Lower Mill.....

20 Jan - A snowy Water Park, but good views of the pair of Smew plus a redhead, on pit 44 at Lower Mill (5-6). Also a few Goosander seen - 10 on pit 56 (7m 3f) and 2m on pit 41. A few Goldeneye also seen. 11 Siskins in the alders at pit 44 (and Redpolls flew over there) and 5 in Neigh Bridge car park. A good count of 53 Red-crested Pochards on pit 44. Photos JM.

Snowy Water Park.....

19 Jan - A quick look at the Water Park this morning, with lying snow after yesterday, and cloud cover. Pit 29 held a redhead Smew which flew in while I was there, together with 9 Red-crested Pochard, and a flock of 6 Bullfinches was in the scrub. A smart pair of Goosander were on pit 30, and 56 Red-crested Pochard on pit 44 together with a redhead Goosander, with 10 or so Goldfinches in the trees there. Pit 74, unusually, held very little apart from 5 hunched Grey Herons, with the scrape being partly frozen.

Snow.....

18 Jan - A significant fall of snow(as forecast) today, and scenic for a walk this afternoon. A Snipe flew over the house this morning, and flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares were on the move throughout the day. A nice walk with friend's Alaskan dog, Lobo, this afternoon.....the dog loves the snow!

Farmoor

13 Jan - A stop at Farmoor this afternoon, a lovely sunny day, and the Slavonian Grebe (2) eventually located on F1, though diving frequently. The 3 Scaup also present, the 2 males now in smart adult plumage. A distant Red Kite was over the woods above Botley. Photo JM, taken in Dec 2012.

CWP.....

12 Jan - A quick look at CWP late afternoon, and 2 Green Sandpipers on the floods at Waterhay - on pit 74, 2 Egyptian Geese, a Shelduck, 6+ Pintail, 15+ Shoveler, a fem Goldeneye, 9 Curlew and a very good count of 13 Little Egrets.

Bickerley and Blashford......

11 Jan - A sunny crisp morning, and a brief birding trip en route to work. Bickerley Common at Ringwood held the long-staying Glossy Ibis (1) which gave good views.......photo, copyright 3 Amigos birding.....also a Great White Egret which I found when the long yellow beak came into view on a hunched feeding bird. A Little Egret, a Ruff and 20+ Snipe where also present,along with Wigeon and Teal. Blashford Lakes gave amazing views of the Bittern (4) from Ivy Lake north, until a selfish photographer flushed it by sticking his lens out of the corner of the hide...you know who you are. Also seen - 2 male Bramblings (5,6) from the Woodland hide, with good numbers of Redpolls (2) and Siskins (3), and a Treecreeper and a Nuthatch. Photos 2-6 JM.

Imber revisited

4 Jan - I managed another late afternoon visit to the Imber ranges before they close again to the public, and quite successful - excellent views of a Short-eared Owl hunting, and perched on fenceposts, by the Lavington gate - photo above, copyright Mike Trew - then a ringtail Hen Harrier seen before dusk by the Warminster vedette, and another SEO glimpsed here - also 2 Ravens over - finally a male Merlin flew across the road as I was leaving for home. A flock of c50 Golden Plover was also seen circling before dusk.

Great White Egret at Coate

3 Jan - The long-staying Great White Egret still at Coate Water into 2013, from the 2nd hide but fairly elusive in the reeds. Also seen - 10 Goosander, a pair of Shoveler, and c30 Teal, and a Kingfisher heard. A Jay and a Nuthatch in the oaks along the path.

New Years Day 2013......

1 Jan - A successful New Year's Day birding. Early morning on a fine day and a pair of Smew (1,2) flew in on cue to pit 28 at CWP. Also seen in the water park - Goosander, Kingfisher, Siskin and Redpoll - 9 Little Egrets - and 10 Pintail and a Cetti's Warbler. Slimbridge was very crowded, the Bittern failed to show but the Spotted Redshank (3) was seen well in the sunshine on the Tack piece - also there 2 Peregrines, together with thousands of waterbirds - Golden Plover and Lapwings, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks. Bewick's Swans and White-fronted Geese were prominent in the sunshine. On the way home, 23 Waxwings (4,5) remained from the large flock that has been in Cheltenham for several weeks. Imber ranges are open to the public at Christmas, and late afternoon I had good views of a hunting Short-eared Owl (7) and a flyby female Merlin (6) - I missed a male Hen Harrier by a couple of minutes! Total 77 species.