Saturday 24th December 2011

2 Gadwal, Guillemot, Gannet south & a dose of distant Red-throats offshore. 25 Ringos attempting to roost on the beach plus at least 10 Turnstones along the river bank.

Friday 23rd December 2011

Mild conditions at this time oar usually equals tedium. 6 Common Scoter, 2 Shelduck, Red-throed Diver & a Teal went south in 3/4 hour seawatch. A Fieldfare was new in today. More on site maintenance and that's about it.

Thursday 22nd December 2011

Offshore 5 Red-throated Divers, 5 Teal, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Mergansers & a Pintail south plus 9 Wigeon, 2 Red-throats & a Common Scoter north. At least 3 Snow Buntings today are the first for over a week. Pleasantly mild but in such conditions the birding is never going to be spectacular.

Wednesday 21st December 2011

Mist & fog precluded any meaningful observations out to sea this morning & the highlight of a walk around the reserve was a Meadow Pipit. Shortest day today so it's all uphill from here onwards.

Tuesday 20th December 2012

Early morning coverage only today due to a low water estuary count up river. 3 Great-crested Grebe & 3 Common Scoter south apart from a handful of Cormorants & Red-throated Divers in the distance. A Kestrel trapped in the heligoland is good to get as we very rarely manage to ring this declining species. Also worth a mention is that the first winter Med Gull that was ringed following it's rescue from fishing tackle last week is alive and well and scrounging in the View Point car park (one of 6 Meds present this am).

Monday 19th December 2011

An hours sea watching first thing produced a fine Velvet Scoter going south. Also on the move were 4 Shelduck, 2 Brents, Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye, Teal, Oystercatcher and Guillemot in addition to a handful of Cormorants & Red-throated Divers coming and going plus a Pom Skua harassing the gulls. Peregrine also up to no good looking for breakfast. The reserve fairly birdless with it cold enough to freeze the shingle and sand particles together. Rain arriving mid morning means it's now pretty miserable so time to abandon ship.

Sunday 18th December 2011

54 Red-throated Divers south were nearer the Dutch coast than Suffolk ! Closer in 26 Wigeon, 14 Brents, Shelduck, Goldeneye & Curlew south plus the usual Cormorants coming and going plus a handful of Kittiwakes with the other gulls following shipping. Apart from this it's the regulars around the bird feeders in the Helligoland trap & the cottage garden.