Thursday 25th January

An Avocet in the Railway Saltmarsh was the first of the year on site, with a drake Tufted Duck off Cockwood also new for the year, increased counts of 630 Black-headed and 141 Common Gull also indicated movement. Other counts from the estuary included 1320 Dunlin, 153 Grey Plover, 86 Curlew, 75 Knot, 44 Sanderling, 43 Turnstone, five Mediterranean Gull, two Great Northern Diver, the first Ringed Plover of the year and the Slavonian Grebe.

Dunlin - Dave Jewell

The Long-tailed Duck and four Great Northern Diver were off John's Watch with three Eider and two Red-throated Diver also offshore. Elsewhere the Firecrest was in the Entrance Bushes and a bit of sunshine and a rise in temperature seems to have perked up the birds with Skylark displaying on Warren Point, Blackbird and Song Thrush in song and a drumming Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Skylark - Alan Keatley