Saturday 22nd December 2013

Persisting down with an onshore wind & the forecast saying rain all day - think i might have to build an ark ! A Woodcock was flushed in the compound with sea watching on & off for about an hours worth producing 6 Kitts, 4 Brents, 3 Red-throats, single Teal, Common Scoter & Great-crested Grebe.

Friday 21st December 2012

Two flocks of Waxwing went south totalling 26 birds (15 + 11) as well as 3 Mipits. At least 3 Woodcock and 2 Snow Buntings on site with what is presumably the regular Sanderling on the shore. Next to no time spent sea watching although a Guillimot was fishing offshore.

Thursday 20th December 2011

No coverage as most of the regulars were doing a co-ordinated low water count up the river on a day when it rained non stop.

Wednesday 19th December 2012

Fog fortunately clearing by 9am. A walk around the reserve produced the dizzy heights of 2 Mipits plus a Sanderling on the beach. If you hadn't realised it by now mild conditions at this time of the year can be fairly tedious. Sanderling have an interesting diet with this one reported tucking into the dead Seal along the riverbank. The pair of Peregrines are still on the old crane. One of their favourite prey items this autumn was Woodcock and apparently they are still at it. Night time hunting with the aid of the dock lights has resulted in these Peregrines killing more Woodcock than we see on migration. Ever wondered why these raptors spend the bulk of the day doing diddly squat - well looks like they are up to no good at night !

Tuesday 18th December 2012

2 Redwings were new in after which the next highlight (!) was a Mute Swan in the river out the back. Bit off a waste of time this morning not helped by the head falling off the new broom whilst doing some on site management work.

Monday 17th December 2012

Half hour spent starring out to sea only produced 6 Brents but surprisingly one of them was a Pale-bellied Brent - this is about the tenth site record of this race. Otherwise it was down to 3 Shelducks south, Common Scoter north & c.20 Red-throated Divers moving about. Two groups of Linnets totalling 24 birds went south - Linnet passage should really be over & done with this late in the autumn. The only other record of note was a Siskin that went north inland over the docks.

Sunday 16th December 2012

Fairly tedious sea watching produced highlights of 3 Great-crest & 2 Mallard south ! 18 Linnets flew south & a Waxwing was heard calling on a couple of occasions.