Yet another hard frost greeted me this morning, and it felt colder than yesterday morning. I started out determined to find something good for the year list, as this was the last of my holiday walks, and it's back to work tomorrow. After walking the short distance down ashes lane, and going into the tree nursery, LINNET joined the day list, along with the ROBIN, BLACKBIRD, MAGPIE, GREENWOODPECKER, DUNNOCK and BLUE TIT that had gone before. A lone SISKIN called as it flew over, and just before adding BARN OWL - which was out hunting for a short time - 56 FIELDFARE went NW. On the way to Migrant Alley GREENFINCH, MISTLE THRUSH, HOUSE SPARROW and GOLDCREST went on the list, it was all looking like a repeat of yesterday's walk. At migrant alley there were already 100+ LAPWING on the stubble, numerous BLACK HEADED GULLS were with them, and above, a SKYLARK called as it drifted slowly over. Along the stream by the college a GREY HERON flew up, but little was seen around the college grounds, the lawns and ponds were frozen solid.
As I came out from the college grounds a small piece of excitement, gave me a bit of inspiration, as a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (55) went over, one more for the year list! The second walk to Migrant Alley gave me just a PHEASANT, that was by the greenhouses and a group of 3 BULLFINCH in the hedgerow.
The woodland part of my walk again started with a visit to the wild bird crop at the west end of Ashes lane, here i found the usual YELLOWHAMMERS, which had now increased to around 30 birds, with them were at least 4 REED BUNTINGS. Walking to the lake area via the wet woods yielded just 1 more bird for the day list - a NUTHATCH. The pools in the woods, and the lake were frozen solid, and all was very quiet. I decided to go down the side of the wet woods that joins the tree nursery, after I had recieved a call from my mate (who watches a patch north of me) that he had found a group of Snipe, maybe I'd be as lucky ? It wasn't to be, however better things were to come, as I walked through some young Oaks, a WOODCOCK (56, 122) flew up and went into the woods a short distance away, superb, a patch tick, and a long awaited one, my heart hadn't even stopped pounding, when just seconds later 7 GOLDEN PLOVER (57) flew over SW, This sighting alone would have made my day, it took me until the 30th of December to get this species last year! So after a samey sort of start, it all ended in great excitement, and I got my ''something good for the yearlist'' big time.

A suggestion by steve of http://newhythe.blogspot.com/ was to put a yearlist for 2009 on my side bar, as he has done. that way all can follow what's been seen. My list should appear under the barn owl photo. Any new patch ticks will appear in capitals.

Above: A female Pheasant, and below a quickly taken pic. of the Golden plover as they flew over the tree nursery.

Below is a photo of one of the water taps in the tree nursery, it had burst, spraying water onto the surrounding fence and vegetation, giving it a thick coating of ice.

I made an error on yesterday's post, I actually recorded 7 new species for the year not 6. I forgot to note down a GREY WAGTAIL (53), I must be getting old!
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Just as things had started to thaw out, another hard frost overnight put everything into an icy tomb. So I started my walk over at the farmland, the LINNETS were observed leaving their roost at the tree nursery, where there were a couple of early rising GOLDCRESTS. The BARN OWL was in his shack, huddled up and snoozing, away from the frosty conditions. As I passed the Owl roost, a fox came trotting across the field, totally oblivious to my presence, it went up to a garden fence,and jumped over into the hen coup there. It didn't get one, as the dogs were onto it straight off! I pressed on to Migrant alley, nothing had arrived on the stubble as yet, but a few BLACK HEADED GULLS were starting to arrive, joining the ROOKS on the sheep pasture. I walked round to the college grounds, via the stream, but only the usual common birds were picked up.
I crossed the sports pitch, and went back to the stubbles at Migrant Alley, where at least 200 LAPWING had now gathered, I scanned through them for a Golden Plover, but no luck, however a new species for the year flew over, a pair of STOCK DOVES (54) went NE.
The woodland part of my walk wasn't particularly rewarding, apart from a flock of at least 5 REED BUNTING and 7 YELLOWHAMMER in the wild bird crop at the west end of ashes lane. The pools in the wet woods were frozen over, but I did pick up TREECREEPER, and NUTHATCH, also there was a small gathering of REDWING on the woodland floor, I don't normally see them in this habitat. The lake was frozen from bank to bank again, and just 4 MALLARD were on the ice, looks like it will be like this until next weekend according to the long range weather forecast.

Above: The fox takes a run up at the fence, and then below sizes it up before leaping over.

Below is the Breakfast the fox was hoping for, alas he missed out today!