Late December 2014

December 31st. Birds around included a Hen Harrier and 2 Bullfinch. On Jackson's Marsh were 2 Pintail.

December 30th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, a Bullfinch, a Green Woodpecker, 24 Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Goldcrest and 5 Corn Bunting.
 A delayed ringing session at Aylmer Avenue, with Jenni Godber, produced 7 new birds: 5 Goldfinch and 2 Greenfinch; 41 retraps: 14 Blue Tit, 18 Great Tit, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock, a Robin, a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch; and 3 control (ringed elsewhere) Great Tit.

December 29th. Birds around included 1000 Pink-footed Goose, a Short-eared Owl, a Hen Harrier, 23 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 57 Robin, 42 Blackbird, a Yellowhammer, 129 Corn Bunting, 10 Ringed Plover, 25 Rock Pipit, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and 2 Bullfinch. Offshore were 20 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Skua sp and 2 Great Crested Grebe. On Tennyson's Sands was a Kingfisher and a Water Rail. Flying north were 4 Bewick's Swan.

December 28th. Around were a Peregrine, a Hen Harrier, a Woodcock, 5 Fieldfare, a Kingfisher, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 35 Snow Bunting, 48 Corn Bunting, a Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrest. A Rough-legged Buzzard flew in off the sea at dusk.

December 27th. Birds around included 2 Fieldfare and 2 Goldcrest.

December 26th. Around were 4 Goldcrest.

December 25th.
The Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory team would like wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.
 Birds around included a Woodcock, 400 Skylark, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Corn Bunting, 4000 Golden Plover, a Chiffchaff and 4 Goldcrest. On the Wash at high tide were 30000 Knot, 2500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1800 Grey Plover, 2300 Dunlin, 800 Sanderling and 11 Ringed Plover. Offshore was a Great Northern Diver, 2 Gannet and 5 Red-breasted Merganser.

December 24th. Clear skies with a light westerly wind.
 A morning high tide wader count produced 40000 Knot, 3150 Bar-tailed Godwit, 500 Grey Plover, 1600 Lapwing, 349 Oystercatcher, 3500 Golden Plover and 300 Dunlin. Around the reserve were 2 Bullfinch, a Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff and 3 Redwing. Flying south were 29 Fieldfare, 2 Whooper Swan and a Siskin. Offshore were a Great Northern Diver, 10 Red-throated Diver and 3 Red-breasted Merganser.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 8 new birds: 3 Goldfinch, 3 Great Tit, a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch; and 15 retraps: a Goldfinch, 7 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blackbird, a Robin and a Dunnock.

December 23rd. Fairly strong south-westerly wind.
 Birds around included 50 Corn Bunting, 2500 Golden Plover, a Bullfinch and 3 Goldcrest. Offshore was a Great Northern Diver. Flying south was a Grey Heron.

December 22nd. Strong south-westerly wind.
 Around were 11 Snow Bunting, 1100 Pink-footed Goose, 250 Brent Goose, a Chiffchaff and 4 Fieldfare.
 Having received a message about a strange and possibly injured bird being stuck in a garden in Skegness, Mick Briggs and David Vincent went to investigate. On arrival it was soon established that the bird in question was a Cormorant. The bird was quickly caught and inspected. It was found not to be injured, just a little disorientated. The bird was then taken to Gibraltar Point where it was ringed and then let go on one of the fresh water lagoons. The bird was a first calendar year female.
Cormorant rescued from a Skegness garden, 22nd December 2014.
Photo - Mick Briggs.
December 21st. Birds around included 32 Snow Bunting, 1050 Pink-footed Goose, 8000 Golden Plover, a Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Chiffchaff, 50 Corn Bunting, 3 Redwing and 16 Fieldfare. South went a Great Northern Diver, 29 Red-breasted Merganser and 8 Goldeneye, and north a Pomarine Skua and a Great Skua. On the sea was another Great Skua.

Mid December 2014

December 20th. Around were a Merlin, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, 500 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 6 Snow Bunting and 2 Bullfinch. Flying south were 17 Great Crested Grebe and a Fulmar.

December 19th. Birds around included 16 Snow Bunting, a Hen Harrier, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Whooper Swan, 2 Bullfinch and 3 Corn Bunting. On Tennyson Sands were 5 Water Rail. South went 7 Stock Dove.

December 18th. Fairly strong south-westerly wind.
 Around were 350 Brent Goose and 6 Whooper Swan.

December 17th. Birds around included 2000 Pink-footed Goose.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue provided 9 new birds: 2 Goldcrest, 3 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch and a Blackbird; and 13 retraps: a Greenfinch, 4 Great Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 2 Goldfinch and a Robin.

December 16th. Light south-westerly wind with clear skies.
 Around the reserve were 42 Snow Bunting, a Lapland Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 4000 Golden Plover, 2 Common Buzzard, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Hen Harrier, 2 Merlin and 54 Corn Bunting. Tennyson's Sands held a Water Rail, a Pintail, 4 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Goldeneye. A mid-morning sea watch produced a Slavonian Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 42 Red-throated Diver, a Goosander, 4 Red-breasted Merganser, a Guillemot and 2 Kittiwake. Flying south over the reserve were 4 Whooper Swan, 124 Fieldfare, a Marsh Harrier and a Waxwing.

December 15th. Birds around included 12 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest and 3 Pink-footed Goose.
 A morning ringing session at Aylmer Avenue was not very productive. The 2 new birds were a Great Tit and a Blackbird; and the 5 retraps were 3 Blue Tit, a Blackbird and a Dunnock.
 A fungus found growing on an old Pine cone at Aylmer Avenue is possibly either Conifercone Cap (Baeospora myosura) or Pinecone Cap (Strobilurus tenacellus).

Fungus on Pine Cone, 15 December 2014.
Photo - George Gregory
Fungus on Pine Cone, 15 December 2014.
Photo- George Gregory
December 14th. Strong south-westerly wind.
 Around were a Coal Tit, a Bullfinch, 600 Pink-footed Goose, 40 Corn Bunting, a Fieldfare, 15 Goldcrest, a Merlin, 60 Blackbird, a Barn Owl and a Woodcock.

December 13th. Frozen morning.
 Birds around included a Pink-footed Goose, a Woodcock, a Green Woodpecker, a Coal Tit, 2 Siskin and 4 Goldcrest. On Tennyson Sands was a Water Rail.

December 12th. Around were 2 Goldcrest. Flying south were 55 Pink-footed Goose.

December 11th. Birds around included 22 Snow Bunting, 2 Bullfinch and 350 Brent Goose.

Early December 2014

December 10th. Strong south-easterly wind.
 Around were 39 Snow Bunting, 2 Bullfinch and 3 Fieldfare.

December 9th. Birds around included 1200 Pink-footed Goose, a Hen Harrier, a Merlin, 65 Rock Pipit, a Chiffchaff, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Bullfinch, 10 Corn Bunting, 22 Snow Bunting, a Lapland Bunting. Flying south were 8 Redwing.

December 8th. Around were a Lapland Bunting, 55 Snow Bunting, a Hen Harrier, 700 Pink-footed Goose, 600 Brent Goose, 3 Woodcock, a Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 2 Bullfinch and a Brambling. Going south was a Common Buzzard.

December 7th. Light rain in morning.
 Birds around included 700 Pink-footed Goose,800 Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, 5 Redwing, a Chiffchaff, a Brambling and 35 Corn Bunting.

December 6th. Around were a Hen Harrier, a Woodcock, a Fieldfare, a Redwing, 2 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff, 11 Goldcrest, a Bullfinch, a Corn Bunting and a Snow Bunting. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Whooper Swan,4 Pochard and 2 Goldeneye. Offshore was a Great Skua. Heading south were 2 Pomarine Skua, 22 Skylark, 130 Woodpigeon and 8 Stock Dove.

December 5th. Birds around included a White-fronted Goose, 2 Woodcock, 2 Fieldfare, a Redwing,2 Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 40 Rock Pipit, 2 Brambling, 55 Snow Bunting and 25 Corn Bunting. Flying south were a Lapland Bunting and 22 Skylark.

December 4th. Around were 600 Brent Goose, 2 Goldcrest and 2 Bullfinch.

December 3rd. Birds around included 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 8000 Golden Plover, a Woodcock and 2 Bullfinch.

December 2nd. Strong northerly wind, rainy spells.
A prolonged sea-watching session produced 81 Pomarine Skua (a new reserve record), 11 Great Skua, an Arctic Skua, 3 Little Auk, 2 Long-tailed Duck, 216 Wigeon, 1395 Teal, 2 Goldeneye, 4 Goosander, 25 Gannet, 57 Kittiwake and 3 Bewick's Swan. Around the reserve were a Hen Harrier, a Peregrine and a Merlin.

December 1st. Around were 650 Pink-footed Goose, 400 Brent Goose, 2 Redpoll, 20 Goldcrest, a Fieldfare and a Merlin. Offshore were a Great Skua, a Little Gull, a Goosander and a Red-breasted Merganser.