Late January 2014

January 31st; Moderate south-easterly wind, cloudy.
 Around were a Woodcock, 15 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings. Heading south were 2 Little Gulls, 59 Red-throated Divers, 18 Red-breasted Mergansers, 30 Common Scoter, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Pintail, a Waxwing and a Bullfinch. On the sea were 6 Red-throated Divers, 7 Red-breasted Mergansers and 5 Eider. Over Croftmarsh were 500 Lapwings, and on Tennyson Sands 2 Goldeneye..

January 30th: Moderate easterly wind, light rain for most of day.
 A Peregrine flew north. On Croftmarsh was a Common Buzzard, and on Tennyson Sands 17 Black-tailed Godwits and the usual other birds. Around were 2 Woodcock, a Yellowhammer, 45 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings.

January 29th: Strong easterly wind, cloudy.
 Birds around included 60 Fieldfares and a singing Song Thrush. On Tennyson Sands were 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 20 Wigeon, 4 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye and a Pintail. At sea 104 Red-throated Divers, 18 Eider, 2 Goldeneye, 4 Pintail, a Gannet and a Lesser Black-backed Gull went south, and a Red-breasted Merganser north, while 12 Common Scoter and 3 Red-breasted Merganser were offshore.
 The Snowdrops are now flowering.

Snowdrops, 29 January 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
January 28th: Moderate south-easterly wind, cloudy.
 Notables included a Hen Harrier, a Green Woodpecker, 35 Fieldfares and a Woodcock.

January 27th: Moderate south-westerly wind, cloudy, occasional light rain.
 Around were 45 Fieldfares and 2 Song Thrushes. On Tennyson Sands were 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Goldeneye, 5 Pochard and a Pintail, and on Croftmarsh 750 Golden Plovers, 150 Lapwings and 50 Wigeon. A Slavonian Grebe, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Great Crested Grebe, 30 Common Scoters and a Shag were offshore. South went 64 Red-throated Divers, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Eider, 29 Wigeon, a Goldeneye and a Little Gull.

January 26th: Strong south-westerly wind, cloudy, rain most of day.
 Birds around included a Woodcock, a Waxwing, a Kingfisher, a Short-eared Owl, 2 Barn Owls and 62 Fieldfares. On the water bodies were a Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Goldeneye, and offshore 3 Goosander, 4 Great Crested Grebes and a Guillemot. Heading south were 3 Pintail, 26 Red-throated Divers and 18 Pink-footed Geese.

January 25th:  Moderate south-westerly wind, cloudy, damp start.
 Present were a Waxwing, a Hen Harrier, a Peregrine and 2 Corn Buntings. On or over Croftmarsh were 650 Lapwings, on the estuary 1000 Wigeon, and offshore 100 Red-throated Divers and a Harbour Porpoise. Flying south were a Red Kite and 24 Pintail.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was quite productive. The 18 new birds were 5 Goldfinches, 2 Chaffinches and 11 Greenfinches. The 25 retraps were 3 Goldfinches, 4 Chaffinches, 6 Greenfinches, 9 Blue Tits, a Robin, a Long-tailed Tit and a Great Tit.

Red Kite flying south over the Visitor Centre, 25 January 2014.
Photo - Garry Wright
Red Kite flying south over the Visitor Centre, 25 January 2014.
Photo - Garry Wright 
January 24th: Moderate south-westerly wind, cloudy, cold start.
 Flying around were a Hen Harrier, a Merlin and 5 Rooks. At sea heading south were 214 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver, 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, a Great Skua, 48 Common Scoter and a Guillemot, and north 3 Red-throated Divers, 6 Common Scoter, 7 Eider and a Harbour Porpoise, while offshore were 3 Great Crested Grebes and an Eider.

January 23rd: Moderate south-westerly wind, cloudy and rainy morning, then cleared.
 Around were 2 Yellowhammers. On Tennyson Sands were 55 Gadwall, a Pochard, 16 Wigeon and 5 Black-tailed Godwits, and on or over Croftmarsh 660 Lapwings, 50 Golden Plovers and a Hen Harrier. Flying north at sea were an Eider, 4 Common Scoter and 2 Red-throated Divers, and south 17 Pink-footed Geese, 4 Eider, 59 Common Scoter, a Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 70 Red-throated Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Kittiwakes, while on the sea were 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe.

January 22nd: Moderate southerly wind, cloudy, rainy morning.
 Coverage was limited. Birds around included 20 Fieldfares and 650 Lapwings.

January 21st: Light then increasing southerly wind, wet fog, slowly clearing.
 On Tennyson Sands were 3 Pochard, a Pintail and 8 Wigeon. Other birds recorded included 8 Fieldfares.