Quiet at Quad 3 this morning.   15 Blackbirds, 3 Robins, 80 Goldfinches, 2 Kestrels, Peregrine, 1,300 Brent Geese, 60 Curlews, 36 Lapwings, 15 Redshanks and 90 Dunlin.

       Did Stonebridge to Pye's Hall this morning.   Waders were 530 Lapwings, 110 Golden Plovers, 1,600 Oystercatchers, 220 Dunlin, 30 Bar-tailed Godwits, 110 Redshanks, 350 Knot, 74 Grey Plovers, 21 Curlews and 8 Turnstones.   Wildfowl were 5 Mute Swans, 430 Brent Geese, 58 Shelducks, 60 Teal and 45 Mallard.   Other birds included Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine, 39 Goldfinches, 10 Blackbirds, Redwing, 25 Reed Buntings, 6 Yellowhammers, 6 Rock Pipits, 7 Little Grebes, 5 Little Egrets and 6 Cormorants.

 4 Shore Larks were new this morning.   Also noted were 3 Twite, 40 Goldfinches, 420 Dunlin, 100 Knot, 52 Sanderlings, 67 Curlews, 22 Redshanks, 180 Lapwings, 1,300 Brent Geese, 5 Teal, 4 Wigeon, one Eider, Little Egret, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 4 Grey Partridges and 20 Blackbirds.

 On the landward side were 1,300 Brent Geese, 37 Mallard, 13 Wigeon, 4 Little Egrets, 58 Curlews, 99 Golden Plovers, 30 Lapwings, 40 Goldfinches, 22 Greenfinches, 15 Blackbirds, 2 Kestrels, Common Buzzard and a Woodcock.   Heading north at sea were 2 Gannets, 6 Red-throated Divers, Great Northern Diver, 11 Common Scoters, 5 Shelducks, 6 auks sp., and a skua sp.   Onshore were 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 300 Knot, 120 Dunlin and 17 Oystercatchers.

The only birds of note at Quad 3 were 1,050 Brent Geese, 37 Curlews, 180 Lapwings, 600 Woodpigeons, Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawks, 25 Blackbirds and 5 Red-throated Divers.

                Not much of anything today.   A Long-eared Owl was the only obvious new arrival, otherwise 2 Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, 20 Blackbirds, Fieldfare, 2 Robins, Little Egret, 37 Curlews, 46 Lapwings, 7 Redshanks, 4 Grey Partridges, 1,000 Brent Geese plus 3 pale-bellied birds.

Quieter today.   95 Blackbirds, 4 Song Thrushes, 4 Redwings, Fieldfare, 35 Greenfinches, 15 Twite, 2 Sparrowhawks, 6 Whooper Swans, 90 Brent Geese, 8 Wigeon, 15 Common Scoters, 120 Dunlin, 12 Redshanks, 17 Lapwings and 65 Curlews

The days are duplicating themselves a bit in terms of species seen at the moment, although there were a few more finches about to keep me on my toes this morning.    Ca. 150 Blackbirds, 4 Fieldfares, 10 Redwings, 2 Robins, 75 Twite, 29 Linnets, 67 Goldfinches, 16 Greenfinches, 10 Chaffinches, 3 Kestrels, 3 Sparrowhawks, 3 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 280 Lapwings, 46 Curlews, 6 Redshanks, 4 Oystercatchers, 30 Dunlin, 6 Whooper Swans, 4 Mute Swans, 9 Canada Geese, 550 Brent Geese, 4 Pinkfeet, 17 Teal and 25 Common Scoters.

Ca.260 Blackbirds at Quad 3 this morning, but like yesterday, most had gone inland by early afternoon.   Also 3 Sparrowhawks, 40 Twite, 30 Linnets, 20 Greenfinches, 18 Goldfinches, 10 Reed Buntings, 4 Grey Partridges, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Water Rails, 146 Curlews, 80 Lapwings, 8 Redshanks, 62 Canada Geese, 2 Greylags, 25 Brent Geese, 6 Mute Swans, 6 Whooper Swans, 2 Wigeon, 15 Teal, Goosander and 12 Oystercatchers

16th

420 Blackbirds this morning, but most had continued inland by midday.   Also 18 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, 800 Starlings, Lapland Bunting, 30 Twite, 35 Greenfinches, 50 Goldfinches, 2 Common Snipe, 107 Lapwings, 15 Redshanks, Grey Heron, Little Egret, 6 Whooper Swans, 6 Mute Swans, 65 Canada Geese, 2 Greylags, 460 Brent Geese, 6 pale-bellied Brent Geese, 5 Wigeon, 4 Teal, 3 Eiders, 4 Goosanders and a Hen Harrier.

 

15th

 

 felt like spring this morning.   Quiet again, though.   180 Pinkfeet, 30 Brent Geese, 51 Canada Geese, 6 Whooper Swans, 6 Mute Swans, 3 Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 3 Peregrines, Merlin, 20 Twite, 11 Siskins, 4 Robins and 20 Blackbirds.

    Not much seen today.   5 Whooper Swans, 68 Canada Geese, 50 Brent Geese, 5 Wigeon, 28 Redshanks, 70 Knot, 50 Dunlin, 35 Golden Plovers, 51 Lapwings, Common Buzzard, Chiffchaff and 5 Twite.

Quiet today.   19 Whooper Swans, 65 Canada Geese, 520 Brent Geese, 35 Shelducks, 62 Redshanks, 140 Dunlin, 13 Turnstones, 290 Golden Plovers, 130 Lapwings, Common Buzzard, Merlin, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 2 Little Egrets, 50 Blackbirds, 40 Twite, 12 Linnets, 13 Greenfinches, 35 Meadow Pipits and a Corn Bunting.

Only 90 Blackbirds recorded today, also 3 Fieldfares, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Robins, 5 Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest, 2 Sparrowhawks, 11 Whooper Swans, 2 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, 625 Brent Geese, 71 Curlews, 39 Lapwings, 12 Golden Plovers, 60 Dunlin, 10 Sanderlings, 2 Cormorants, 4 Red-throated Divers and 320 Common Scoters.

. 500 Blackbirds recorded at the south end of Donna Nook this afternoon. Most of these were feeding on the new sea defences and small parties were coming in from the sea until dusk at least. Not much else seemed to be coming in with them apart from odd Redwings and Chaffinches, 8 Fieldfares, 4 Bramblings and 270 Starlings. There were 35 Twite on the sea-bank, a Water Rail was heard and a raft of ca.100 Common Scoters was present on the sea.

During a WeBS count between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall, the wader highlights were 188 Redshanks, 89 Bar-tailed Godwits, 550 Dunlin, 230 Sanderlings, 65 Grey Plovers, 1,900 Knot and 13 Turnstones. The best of the wildfowl were 970 Brent Geese including 3 pale-bellied birds, 41 Pinkfeet, 5 Whooper Swans, 255 Teal and 3 Goosanders. Also of note were 37 Cormorants, 7 Little Egrets, Red-throated Diver, Great Skua, Common Buzzard, Merlin, Peregrine, 3 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks, 35 Rock Pipits and 2 Lapland Buntings.

Despite the early frost and cold wind, a late Swallow flew through to the south.   In off the sea were 180 Starlings, Short-eared Owl, 4 Fieldfares, 8 Redwings and a Song Thrush.   Also of note were 24 Whooper Swans, 9 Mute Swans, 2 Greylags, 68 Canada Geese, 150 Brent Geese, 3 Wigeon, 3 Little Egrets, Grey Heron, Water Rail, 26 Oystercatchers, 240 Dunlin, 19 Bar-tailed Godwits, 5 Grey Plovers, 250 Knot, 58 Sanderlings, Common Snipe, 13 Redshanks, 79 Curlews, 40 Lapwings, 90 Golden Plovers, 2 Peregrines, 2 Kestrels, Merlin, Kingfisher, 12 Rock Pipits, 30 Meadow Pipits, 120 Skylarks, 3 Twite, 80 Goldfinches, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30 Blackbirds, 15 Chaffinches and 120 Carrion Crows.

   Weatherwise, it was like two days into one today, so fortunately I was watching in the best half.   132 Pinkfeet flew south and Whooper Swans increased to 33.   Also seen were 45 Canada Geese, 6 Mute Swans, Red-throated Diver, 40 Sanderlings, 10 Dunlin, 81 Curlews, 90 Golden Plovers, 75 Lapwings, 9 Redshanks, Little Egret, 10 Rock Pipits, 40 Meadow Pipits, 14 Twite, 25 Blackbirds, 5 Long-tailed Tits, Water Rail and Kingfisher.

     It was a beautiful day, but nothing unusual about.   160 Pinkfeet in 3 skeins flew south.   Also present were 45 Canada Geese, 20 Whooper Swans, 6 Mute Swans, 6 Teal, Little Egret, 40 Dunlin, Woodcock, 40 Meadow Pipits, 8 Rock Pipits, 5 Twite, Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 40 Blackbirds, Fieldfare, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Sparrowhawks, Common Buzzard and a Peregrine.

A few new thrushes today, hence 80 Blackbirds, 60 Fieldfares and 40 Redwings.   Also a Goldcrest, Woodcock, 6 Common Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30 Twite, Sparrowhawk, 3 Common Buzzards, Peregrine with Black-headed Gull kill, 100 Meadow Pipits, Barn Owl, 9 Pinkfeet, 17 Whooper Swans, 37 Mallard, 5 Wigeon, 50 Curlews, 10 Sanderlings, 135 Dunlin and one Gannet.

 

      Yesterday, I omitted to mention a male House Sparrow.   In recent years, there are fewer records than Pallas's Warblers on the dunes!

  Not a lot today.   18 Whooper Swans, 4 Gannets, Arctic Skua, 25 Sanderlings, 70 Dunlin, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 80 Curlews, 200 Golden Plovers, 67 Lapwings, Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Grey Partridges, Lesser Redpoll, Chiffchaff and Lapland Bunting

  Today's counts are a combination of Quad 3 and north to Pye's Hall.   37 Whooper Swans, 95 Pinkfeet, 30 Little Egrets, Pintail, Woodcock, 2 Hen Harriers, Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Peregrines, 4 Kestrels, 4 Merlins, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, 3 Lapland Buntings, 3 Snow Buntings, 40 Rock Pipits, 80 Goldfinches, 2 Chiffchaffs, Goldcrest, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 38 Sanderlings, 53 Curlews, 73 Lapwings, 80 Golden Plovers, Gannet and 2 Red-throated Divers.

   Quiet again at Quad 3.    150 Pinkfeet and 14 Whooper Swans south.   Also of note were 26 Mallard, 2 Wigeon, 5 Shelducks, 3 Common Scoters, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 101 Curlews, 2 Common Snipe, 35 Golden Plovers, 50 Meadow Pipits, 5 Robins, 5 Goldcrests, Chiffchaff, 2 Kestrels and a Peregrine.