Late January 2015

January 31st. Frozen start, then spells of rain and sleet.
 Birds around included 1000+ Pink-footed Goose, a Woodcock, a Fieldfare, 39 Snow Bunting, a Peregrine and a Merlin. Offshore were 8 Red-breasted Merganser, whilst moving south at sea were 5 Pomarine Skua, 2 Great Skua and 2 Velvet Scoter.

January 30th. Frozen start after overnight light snowfall.
 Around were 60 Corn Bunting, 2 Goldcrest, a Hen Harrier, 7 Redwing and 2 Bullfinch. On Tennyson Sands was a Water Rail. Birds singing were 2 Coal Tit, a Great Tit, a Blue Tit, a Curlew and a Little Grebe.

Frozen banks of Tennyson Sands, 30 January 2014.
Photo - George Gregory

Frozen Hazel catkins, 30 January 2014.
Photo - George Gregory.

January 29th. Moderately strong westerly wind, with spells of light rain then snow.
 Birds around included 1300 Pink-footed Goose, a Peregrine and a Buzzard.

January 28th. Very strong westerly wind, with spells of rain and sleet.
 Around were a Coal Tit and a Woodcock.

January 27th. Birds around included 2 Short-eared Owl, 3 Corn Bunting, a Woodcock and 1000 Pink-footed Goose.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 4 new birds: a Goldfinch and 3 Greenfinch; and 16 retraps: 4 Great Tit, 7 Blue Tit, a Goldfinch, 2 Blackbird, a Dunnock and a Greenfinch.

January 26th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose.

January 25th. Birds around included 2 Merlin, 2 Hen Harrier, a Buzzard, 41 Snow Bunting,1000 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Stonechat, 80 Corn Bunting and 3 Fieldfare. At sea were 21 Red-breasted Merganser, and 29 Black-tailed Godwit were on Tennyson Sands.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by David Vincent produced 5 new birds: 2 Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and 2 Greenfinch; and 25 retraps: a Long-tailed Tit, 12 Blue Tit, 9 Great Tit, 2 Greenfinch and a Dunnock. Interestingly one of the retrap Blue Tits was originally ringed in 2009.

January 24th. In the Plantation were 2 Woodcock. On Croftmarsh were 600 Pink-footed Goose. Elsewhere were a Peregrine, 2 Merlin and a Goldcrest.
 The Snowdrops are beginning to flower.

Snowdrops, 24 January 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

January 23rd. Around were a Coal Tit, 2 Stonechat, 10 Corn Bunting and a Peregrine.

January 22nd. Birds around included 34 Snow Bunting, a Peregrine and a Fieldfare.

January 21st. Most of the ice on the water bodies has now melted.
 Around were 1500 Pink-footed Goose.

Mid January 2015

January 20th. The water bodies are now almost entirely frozen over on the surface. Waterfowl have congregated on the small unfrozen areas.
 Birds around included 2890 Pink-footed Goose, 89 Gadwall, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Woodcock, a Brambling, a Green Woodpecker, a Goldcrest, 2 Stonechat and a Coal Tit. On Tennyson Sands were 2 Water Rail, and on Jackson's Marsh 26 Black-tailed Godwit. Flying south were 5 Eider.

January 19th. Another freezing start.
 Around were 1500 Pink-footed Goose, a Woodcock, a Fieldfare, a Buzzard and a Coal Tit. On Jackson's Marsh were 77 Gadwall and 7 Pochard.

January 18th. Freezing start.
 Birds around included a Hen Harrier, 36 Snow Bunting, a Mediterranean Gull, a Fieldfare and a Goldcrest.

January 17th. Freezing start with a brief snow flurry.
 Around were 2 Redwing and a Coal Tit.

January 16th. Birds around included 2 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 546 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Peregrine, a Buzzard, a Chiffchaff and 5 Redwing. On Tennyson Sands was a Water Rail.

January 15th. Around were 1100 Pink-footed Goose, a Coal Tit and a Bullfinch. On Jackson's Marsh were 8 Black-tailed Godwit.

January 14th. Birds around included a Woodcock and a Peregrine. At Coal Tit was singing. Offshore were 2 Eider and 3 Red-breasted Merganser. Heading south then landing on the sea was a Great Northern Diver.

January 13th. Around were a Woodcock and 1100 Pink-footed Goose. At least 2 Great Tit were singing.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided three new birds: singles of Blue Tit, Great Tit and Moorhen; and 9 retraps: 2 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, a Dunnock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
 At Gibraltar Point Moorhens often climb on bushes and small trees, eating berries and haws, and occasionally end up in mist-nets.

Second calendar year Moorhen, lacking red bill and frontal shield, which would develop later; ringed  13 January 2015.
Photo - George Gregory

January 12th. Continuing strong south-westerly wind.
 Birds around included a Bullfinch.

January 11th. Strong westerly wind still.
 Around were 32 Snow Bunting and a Redwing. Flying south were 2 Pomarine Skua and a Great Skua.

Early January 2015

January 10th. Strong westerly wind. Birds around included a Woodcock and a Redwing. Offshore were a Great Skua and a Little Gull.

January 9th. Around were a singing Coal Tit, a Bullfinch, a Siskin, a Redwing, 2 Woodcock and 1100 Pink-footed Goose. South went 2 Whooper Swan. Offshore were a Guillemot and a Harbour Porpoise.

January 8th. Birds around included 1100 Pink-footed Goose, a Green Woodpecker and 7 Goldcrest. Flying south offshore were a Great Northern Diver, 75 Red-throated Diver, 2 Great Created Grebe, 2 Common Scoter and 13 Red-breasted Merganser.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue by Mike Polling provided 3 new birds: singles of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Blackbird; and 14 retraps: a Robin, a Great Tit and 12 Blue Tit.

January 7th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Brambling, a Siskin, a Woodcock and 6 Goldcrest. On the scrapes were 42 Tufted Duck, 335 Teal, 52 Gadwall, 27 Wigeon, 31 Shoveler, 3 Goldeneye and 6 Pochard. Flying south were 19 Linnet and a White-fronted Goose.

January 6th. Birds around included 2 Woodcock, 3 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Barn Owl, 30 Corn Bunting, 3 Eider, 1000 Pink-footed Goose and a Goldcrest.

January 5th. Around were 3 Goldcrest, 2 Woodcock, a Jack Snipe, 58 Rock Pipit, 8 Ringed Plover, 32 Snow Bunting, 41 Corn Bunting, 1576 Brent Goose and 1100 Pink-footed Goose. The evening gull roost was productive with 9424 Black-headed Gull, 874 Common Gull, 973 Herring Gull and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull flying into The Wash. Flying south were 2 Fieldfare.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 3 new birds: a Blue Tit and 2 Greenfinch; and 23 retraps: 3 Dunnock, 15 Blue Tit and 5 Great Tit.
 Two Harbour Porpoise were feeding close in-shore.

January 4th. Birds around included 33 Snow Bunting, 500 Pink-footed Goose, 800 Brent Goose, a Green Woodpecker, a Merlin, a Woodcock, 7 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Stonechat, a Goldcrest, 10 Corn Bunting and a Bullfinch.

January 3rd. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Stonechat, a Merlin, 27 Corn Bunting, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl, a Grey Partridge, 6500 Golden Plover and an Eider. On Tennyson Sands were 5 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye and 18 Black-tailed Godwit.

January 2nd. Birds around included a Bullfinch.

January 1st. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose and a Chiffchaff. Heading south were 2 Buzzard.