Sunday 3 January 2016

Light, patchy rain this morning turned heavy and persistent by 09:30hrs, then set in for the rest of the day.

I had just an hour out on my patch, visiting the lakes via the Small Holding, then cutting back homewards over the Ashes Lane Fields. The visit was short, but provided three new species for the year/month list, the first being the REDWING (49), two of which perched up in an Oak tree at the Small holding, along with a pair of MISTLETHRUSHES.

A TREECREEPER was in full song at the Wet Woods, where I also heard a COAL TIT calling loudly, but the birds of the year so far were on the Ornamental lake, when I arrived there were no fewer than 5 GOOSANDERS (50) bringing up the 50th species of the year, 4 of them being superb males.

The walk homewards across the Ashes Lane Fields wasn't without interest, as the first COMMON BUZZARD (51) of the year was seen on the pasture, plus a half dozen MEADOW PIPITS were also present again.

Not a bad trio to add to the month/year list then, but i'll need to find another 17 bird species to reach the record January species total of 68, one that has been achieved three times before, in 2009, 2011 and 2013, just need some half decent weather to get out for a few longer visits now!

No chance of any photo's in this weather, I might have to use archive images soon!


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