January 20th. Today's seawatching highlight was a Velvet Scoter settled offshore with 300 Common Scoter, 5 Eider, 4 red-breasted Merganser, 41 Red-throated Diver and a Black-throated Diver. Also new arrivals were 2 Ravens. Other birds around included Merlin, Hen Harrier, 22 Corn Bunting, 4 Stonechat and a Yellowhammer.
January 19th. Slightly less murky and misty than yesterday but still extremely dull with very low cloud all day and a continued chilly breeze keeping temperatures little above freezing. Highlights of the morning seawatch were a Great Northern Diver and 25 Red-throated Divers. The evening Harrier roost was attended by 3 Hen Harriers and 3 Marsh Harriers.
January 18th. A return to misty and murky conditions with a chilly breeze and poor visibility at sea.
Nonetheless, there was a good variety of species recorded, although nothing in any great numbers.
January 17th. A welcome relief from the fog today, but remaining dull and overcast with a chilly south-westerly breeze. Various flocks of Pink-footed Geese were on the move from first thing, mostly south or south-east. Two Tundra Bean Geese flew south, loosely following a pair of Greylags, but the Beans possible returned high north-west later. A good variety of birds were seen at sea including 20 Red-throated Diver, 4 Red-breasted Merganser and 150 Eider. Small groups of Wigeon were moving south with 3 Pintail, but a Pochard heading south over the sea was unusual.
Other birds around included: Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, 4 Stonechat, Water Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Black-tailed Godwit and a Woodcock.
Marsh Harrier, 17th January 2025.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons
Herring Gull, 17th January 2025.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons
Redshank, 17th January 2025.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons
Curlew, 17th January 2025.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons
Roe Deer, 17th January 2025.
Photo - Jeremy Eyeons
January 16th. Fog persisting all day again, resulting in little coverage of the Reserve. However, 6 Woodcocks were flying around the west side just after dawn, 18 Corn Bunting were around the Visitor Centre Car Park, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in the Plantation with a Goldcrest and 2 singing Robins nearby at Sykes Farm.
Woodcock - photo enlarged for those who weren't able to spot it in the photo below.
January 15th. A damp and foggy day with poor visibility limiting birding opportunities. A total of 1400 Pink-footed Geese today, representing an increase on yesterday. 27 Redwing in West Dunes were probably birds that arrived a couple of days ago whilst 10 Fieldfare to the north were probably new in. Single Bullfinch and Collared Dove were also new in. Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were found persisting in their usual locations and 3 Woodcock were seen.
Collared Dove in fog, 15th January 2025.
Photo - Nige Lound
Woodcock, 15th January 2025.
Photo - Nige Lound
January 14th. Dull, overcast but no frost and the day becoming progressively milder with waterbodies thawing out. Some 900 Pink-footed Geese were around Croftmarsh during the day, including 200 that arrived from the north in various groups. A brief seawatch resulted in 18 Red-throated Divers, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Red--breasted Mergansers and 25 Common Scoter. Overland movement was limited to a few Skylarks heading south. Other birds around included 5 Water Pipits, 3 Cetti's Warblers and 4 Stonechats.
January 13th. Another cold start with a strong south-westerly wind but an indication that the thaw has commenced. Counts of waterbirds remain generally low after many left during the freeze.
Shovelers floating on ice, 13th January 2025.
Video Kev Wilson
January 12th. A very cold, frosty and foggy morning with sub-zero temperatures again overnight and all waterbodies still mostly iced over. The fog cleared in the afternoon when 6 Woodcock and 2 Stonechat were seen on a quick circuit.
Frozen, foggy then cloudy, with light south-westerly wind.
January 11th. Frozen, partially cloudy, with light westerly wind.
The sun broke through strongly which scuppered any sea-watching effort early on and much of the wetland was still iced over. However, 11 Water Rails were around Tennyson's Sands with 2 Cetti's Warblers there and another 3 along Freshwater Marsh. 2 Bearded Tits were mobile around the reedbeds. Birds of prey seen were 2 Marsh Harriers, a Hen Harrier and a Barn Owl.
