unexpected thrushes to come in with the highlights of the day being 44 Wigeon on the Humber, 6 Teal (Canal Scrape), a Velvet Scoter S, 2 Woodcock (Point), 450 Herring Gull S, 68 Blackbird, 122 Fieldfare and 22 Redwing.

Cloudy with light drizzle and a cool NW wind, high water wader count today so all areas well covered producing 6 Mute Swan, 302 Shelduck, 1 Scaup (Humber), 6 Teal, 3 Woodcock, 20 Sky Lark S, 3 Stonechat, 13 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, a Twite and 18 Snow Bunting at Chalk Bank. The most interesting sightings must have been of a Small Tortishell butterfly at the Warren.

Much better day without the rain and a light NW wind, highlights were a Grey-lag Goose, 345 Brent Geese plus a pale-bellied bird, 150 Shelduck all on the Humber, a male Hen Harrier u-turned back N, 66 Lapwing, a Woodcock (Point), a Stonechat (Clubley’s), 112 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing and 2 Goldfinch.

Another really dull day with constant heavy rain making birding near on impossible of note were a Woodcock at the Point, 470 Black-tailed Godwit, 38 Blackbird, 11 Fieldfare.

Still dull and cloudy all day in a light SE wind highlights of the day were 8 Wigeon (Canal Scrape), a Merlin, 51 Blackbird, 16 Fieldfare (12 Triangle), 4 Song Thrush, 10 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Borrow Pit).

Dull all round with full cloud cover and light drizzle and a chilly force 2-3 E wind little of note except a Purple Sandpiper off the Crown, 48 Blackbird, 35 Fieldfare (33 Well Field) and 8 Redwing.

Thick fog hampered all observations with it not clearing until the afternoon all that was noted were 2 Snipe (Church Field), 2 Woodcock, a Sky Lark (Salt Marsh), 52 Blackbird, 25 Fieldfare (17 Well Field), 25 Redwing (Triangle).

Back to cloudy dull times with just a glimpse of the sun with a light WNW wind much quieter today with the best of it being 12 Red-throated Diver N, 2 Snipe and 2 Woodcock, 80 Wood Pigeon (North Field), 6 Sky Lark (4 S), a Meadow Pipit (Triangle), a Stonechat, 21 Goldfinch and a Linnet S, 6 Snow Bunting (5 Point, 1 New Road).

An excellent day for the time of year with some good passage and a few new arrivals in a fine sunny day.

On the move south were 2 Mute Swan, 50 Pink-footed Geese plus 450 blogging, 125 Wigeon, 9 Teal, 3 Eider, a Goosander came in then went N, 18 Lapwing, 33 Sky Lark plus 76 came in, a Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit plus 2 N, 2 Greenfinch, 12 Goldfinch, 284 Linnet plus 8 came in, 43 Twite, a Lapland Bunting went N, 5 Reed Bunting.

Whilst elsewhere of note 90 Wigeon on the sea, a Great Northern Diver went N, a Little Egret was in the Triangle, single Merlin and Peregrine, 151 Lapwing, 2 Woodcock, 800 Herring Gull S, 65 Wood Pigeon, 6 Sky Lark (Clubley’s), 4 Meadow Pipit, 53 Blackbird, 6 Song Thrush, 25 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 30 Linnet at the Warren, 4 Bullfinch (3 Warren then N, 1 Kew), 21 Snow Bunting blogging, a Yellowhammer (Warren).

A cold wet miserable day with a chilly southerly wind little of note except 2 Wigeon S, 8 Teal (2 S, 6 Canal Scrape), a Merlin (Triangle), 4 Woodcock (2 Point), 700 Black-tailed Godwit, a Sky Lark S, 43 Blackbird, a Mistle Thrush (Point).

A dull day with rain for the most of it in a force 3-4 S wind of note were 120 Pink-footed Geese S, 5 Teal S plus 2 on Canal Scrape, a Wigeon S, a Great Crested Grebe S, a Water Rail (Kew), around 50 Snipe in the Triangle at night, 3 Woodcock, a Stonechat, 65 Blackbird, 6 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush (Point).

A dull damp rainy day with a light SW wind less birds every day with a Water Rail (Church Field), 24 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 3 Woodcock, 4 Stonechat, 69 Blackbird, 47 Fieldfare (Triangle), 11 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Point), 26 Snow Bunting blogging being of note.

Still cold with a force 3 SE and light drizzle of note were 18 Teal (14 Humber), 12 Common Scoter and a Velvet Scoter S, 4 Water Rail, an Avocet on the Borrow Pit before flying S, 4 Woodcock (3 Kew), 700 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 2 Little Gull S, 74 Blackbird, 12 Fieldfare, 19 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Borrow Pit), a Blackcap (Kew), 5 Goldfinch, and a Yellowhammer (Canal Hedge).

Remaining dull with light drizzle and a brisk SE wind little change with the notable sightings being 97 Common Scoter, 13 Red-throated Diver (12 N), a Peregrine over the Humber, 6 Snipe, 4 Woodcock (3 Point), 2 Stonechat, 70 Blackbird, 26 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Kew0, 42 Starling (30 Warren) and 9 Snow Bunting (Point).

With most of the snow now gone due to light rain all day with a light E wind things were a lot quieter with 1 Eider S, 1 Shag S, 1 Water Rail (Canal), 30 Lapwing (Triangle), 5 Snipe, 458 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), 89 Black-headed Gull off the Point, 97 Blackbird, 32 Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, 25 Redwing (Triangle), 7 Goldfinch (6 Triangle), 33 Snow Bunting (Point).

A cold rainy day melting plenty of snow in a cold force 6 E wind of note today were 5 Fulmar N, 30 Lapwing and 21 Snipe (Triangle), 3 Woodcock, 200 Black-tailed Godwit (Humber), a Merlin blogging about, an adult Med Gull off the point, a Stonechat, 80 Blackbird, only 20 Fieldfare, 5 Song Thrush, 17 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Crown) and 18 Snow Bunting (Chalk Bank).

Some light snow showers on and off all day in a bitterly cold force 5-6 E wind, highlights were 120 Pink-footed Geese S, 1 Eider N, 26 Common Scoter, 7 Fulmar N including 1 “blue” phase bird, 26 Lapwing, 24 Snipe (Well Field), 2 Woodcock, 96 Blackbird, 40 Fieldfare (Triangle), 23 Redwing.

Another very cold day with more light snow showers in a mostly cloudy day with a force 2-3 E wind, of note were 120 Wigeon over the Humber, 2 Velvet Scoter S, 18 Fulmar N, 2 Water Rail, 5 Snipe, 5 Woodcock, 380 Black-tailed Godwit, a Stock Dove blogging around the Triangle, 2 Meadow Pipit (Triangle), 83 Blackbird (60 Kew area), 120 Fieldfare, 34 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (Kew), 2 Chaffinch (Warren) and 2 Brambling (Kew).

Some bright sunny spells amongst some snow and sleet showers in a cold force 4 NE wind of note today were 90 Golden Plover and 20 Lapwing in the Triangle, 5 Woodcock (3 Point), 82 Blackbird, 472 Fieldfare (72 S), 53 Redwing (26 S), a Mistle Thrush and 4 Goldfinch.

A bright start before heavy snow around midday, becoming showers later on with a light NW wind, thrushes remain the main observations with 80 Blackbird, 700+ Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, 30 Redwing mostly around the Triangle-Kew area, elsewhere 12 Lapwing (Triangle), 2 Woodcock (Point), a Blackcap and a Brambling (Chalk Bank), 6 Goldfinch and a Lesser Redpoll (Crown) were of note.

A cold day that barely got above 0 all day albeit with plenty of sunshine around, thrushes continue to dominate with 88 Blackbird, 800 Fieldfare, 40 Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush roaming the hedgerows. Elsewhere a Tufted Duck S, 35 Common Scoter S, a Great Northern Diver N, a Grey Heron S over the Humber, a Peregrine hunting, 29 Lapwing (Triangle), 2 Snipe, 3 Woodcock, a Sky Lark S, a new Blackcap at Kew and the Lesser Redpoll was still in the Crown.

Some light snow flurries during the day plus plenty of sunshine in a light NW-N wind producing some good thrush numbers with c700 Fieldfare going to roost along Beacon Lane.

Other notable sightings were a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (Humber), 80 Wigeon S, 4 Goldeneye N, a Great Northern Diver S, 2 Snipe 9Triangle), 7 Woodcock, 300 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, an adult Glaucous Gull S, 2 Meadow Pipit S, 93 Blackbird, 48 Redwing, single Blackcap and Brambling (Kew) and the Lesser Redpoll in the Crown.

Another light overnight dusting of snow with lots more threatening clouds around in a light W-NW wind.

Highlights today were more thrushes around with 91 Blackbird, 213 Fieldfare (11 went S), 8 Song Thrush, 67 Redwing (16 came in) and a Mistle Thrush, elsewhere 11 Wigeon, a Tufted Duck, 22 Common Scoter and 3 Goldeneye went S, a Great Northern Diver went S, whilst raptors were 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Merlin and a Peregrine, 14 Snipe, 7 Woodcock were seen, 8 Sky Lark and 3 Meadow Pipit went S, 2 Blackcap and the Brambling were still present, 10 Goldfinch (3 S) and a Lesser Redpoll was in Church Field.

The new year started mainly cloudy with some light passage and some more thrushes appearing, of note today were 6 Whooper swan S, a Pink-footed Goose S, 72 Wigeon blogging, 4 Eider N, a Grey Heron, a Peregrine over the Humber, a Water Rail (Canal), 4 Snipe (1 S), 6 Woodcock, 482 Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber, 9 Sky Lark S, single Meadow and Rock Pipit, 4 Stonechat, 96 Blackbird, 17 Song Thrush, 100 Redwing (Triangle), a Mistle Thrush blogging, a Blackcap (Kew), a Brambling (Church Field), 9 Goldfinch, 20 Twite S, 24 Snow Bunting (peninsula)