Pathways.

Rather wet day to say the least, but as the rain fell the DUNNOCK put on a show. PIED WAG on sight, but a member of staff saw a KINGFISHER last Saturday first for the year. Good to see 5 DABCHICK fighting for attention and also the 82 GADWALL still in residence.
Links Hill:  The only MED on sight was a new one for me. The TURNSTONES still running around the pools.

Acle Strait A47.

Drive through to N & N gave the opportunity to watch while travelling. As soon as I drove onto the strait a large flock of PINK FOOTED GEESE flying North East South West. They were flying high at about 1500 ft in skiens. Then beside the road was a MARSH HARRIER, male flying in unison with a COMMON BUZZARD. The marsh pealed off overhead and flew south. The buzz flew on North of road. A single LITTLE EGERET on South side and just West of Stracey Arms a ROUGH LEGGED BUZZARD flew 50 yards infront of me low to the North and the flew along  side me low with good view of tail and rump.

Blunderston Lanes, Ashby.

Walk through some of the lanes gave me the oppotunity to catch up with a flock of 20 SISKIN. Also a single GREEN WOODPECKER and  just one SKYLARK. Several fields had sheep in prepareing for slaughter and eating sugar beet. The surprise of this was that there seems to have been a movement of COMMON GULLS with about 26 birds in all. The usual small stuff around.

Ashby:  While driving through looking for stuff I caught sight of a RED KITE low over the trees. Stopped and parked but it just kept on going towards Fritton Lake.

Lound: A hybridised CROW was feeding on field a short distance from village. In this area to 3 KESTREL.

North Cove, Barnby.

A really lovely day to give it a walk as most times I visit in snow this time of the year. No chance of that. Best bird was visiting MARSH TITS to the feeder. GREEN WOODPECKER 1 and COMMON BUZZARD, Plenty of BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, COAL TIT, CHAFFINCH, DUNNOCK, ROBIN, GOLDCREST 3, BLACKBIRD, 

Lound Lakes.

Just a short visit with my friend with an obvious winter CHIFFCHAFF on far side of lake over boardwalk. Just a single COMMON BUZZARD and a calling SONG THRUSH overhead. Several LONG TAILED TITS, GREAT TIT, BLUE TIT, MOORHEN, SHOVELORE, MALLARD, GREYLAGE GEESE, CORMORANT, GADWALL and two LITTLE GREBE.

Links Hill.

Always a good place to call in, so scanned out the gull flock. Apparent was this KITTYWAKE below. Came in for a rest I expect from the major storm Claria which has blown now for almost three days. Flocks of CORMORANT off shore with as many as eight in any flock. Also three other rung birds including a two MED GULLS and a BLACK HEADED GULL. A SPARROWHAWK flew through Warren House Wood as I left.

Haddiscoe, Island.

An hour on site brought in my first SHORT EARED OWL of the year in fact there was three in all. I also followed a MERLIN my second for the year as it was putting to flight a small flock of SKYLARK. four birds only. Also a very noisy COMMON BUZZARD and three KESTREL. MUTE SWAN and at least 400+ PINK FOOTED GEESE.

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Links Hill, Car Park.

Called in on the way for shopping and had a look at the small flock of resting gulls. Just one COMMON GULL and 30 BLACK HEADED GULL. 2 CARRION CROW. On groynes about 25 TURNSTONE that took to flight on arrival leaving three PURPLE SANDPIPER.

There was a BHG with metal ring and a MED GULL with a yellow colour ring as below.