A Common Buzzard heading south offshore gave the impression that it may have just left the MV Arklow Forest that was coming in. Buzzards are surprisingly rare here with only about 30 previous records in total and not recorded every year. Data suggests that British Buzzards are highly sedentary so what this one was doing offshore is open to speculation but it could well be one of the small number of Buzzards from the continent that come here for the winter - if it was and it had come off the Arklow Forest then it presumably joined the ship somewhere in the North Sea as the boats last port of call before heading for Ipswich was Swansea. Apart from this notable record it is pleasing to note that seagull numbers in the harbour are increasing in the harbour with 1,000+ milling about as shipping comes & goes. Gale blowing so whimped out of walking the reserve but with dogs running loose moving a Snow Bunting along the beach it is an easier way of finding one than trudging along the beach in this wind.