Monday 29th December

The Christmas break over, with nothing but red kites at my folks to note. We headed overnight to Cornwall to battle again with my nemesis bird Snowy Owl. I have consistantly missed almost every bird by one day. We arrived with several cars alredy parked and headed up the hill. There was no sign from the birders present so everyone spread out searching. We met a local birder in the area we were searching and he indicated its favoured area but no sign, but as we searched a head appeared 20m or so infront of us. Finally a snowy owl we waved some distant birders and they headed over, but we had several minutes with it before they arrived, a smart bird which was keeping out of the bitter easterly wind not really doing much. Everyone there was well behaved considering the close distance it was not flushed. Having our fill as the crowd grew we headed off the Hayle for some food and a look at the estuary and the RSPB pools, kingfisher the highlight. On to Helston duck pond where we eventually located a ring billed gull as they moved about quite a lot. A bit of shopping and a visit to Penzance for the large flock of purple sandpipers finished off the day.

Monday 22nd December

A jaunt out east, first stop was Reydon, where 15 waxwings were waiting for me, although they were soon to move on as they had just about exhausted the berry supply in the road. But they showed well in the rather overcast conditions. On to the town Marshes in Southwold, where it took a while to pick up the long staying lesser yellowlegs, a ruffand the only other bird of note. After a cup of tea it was north to Cantley, the geese nowhere to be found but after 30 mins or so they flew in about 50 whitefronts and 15 taiga bean geese landing distantly as always. Final stop was Buckenham. The marsh was rammed with wigeon although I picked out a few mallard and teal. A walk along the bank produced a barn owl although a blue morph snowgoose with a small flock of barnacle geese was of highly dubious origin. A couple of marsh harriers finished it off before I headed to view the rook roost although it contains large numbers of jackdaws and carrion crows as well. They produced a spectacular show in the fading light - really awesome.

Saturday 20th December

I took an afternoon jaunt, once again to Coveney and after about the 90 mins I finally located the rough legged buzzard showing well down the end of a muddy track if a little way away. An excellent weasel collected some roadkill from infront of me and took it back into a ditch. A hare and a large flock of golden plover to only other things of note. I headed home via Cottenham long drove but could not find the iceland gull, but found another glacous gull different from the one earlier in the week and a caspian gull was a bonus, with the light going that was it for the day.

Wednesday 17th December

An early morning visit to Snettisham started with a cracking barn owl on the entrance gate and a common shrew ran across the path infront of me on the long walk to the far end of the pits. The waders were on top form with superb displays above the rising tide, mostly knot, oystercatchers and godwits but Several skeins of pink footed geese leaving the saltmarsh were an added bonus. The long staying scaup could not be located and there was not much on note on any of the pits so I headed off. A quick stop at Abbey farm did not produce any tree sparrows, so I headed onto Sculthorpe. The car park was busy but they all turned out to be building contractors doing some work. So the reserve was mine, large numbers of marsh tits coming to the feeders were eventually joined by a couple of willow tits and several bramblings. A cheeky field vole collected spilt food from under the feeder. I took a walk round the reserve taking in the new hide, here some management work was going on so not much else apart from a water rail. There were lots of siskins and marsh tits on my wander round and I just missed the golden pheasants. Heading home with a stop for the Coveney rough legged buzzard but again I could not locate it.

Monday 15th December

The grey and misty weather forced me to stay local, which with Cambs currently holding some good birds could turn out into a good day. First stop was Ely where the resident muscovy ducks were taking it easy, a lesser canada goose, (probably leucopareia) was unexpected but probably an escape. On to Coveney but the rough legged buzzard was nowhere to be seen, a common buzzard was present but not much else despite an extensive search . On to Cottenham long drove where after a fresh delivery to the tip the gulls went mad and a juv glacous gull was picked out in the mele. Next to Waterbeach Fen, where the 3 tundra bean geese were still present with a large flock of greylags and a lone ross's goose. Fen Drayton was the next stop but I wish I had not bothered, the two drake smew were of course splendid but the construction right through the site made it hard to bird due to construction traffic and access seemed to be difficult to a large part of the reserve. I moved quickly on to Grafham water where after a long walk around the dam I found the water pipit and the red necked grebe. The black necked grebe was flushed from close in but another birder! to the centre of the reservoir, Where in the fading light I finally located the great northern diver.

Sunday 14th December

A day out with the Stortford Crew, we headed to Essex, our first stop was Manningtree Co-op where we took a stroll down the river, good numbers of knot and a few black tailed godwits were present. The main body of birds was further down river so we headed that was. The site was Mistley Quay and after visiting the swan feeding area complete with hundreds of mute swans, canada geese and a single barnace goose and several black swans we moved onto the quay. A shag a couple of whooper swans and two long tailed ducks as well as very large numbers of red brested mergansers the pick of the birds. A jaunt down river produced more of he same as did a rturn to the quay at high tide. Onward to Tollesbury where we encountered large numbers of fieldfares but struggled to pick out a couple of redwings. The evening raptor watch produced a couple of marsh harriers a sparrowhawk and a kestrel.

Sunday 7th December

A very large yellow necked mouse (so large the wife mistook it for a rat) had to be rescued from the cat, It was unharmed and sucessfully released later in the day. A large flock of starlings approx 7000 were doing their aerial displays over a field just east of Linton, a pre roost, now to find the roost.

Friday 5th December

Bird Atlas Day, I enjoyed a day of good weather, buzzard, tawny owl, woodcock the pick, but good numbers of bullfinches were particularly nice to see in all of my 3 squares. Mammals a bit thin on the ground, a hare and a couple of grey squirrels.

Friday 28th November - Monday 1st December

A cultural trip to Madrid, binoculars were banned but a few birds were seen, a couple of spotless starlings, white wagtail and loads of ring necked parakeets.

Monday 24th November

A bit of luck the shrike still being present, the bird had appeared the night before I left for India, and its continued presence made me head north although it was a bit of a shock going from blazing hot India to a cold and snowy Lincolnshire. I managed to park before the farmhouse so made my walk in longer but at least it kept me warm. The Steppe Grey Shrike was showing on my arrival and down to a foot or so in my camera bag. (Thanks to Paul Hackett for the Photo). After an hour or so with the bird I headed off to was Covenham reservoir. Here a nice selection of birds was on offer, the first a purple sandpiper showing well on the waters edge, a long tailed duck was just off shore as was a grey phalarope. All three birds performed very well. There was still time to stop at Donna Nook to see the grey seal colony, a rock pipit and 5 snow buntings the bird highlights.

Thursday 6th November

I could not resist news of the desert wheatear in Southwold and with the weather better than yesterdays constant rain, I took a lesurly drive to Southwold, where the Desert Wheatear was showing very well on the sea wall. It was an entertaining little bird but after an hour with it I moved on. A quick stop at St Edmunds Churchyard did not produce the firecrest, but 3 waxwings dropped in.

Monday 3rd November

The Stortford Crew headed to North Norfolk to cash in on the recent fall, most of which had gone. But our first stop was Muckleborough Hill where the red flanked bluetail showed briefly. Another better view was had an hour later and we headed off to Salthouse. Nothing happening on the sea although a snow bunting was very confiding on the beach. All the usual stuff present, but nothing else. On to Tichwell with the weather deterioating, and the birds being picked up from where we had just been. A rock pipit and good numbers of pintail on the Freshmarsh stood out from the regulars, as did we on the beach, no other hardy souls there or purple sandpipers. A bit of a disapointing day but you can't win them all.

Sunday 2nd November

Returning from my parents in the Chilterns with good numbers of red kites despite the grotty weather. I made one stop at Foxcote Reservoir, where after a while I located the regular ring necked duck not doing much on the far bank. But what followed was superb. starlings started gathering over the lake in the thousands doing a fantastic aerial display for some time until they roosted in the reedbeds - magic.