December 31st. Clear, freezing start, gradually warming up, with light north-westerly wind.
Wishing all our contributors and followers a Happy and Bird-filled New Year !
Similar numbers and range of birds to yesterday, including another Great Northern Diver heading south. Numbers of Pink-footed Geese had increased considerably though, with 800 leaving the roost in the morning and 3000 arriving at dusk. 25 Curlews were on Tennyson's Sands. A male Merlin was perched up on Croftmarsh and other birds around included Woodcock and Cetti's Warbler.
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| Curlews on Tennyson's Sands, 31st December 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Curlews on Tennyson's Sands, 31st December 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
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| Mute Swans over the Mere, 31st December 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
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| A very late moulting Mute Swan juvenile on the Mere, 31st December 2025 Photo - David Nutt |
Birds on Field 10 included the 5 White-fronted Geese and 275 Wigeon. Croft Marsh and beyond was home to 250 Golden Plover and 1200 Lapwing. On the sea were 30 Common Scoter, 20 Red-throated Divers (mostly south) and a Great Northern Diver (south).
Also around were 7 Snow Buntings, 17 Corn Buntings and 3 Water Pipits. Flying south were 100 Pink-footed Geese.
December 29th. Cloudy, with moderate north-easterly wind and occasional drizzle or light rain.
The White-fronted Goose was reduced to 5 today. There were 300 Wigeon on the water bodies with 26 Tufted Duck on the Mere and 12 Black-tailed Godwit on Tennyson's Sands. A good spread of waders were feeding along the foreshore: 91 Grey Plover, 21 Ringed Plover, 300 Oystercatcher, 22 Turnstone, 64 Curlew, 65 Sanderling, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit and 161 Redshank. The overall day total of over 310 Redshank was high for this period. 6 Red-throated Diver went south over the sea.
Fair numbers of Robins and Blackbirds remained in the dunes with 4 Goldcrests and 2 Woodcock. 10 Corn Buntings were near their usual spot near the hump. Birds of prey included a Barn Owl, a Peregrine, a Merlin and a Marsh Harrier.
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| Hazel Flower Catkins out already! 29th December 2025 Photo - Rob Watson |
December 27th. Cloudy, with fresh north-easterly wind.
December 26th. Clear with continued strong easterly wind and remaining dry.
An hour sea-watch early morning produced the following: 2 Great Northern Diver south, 3 Velvet Scoter, a Manx Shearwater, 5 Fulmar, 5 Gannet, 5 Little Gull, 33 Kittiwake, 23 Auk sp and 17 Red-throated Diver north. Single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were around Sykes Farm. The 8 White-fronted Geese continued to feed on Field 10.
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| White-fronted Geese on Field 10, 25th December 2025 Photo - Stuart Ainsworth |
Today's highlights included a Water Pipit on the Mere and 8 White-fronted Geese on Field 10. Also 21 Corn Buntings were by the Hump Sycamore but mobile.
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| Water Pipit on the Mere, 25th December 2025 Photo - Adrian Royle |
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| Water Pipit on the Mere, 25th December 2025 Photo - Adrian Royle |
An hour's sea-watch in fairly challenging conditions due to the wind and strong sun, but the following were recorded: 51 Kittiwake, 3 Little Gull, 5 Fulmar, a Great Northern Diver and 22 Red-throated Diver. In the afternoon, 200 Golden Plover dropped into Tennyson's Sands with the Lapwing flock.
December 23rd. Cloudy, with increasing easterly wind.
A morning sea-watch was rewarded with a northbound Great Skua but the only other seabirds of note were 2 Gannets and a Kittiwake with a slight increase of Red-throated Divers, and small numbers of Eider and Common Scoter. Five Goldcrests were still present in the East Dunes.
December 22nd. Partly cloudy, with light south-easterly wind.
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| Mistletoe in the Orchard, 22 December 2025. Photo - George Gregory |
December 21st. The Winter Solstice - the shortest day. Cloudy, with moderate south-easterly wing and rainy spells.
Just counts of the Lagoons and the West Dunes were made this morning. Around the lagoons were 700 Teal, 350 Wigeon, 80 Shoveler, 600 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, a Marsh Harrier, a Water Pipit and 2 Cetti's Warblers, whilst in the dunes the highlights were 8 Goldcrests and a single Redwing.
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