700 Pink-footed Geese flew out of the roost early on whilst 2500 Lapwing and 550 Golden Plover commuted to the estuary. A Slavonian or Black-necked Grebe was offshore this morning with a mix of Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Eider, Common Scoter and Wigeon. A Marsh Harrier passed south over the sea. The Scaup remained on Jackson's Marsh. 8 Corn Buntings were around the Visitor Centre.
December 30th. A strong south-westerly wind with rainy spells in morning.
A 45 minute sea-watch whilst the weather was only mildly unpleasant! Small groups of Eider were arriving from the north and a Great Northern Diver flew south close inshore. The Scaup had moved onto Jackson's Marsh where a Pochard was a new arrival. Around were 2 Woodcock and a Snipe.
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December 29th. A very pleasant and bright day, remaining quite mild with a fresh southerly wind.
An hour sea-watch yielded a standard selection of birds offshore with a Black-throated Diver in from the north and landing, and a large Diver sp north. 3 Pintail flew south and 20 Snow Bunting remained on the beach. Elsewhere, 2100 Lapwing flew onto the Haven, Pink-footed Goose numbers had built up to 1450, a male Hen Harrier was hunting the southern marshes and a Great White Egret was on Croftmarsh before flying south.
December 28th. Fairly mild morning, overcast initially with visibility decreasing as a band of moderate rain set in.
A brief look at the sea and beach before the weather deteriorated produced 15 Snow Bunting of note. The Scaup was still on Tennyson's Sands and there was a small race Canada Goose type with the Canada Goose flock on Croftmarsh beyond - undoubtedly a returning bird.
December 27th. A bright start with a light frost becoming overcast with rain during the afternoon.
Light southerly passage again during 90 minutes: 47 Redwing, 22 Fieldfare, 2 Blackbird, a Song Thrush, 29 Starling, 14 Skylark and 8 Chaffinch. Offshore southerly movement involved 23 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 60 Common Scoter and 2 Red-breasted Merganser. with another 4 Great Crested Grebe on the sea and a Little Grebe on Greenshanks Creek at high tide. On the beach were a Peregrine and 20 Snow Bunting. A Scaup was found on Tennyson's Sands with good numbers of Teal and other duck.
December 26th. A pleasant, dry and bright day with a cool southerly breeze.
Similar to yesterday in many respects. Birds arriving from the north/moving south included a Red Kite, 12 Redwing, 28 Fieldfare, 142 Lapwing, 6 Chaffinch 16 Starling, 4 Stock Dove, 36 Skylark and 5 Rock Pipit. Two large skeins of Pink-footed Goose headed north-west, totalling 880, and 2 Goosander arrived and settled on Greenshanks Creek. 20 Snow Bunting were along the beach, and, somewhat unseasonally, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in the Plantation.
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December 25th. Moderately strong south-westerly wind, otherwise quite mild.
Highlights of a watch over the River Steeping haven on the falling tide between 0815 and 1000hrs were 920 Eider, 320 Wigeon, 7 Pintail, 9 Red-breasted Merganser and 1250 Oystercatcher with smaller numbers of Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit.
December 24th. Soggy start, then quite mild.
A good variety of winter birds around but not in any great numbers. Migration down the East Dunes between 0830 -1000hrs included 31 Chaffinch, 3 Siskin, 46 Skylark, 60 Fieldfare and 13 Redwing south, with another 18 Redwing arriving off the sea. Around were 10 Whooper Swan, 22 Snow Bunting, 460 Golden Plover, a Hen Harrier, a Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, a Woodcock and a Water Pipit.
A brief morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided a new Blackbird; and 2 retrap Blue Tit.
December 23rd. Rain almost all day.
December 22nd. Damp, somewhat misty start, then rain from late morning.
Around were 140 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Woodcock, a Sparrowhawk, 19 Redwing and 27 Snow Bunting. On Tennyson's Sands were a Water Rail and a Cetti's Warbler. Going south were 42 Pink-footed Goose and 41 Fieldfare.
A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue produced 4 new birds: 3 Chaffinch and a Blue Tit; and 4 retraps: a Dunnock, 2 Blue Tit and a Goldfinch.
December 21st. The Winter Solstice - the shortest day. Soggy start and a bit breezy, but quite mild.
Very low observer coverage today but more Fieldfare and Redwing immigration was noted during brief observations. Other birds around included a Marsh Harrier.
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