Thursday 11th January

Three Stonechat included at least one new arrival as it was a ringed bird; details are awaited. Elsewhere three Great Northern Diver remain off the estuary mouth and a Chiffchaff was in the Entrance Bushes.

 Stonechat - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: This Fox was the first sighting of the year, although it looks relatively unimpressed with the accolade.

Fox - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 10th January

The Long-tailed Duck and three Great Northern Diver were offshore from John's Watch with a Red-throated Diver off the seawall. Elsewhere two Snipe and a female Shoveler were on the Main Pond and the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood.

Monday 8th January

The Cetti's Warbler was again vocal around the Main Pond and the Firecrest was in the Entrance Bushes. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe and a Great Northern Diver were off Cockwood but no other news was received.

Sunday 7th January

The strong north easterly wind meant both the sea and the bushes were blown out, as a consequence the majority of records came from the estuary. Counts from the hide included 1750 Dunlin, 183 Wigeon, 142 Grey Plover, 117 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 80 Shelduck, 60 Knot, 40 Great Black-backed Gull, 17 Sanderling, five Greenshank and the year's first Lapwing, an increasingly rare visitor to the Warren. Elsewhere the Mistle Thrush was again around Greenland Lake and offsite a Firecrest was near Mount Pleasant.

Saturday 6th January

Counts from the high tide included c1200 Oystercatcher, 850 Dunlin, 214 Dark-belled Brent Geese, 183 Grey Plover, 155 Wigeon, 153 Curlew, 75 Teal, 73 Bar-tailed Godwit, 57 Knot, two Greenshank, a Kingfisher and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Offshore there were far fewer feeding birds but still a very high count of 130 Great-crested Grebe with three Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver also present. 

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler called again from the Main Pond, a Firecrest was in the Entrance Bushes, a Kestrel was on Langstone Rock and a Mistle Thrush was in Dead Dolphin Wood. The cold weather presumably lead to an increase in other thrushes with at least 18 Blackbird and eight Song Thrush on site.

 Dunlin S55 - Lee Collins

 

Ringing News: No less than three darvic ringed Dunlin were noted over the high tide, considering how difficult it can be to check Dunlin legs in the dense roosting flocks this is an exceptional return for a single tide. All three were from the  ; details are awaited on one but two have been seen here previously. S55; ringed in July 2011 and here in March 2016 and HCY; ringed in July 2013 and here in Dec 16 & Jan 17. The Warren has now had seven Dunlin from this scheme since the first in March 2015.

 

Dunlin HCY - Lee Collins

Friday 5th January

Early morning 17 Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver flew south with at least four Great Northern Diver and a new record count of 132 Great-crested Grebe on the sea.

Bullfinch - Lee Collins

Ringing News: Recent records have included a new Polish ringed Dunlin and a partial read of a Finnish Curlew.

Thursday 4th January

The continuing windy conditions provided more early morning seawatching with four Great Skua heading south in an hour along with 498 Gannet, 276 Kittiwake, 165 Guillemot, eight Great Northern and seven Red-throated Diver; another four Great Northern Diver were off John's Watch.

 Great Northern Diver - Alan Keatley

 

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler made a surprise reappearance at the Main Pond and counts from the estuary included 1200 Oystercatcher, 240 Brent Geese, 131 Grey Plover, 107 Knot, 45 Turnstone, 40 Sanderling and three Goldeneye.

 

Wildlife News: A queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee was around the Boathouse.

 

Wednesday 3rd January

A quick look off the seawall early morning saw 500+ Guillemot head south with three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver; 74 Great-crested Grebe were on the sea.

Tuesday 2nd January

A Pomarine Skua headed south and the Long-tailed Duck was still offshore this morning with 450 Gannet, 84 Great-crested Grebe and seven Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere a Cirl Bunting was behind the hide and from the hide a flock of 230 Black-tailed Godwit had been displaced from upriver and counts included 150 Grey Plover and 118 Knot.

Monday 1st January

A wet start to the new year delayed proceedings but once the worst had cleared through a look off the seawall was productive. At least 250 Gannet were still present with 108 Great-crested Grebe, 80+ Kittiwake and 50+ Guillemot also feeding offshore, with them single Pomarine and Great Skua, five Great Northern and seven Red-throated Diver, four Eider and the Long-tailed Duck.

With no high tide during daylight there were few counts from the estuary but 220 Brent Geese were present along with 18 Sanderling, a female Goldeneye, an adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Siskin was with Goldfinch in the Entrance Bushes and a Little Grebe sang from the Main Pond. The day ended with 73 species on the board.

Wildlife News: The annual BSBI New Year Plant Hunt saw a record total of 43 species in flower including Narrow-leaved Ragwort, Sea Rocket, Honeysuckle, two species of Evening Primrose, Ivy, Herb-Robert and Common Stork's-bill. Offshore a distant Common Dolphin and in the estuary a Common Seal.