Late January 2020

January 31st. Moderately strong southerly wind.
 A Water Pipit flew south to roost from Jackson's Marsh in the afternoon; where there were also 35 Shoveler, 22 Gadwall, 220 Wigeon, 45 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 18 Teal, 29 Tufted Duck, a Water Rail, 4 Moorhen, 6 Coot and 3 Little Grebe. Birds around included 300 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 51 Canada Goose, 6 Greylag Goose, 950 Pink-footed Goose, 6 Stock Dove, 425 Lapwing, 45 Curlew, a Snipe, 8 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, 3 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 180 Starling, 16 Blackbird, 25 Redwing, 5 Song Thrush, 9 Robin, 4 Meadow Pipit, 24 Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, 12 Greenfinch, 15 Goldfinch and 2 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park).

Recent Ringing Controls:
Great Tit ringed GPBO 26 October 2018, controlled Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire 21 October 2019.
Goldcrest ringed GPBO 17 October 2019, controlled Bedfont Lakes, Greater London 27 December 2019.
Wren ringed GPBO 17 October 2019, controlled Holme BO, Norfolk 21 October 2019.

January 30th. Moderately strong southerly wind.
 A Red-necked Grebe came from the north and alighted on the sea out from Mill Hill in the morning. Flying south were 49 Golden Plover. On Tennyson's Sands were 253 Wigeon, a Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Snipe; on Jackson's Marsh were 3 Pintail and 4 Goosander (to roost); and on Croftmarsh were 5 Stock Dove, 350 Lapwing, 46 Curlew and 300 Starling. Birds around included 450 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 9 Canada Goose, 24 Greylag Goose, 1390 Pink-footed Goose, 33 Shelduck, 23 Shoveler, 38 Gadwall, 74 Mallard, 82 Teal, 46 Tufted Duck, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, 4 Turnstone, 81 Redshank, a Red-throated Diver, 16 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Goldcrest, 30 Blackbird, 40 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush, 14 Robing, 4 Meadow Pipit, 8 Rock Pipit, 23 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 16 Greenfinch, 18 Goldfinch, 13 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park) and 5 Reed Bunting.
Snipe, 30th January 2020.
Photo - Ben Ward
January 29th. Moderately strong westerly wind.
 2 Tundra Bean Goose were amongst 900 Pink-footed Goose on fields west of the River Steeping in the morning; where there were also 45 Canada Goose, a Barnacle Goose (with Pink-footed Goose), 10 Whooper Swan and 12 Stock Dove. To roost on Jackson's Marsh were 4 Goosander; where also a Water Pipit flew over. Birds around included 2 Mute Swan, 18 Shelduck, 220 Lapwing, 250 Golden Plover, 65 Curlew, 7 Little Egret, 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, a Merlin, 6 Long-tailed Tit, a Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 110 Starling, 18 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 8 Robin, 4 Rock Pipit, 16 Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 10 Goldfinch, a Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park) and 3 Reed Bunting.

January 28th. Moderately strong westerly wind.
 3 Snow Bunting were on Millennium Ridge in the morning. On Jackson's Marsh were 39 Canada Goose, 86 Greylag Goose, 2 Mute Swan, a Shelduck, 19 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 168 Wigeon, 56 Mallard, 4 Pintail, 11 Teal, 28 Tufted Duck, 7 Goosander (to roost), 4 Moorhen, 4 Coot and 3 Little Grebe. Birds around included 311 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1600 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Mute Swan, 5 Whooper Swan (fields west of the River Steeping), an Eider, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, 12 Stock Dock, a Great Crested Grebe, 320 Lapwing, 22 Golden Plover, 5 Ringed Plover, 157 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 80 Sanderling, a Snipe, a Red-throated Diver, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Little Egret, a male Hen Harrier, 3 Buzzard, 2 Tawny Owl, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 13 Skylark, 7 Long-tailed Tit, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 170 Starling, 21 Blackbird, 41 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 18 Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, 10 Greenfinch, 12 Goldfinch, 7 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park) and 8 Reed Bunting. Heading south were 2 Red-breasted Merganser, a Great Crested Grebe, 55 Golden Plover and 2 Red-throated Diver; and north a Common Scoter, 200 Lapwing and 2 Red-throated Diver.
Great Spotted Woodpecker, male, 28th January 2020.

Corn Bunting, 28th January 2020.
January 27th. Our late afternoon roost watch event was well attended and gave up views of many wild geese, waders albeit distantly, a resplendent male Hen Harrier and the winter peak count of 15 Corn Bunting, thanks to all attending and being part.
 14 Snow Bunting were around Greenshanks Creek during the morning. Birds around included 320 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 61 Canada Goose, 88 Greylag Goose, 1252 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Mute Swan, 9 Whooper Swan (fields west of the River Steeping), 36 Shelduck, 42 Shoveler, 67 Gadwall, 180 Wigeon, 92 Mallard, 6 Pintail (Jackson's Marsh), 50 Teal, 32 Tufted Duck, 906 Eider, 18 Stock Dove, 11 Little Grebe, 650 Lapwing, 70 Grey Plover, 110 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Snipe, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 14 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier, a male Hen Harrier (from the Wash Viewpoint in the afternoon), a Buzzard, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 19 Long-tailed Tit, a Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 370 Starling, 45 Blackbird, 11 Redwing, 13 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 31 Robin, 4 Stonechat (2 Golf Course and 2 out from Mill Hill), 3 Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 32 Chaffinch, 2 Bullfinch, 11 Greenfinch, 6 Linnet, 18 Goldfinch, 15 Corn Bunting (around Visitor Centre Car Park) and 9 Reed Bunting.
Scene setting photos from late afternoon, assembled birders appreciating roost movements, 27th January 2020.
Photos - Fran Torgwen

Stonechat, 27th January 2020.
Photo - Ben Ward
January 26th. Moderately strong southerly wind and rain from mid-afternoon.
 On Croftmarsh were 190 Wigeon, 12 Stock Dove, 650 Lapwing, 20 Golden Plover, 56 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank and 95 Starling. Birds around included 90 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 75 Greylag Goose, 60 Pink-footed Goose, 4 Mute Swan, 12 Shelduck, 59 Shoveler, 55 Gadwall, 88 Mallard, 8 Pintail, 73 Teal, 31 Tufted Duck, 10 Red-breasted Merganser, 10 Coot, 9 Little Grebe, 7 Snipe, 13 Little Egret, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Tawny Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 8 Long-tailed Tit, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, a Treecreeper, 22 Blackbird, 12 Redwing, 11 Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush, 15 Robin, 3 Stonechat (1 Wash Viewpoint and 2 North End), a Water Pipit (over the Wash Viewpoint in the morning), 21 Chaffinch, a Bullfinch, 8 Greenfinch, 16 Goldfinch and 6 Reed Bunting.
Bullfinch, 26th January 2020.
Photo - Jim Shaw
January 25th. Heading south over the sea were 2 Shelduck, 231 Eider, 11 Common Scoter, a Goldeneye, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 49 Curlew and 41 Red-throated Diver; and north 76 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 359 Eider, 2 Red-breasted Merganser and 6 Red-throated Diver; in from the sea came 150 Pink-footed Goose. A Great Egret was on the saltmarsh out from Lil's Hut in the afternoon. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Black-tailed Godwit; and on Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail and 9 snipe. Birds around included 475 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 6 Canada Goose, 76 Greylag Goose, 115 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Mute Swan, 26 Shelduck, 82 Shoveler, 66 Gadwall, 250 Wigeon, 76 Mallard, 128 Teal, 41 Tufted Duck, 12 Stock Dove, 10 Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, 440 Lapwing, 65 Curlew, 4 Turnstone, 4 Red-throated Diver, 14 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, a male Hen Harrier (over New Saltmarsh in the afternoon), 2 Tawny Owl, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, 21 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, a Goldcrest, a Treecreeper, 380 Starling, 29 Blackbird, 21 Redwing, 15 Song Thrush, 3 Mistle Thrush, 19 Robin, 14 Alba' Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, a Water Pipit (off Jackson's Marsh), 8 Rock Pipit, 32 Chaffinch, 20 Greenfinch, 20 Goldfinch, 2 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park) and 7 Reed Bunting.
Eider, a big day for movement, 25th January 2020.
Photo - Nige Lound

Brent Goose, reflective of a good breeding season for the Dark-bellied race, 25th January 2020.
Photo - Nige Lound

Meadow Pipit, 25th January 2020.
Photo - Ben Ward
January 24th. On the sea out from Mill Hill in the morning were 6 Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver. Birds around included 24 Whooper Swan (fields west of the River Steeping) and a Green Woodpecker.

January 23rd. Thick fog.
 Birds around included 16 Brent Goose, 4 Shoveler, 11 Shoveler, 60 Gadwall, 195 Wigeon, 16 Teal, 19 Tufted Duck, 180 Lapwing, 19 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, a male Marsh Harrier, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Treecreeper, 23 Blackbird, 42 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 12 Chaffinch, 7 Greenfinch and 18 Goldfinch,  


January 22nd. Birds around included a 55 Pink-footed Goose, 35 Shoveler, 89 Gadwall, 135 Wigeon, 3 Pochard, 25 Tufted Duck, 90 Lapwing, 32 Curlew, a Woodcock, a Snipe, a Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 18 Blackbird, 40 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 17 Robin, 5 Rock Pipit, 8 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park) and 3 Reed Bunting.

January 21st. Birds around included 300 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1750 Pink-footed Goose, 77 Greylag Goose, 4 Mute Swan, 7 Shelduck, 55 Shoveler, 54 Gadwall, 152 Wigeon, 60 Mallard, a Pintail, 49 Teal, 34 Tufted Duck, 11 Little Grebe, 75 Lapwing, 34 Curlew, 10 Snipe, a Barn Owl, a Tawny Owl, a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel, 6 Long-tailed Tit, a Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 40 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Stonechat and 4 Corn Bunting (Visitor Centre Car Park).