1-2 Jan - a total of 90 species seen over the two days - on the 1st, a morning visit to CWP in icy, sunny conditions produced 5 Smew including a drake, also 11 Goosander, together with Pintail and Shoveler. Pit 125 still held the 2 juvenile Great Northern Divers. Driffield area held the usual Grey Partridge(4) and a small flock of Golden Plover. Slimbridge in the afternoon gave a surprisingly good selection of waders in the frozen conditions - Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Snipe and Dunlin - as well as the traditional White-fronted Geese and Bewick's Swans(3). Finally, Hawling produced 2-3 Barn Owls but no Short-eareds. 77 species on New Years Day.
On 2nd Jan, I looked unsuccessfully for Brambling in Savernake, but 6 flyover Crossbills were a bonus. Bury Down produced an obliging Short-eared Owl and 3 Red Kites(2) in the winter sunshine, then a dash back to Dudgrove in the CWP was just in time for 2 Bitterns to fly round(photo 1, copyright Paul Masters) and land in full view on the ice at the edge of the reedbed. A CWP tick! Photos 2-4 JM.
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