Saturday 25th December 2021

Easterly wing plus rain delivered 31 Fieldfare, 11 Redwing & 9 Lapwing to the reserve but Xmas morning dog walkers soon shifted them. 225 Cormorant headed out fishing early on. Purp was on the point & Snow Bunting on the beach. Offshore southbound 44 Brent, 15 Golden Plover, 15 Wigeon, 9 Common Gull, 5 Teal, 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Red-throated Diver, 2 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 2 Red-breasted Merganser & Shelduck with northbound 12 Gannet, 7 Red-throats plus at least 7 Kitts loitering. Mid-pm update : 50 Fieldfare arrived in and straight off inland.

Ringing: 1 Blackbird, 1 Fieldfare.

Friday 24th December 2021

Young Kittiwake have been very scarce so far this winter so not a good sign to see this waif on the riverbank.

313 Cormorant went out in the dull early morning mist. Offshore southbound 20 Red-throated Diver, 4 Shelduck, 3 Mallard, 2 Pintail, Gannet, Razorbill, Velvet Scoter & Whooper Swan with northbound 8 Red-throats. Pair of Peregrine chased off an itinerant young female with a full crop who had the audacity to fly past their patch. A Snow Bunting came in from the north dropping onto the beach & 4 Turnstone were on the riverbank. Wouldn't mind betting it's the same Velvet going past in recent days as it comes past at roughly the same time (c.0850 hrs) at the same distance. Whooper Swan is always a good Landguard sighting with this adult following the shoreline before turning right into the river mouth.

Thursday 23rd December 2021

235 Cormorant headed out early on. 9 Lapwing on the reserve were shifted by the first dog walker of the day. Southbound 17 Red-throated Diver, 6 Shelduck, 5 Brent, 2 Great Crested Grebe & Velvet Scoter with northbound 5 Red-throats. 6 Turnstone & 2 Purps were on the point plus a Fieldfare on the reserve.

Ringing: 2 House Sparrow

Wednesday 22nd December 2021

Offshore southbound 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Eider, Great Crested Grebe, Shag & Velvet Scoter with northbound 8 Red-throats, 4 Brent, 2 Common Scoter & Great Northern Diver plus a Goosander in off over the observatory & into Essex. 2 Purps were on the point & a Fieldfare at the obs.

Tuesday 21st December2021

The only hint of the sun on the shortest day was this apparition of a ship on fire at dawn.

7 adult Whooper Swans in off the sea heading for Cobbald's Point is only our 16th site record. Also offshore southbound 40 Shelduck (on their way back from the Waddenzee), 17 Brent, 11 Wigeon, 9 Red-throated Diver, 9 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 6 Teal, 5 Common Scoter, Black-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe & Oyk with northbound 11 Red-throats. Earlier on 331 Cormorant headed out to the Cork Sands fishing. On site 3 Turnstone, 2 Purps & Rock Pipit on the point, 2 Mipit on the reserve & Guillemot in the river.

Monday 20th December 2021

Still dull and gloomy but at least that pesky fog & mist has shifted. On the move this Marsh Harrier coming out of the river then north - we can get odd records of this species at any time. 204 Cormorant headed out fishing first thing. On the reserve 5 Snow Bunting on the beach, 2 Turnstone & Rock Pipit along the riverbank and a Redwing by the Butts pond. Offshore southbound 30 Red-throated Diver, Brent & Common Scoter with northbound 19 Red-throats Great Crested Grebe & Great Northern Diver.

Sunday 19th December 2021

Thick damp fog clearing late morning with a quick Billy Whizz around the site producing this Snow Bunting but nowt else of note.