Saturday 2nd January

Seawatching early morning following the continued SE gales was surprisingly quiet with just 13 Gannet and six Kittiwake offshore although a single Great Skua also passed south. Later on at least two Little Gull were off the estuary mouth with half a dozen Great Northern Diver. Elsewhere a Firecrest was again by the Main Pond, the Water Pipit was on the flooded 7th fairway and counts from the estuary included a site record count 122 Shelduck, c800 Dunlin, 55+ Common Gull, 26 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Sanderling, two Great Northern Diver and single Goldeneye and Slavonian Grebe.

Wildlife News: Both queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a queen German Wasp (Vespula germanica) were on the wing in the afternoon sunshine.

German Wasp