Early January 2016

January 10th. Around were a Marsh Harrier and a Stonechat. Offshore were 53 Eider, 19 Red-breasted Merganser and 8 Red-throated Diver. Going south were a Great Northern Diver and a Little Gull.

January 9th. Birds around included a Bullfinch, a Treecreeper, 224 Cormorant, a Water Rail, 305 Sanderling, 190 Fieldfare, 290 Starling and 250 Golden Plover. Flying south were 2 Bewick's Swan, 2 Pintail, 7 Red-breasted Merganser, a Goosander, a Goldeneye, a blue Fulmar and 63 Red-throated Diver. Offshore were a Long-tailed Duck and a Great Skua.

January 8th. Around were 1000 Pink-footed Goose, 350 Brent Goose, a Hen Harrier, 10 Woodcock, 23 Turnstone, 190 Sanderling, 70 Carrion Crow, 50 Fieldfare, a Coal Tit and a Merlin.

January 7th. Rain most of day.
 Birds around included 400 Pink-footed Goose, a Spotted Redshank, a Merlin, 75 Fieldfare and a Green Woodpecker.

January 6th. Around were 40 Pink-footed Goose, 9 Woodcock, a male Hen Harrier, a Merlin, a Green Woodpecker, 2 Coal Tit, a Bullfinch, 3 Siskin, a Goldcrest, 40 Corn Bunting, 26 Snipe, 22 Redwing and 200 Fieldfare. On Jackson's Marsh were 4 Goldeneye and a drake Pintail. Flying south were 14 Little Gull and 2 Great Skua,

January 5th. Birds around included 500 Pink-footed Goose, 59 Shoveler, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 4 Water Rail, 7 Corn Bunting, a Goldcrest, 40 Corn Bunting, 150 Fieldfare, a Jack Snipe, 4 Woodcock and 950 Lapwing. Roosting were 140 Alba Wagtail. Heading south were 900 Lapwing, 6 Little Gull and a Grey Heron, and east a Marsh Harrier.

January 4th. Offshore were a Slavonian Grebe, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Great Crested Grebe, a Great Skua, a Mediterranean Gull and 8 Little Gull. Around were a White-fronted Goose, 550 Pink-footed Geese, 1500 Golden Plover, 800 Lapwing, 150 Fieldfare, 2 Goldcrest, 10 Corn Bunting and a ringtail Hen Harrier. A Water Rail was heard on Tennyson Sands. South went 25 Siskin, 2 Gannet, 2000 Lapwing, 270 Pink-footed Goose, 2 Great Skua, a Pomarine Skua, 15 Little Gull, 135 Teal, 7 Pintail and 145 Wigeon, and south-west a Fulmar.

January 3rd. Birds around included a Short-eared Owl, 550 Pink-footed Goose, 550 Brent Goose (including just 1 juvenile), 8 Corn Bunting, 1400 Golden Plover, 5 Black-tailed Godwit and 780 Lapwing. Going south were 82 Wigeon, 480 Teal and 3 Pintail.

January 2nd. Around were a Chiffchaff, a Siskin, 2 Water Pipit, 40 Corn Bunting, a Little Gull, a Peregrine, 415 Redshank and 18 Stock Dove.

January 1st. Birds around included 600 Pink-footed Goose, 60 Shoveler, a Kingfisher, a Short-eared Owl, a Marsh Harrier, a Coal Tit, a Treecreeper, a Stonechat, a Siskin, 5 Song Thrush and 35 Corn Bunting. The 2 wintering Avocet remained on Tennyson's Sands, and 2 Whooper Swan arrived on Jackson's Marsh. A Merlin flew east and a Marsh Harrier south.

Goldeneye, 1st January 2016.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Spotted Redshank and Shoveler, 1st January 2016.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth
Pintail, 1st January 2016.
Photo - Stuart Ainsworth