January 1st 2008

The start of the new year dawned dull wet and miserable and it stayed that way throughout the day with the rain sometimes heavier and sometimes lighter! Starting out on the west side a good collection of waders was apparent from calls at Chowder Ness with Ringed Plover and Snipe the most difficult but Kingfisher seemed a good tick although several were logged through the day. There was no obvious Bittern at Far Ings and the Smew seemed to be absent as well but my poor imitation attracted a Tawny Owl which perched in the tops of the trees at the northern end of first quarry. Tree Sparrows at Far Ings plus a male Stonechat at Chowder Ness where Meadow Pipit was also a useful addition spurred me on. On the east side the Long-tailed Duck remained on sailing pit but the Red-throated Diver seemed to have moved on at a most inappropriate time although thankfully the three Snow Buntings were still around on the foreshore, a Lesser Black-backed Gull was a good January tick and the Pasture Road Willow Tits obliged but the Cetti’s Warbler remained stubbornly silent and during the day all three birds refused to emit even a single call in spite of several attempts to hear all three! A walk on the Middle Lagoon island at Waters’ Edge duly produced three Woodcock and a second attempt at Far Ings nailed the drake Smew to end the day on 78 species which was not bad considering the weather