2012 at last: 1st-8th January

OK, so have failed to get round to updating this blog for a couple of months. These things happen. I was, as usual, trying to get all my notes in order from 2011 and, also as usual, I'm failing to complete this task. So will just try to be resigned to this, and plod on from here. Anyway, looking back in my notebook, this is what I was seeing a few months back...

Sunday 8th - a couple of hours in the morning spent at Haddiscoe bridge, scanning for the Rough-legged Buzzard without success, although nice to see two Short-eared Owls and variety of other species. Gardening in the afternoon, although the local Little Owls were calling nearby mid-afternoon.

Saturday 7th - we popped over to Ranworth again in the afternoon and failed to even see the RN Duck this time; nothing much else of note.

Friday 6th - work trip to CEH at Wallingford (Oxon), with (as expected) a glut of Red Kites along the north edge of the Chilterns; probably about 50 seen in total.

Wednesday 4th - back at work, but nipped down to the fields near Livermere at lunchtime where I failed to find the reported Iceland Gull.

Tuesday 3rd - the boys and I popped over to Ranworth Broad in the afternoon. However, conditions were poor; strong wind and bad light meant that although I did see the female Ring-necked Duck, views were fairly abysmal (and the boys and a couple of other observers failed to get onto it). A quick look at Strumpshaw on the way home failed to produce either of the two hoped-for specialities: Bittern or Hot Chocolate. More notable though was a flock of 20 Golden Plover west over Poringland as we drove home at dusk.

Monday 2nd - took advantage of some fantastic winter sunshine, and the bank holiday, to spend a few hours at Buckenham in the afternoon, where the adult Lesser White-fronted Goose was seen well with at least 64 Taiga Bean Geese but only 18 White-fronts. Also seen were 2 Peregrines, 20 Ruff, 10 Blackwits and a Dunlin, whilst a Short-eared Owl was observed at dusk across the river at Claxton; initially flying very high to avoid to unwanted attentions of a Carrion Crow.

Sunday 1st - First bird of the year was a nocturnal Robin singing at 0020. In the morning, went to Swillington with Dad where we got a decent selection of species for Jan 1st, most notably the two Twite showing well from Astley Hide, a Sparrowhawk in a somewhat unseasonal display flight, 20 Tree Sparrows and 3 Scaup along the river. We then drove to Bingley for a family party in the afternoon; a few more species added during a short rainy walk in a local cemetary. We then drove back to Norfolk after dark, and on returning, walked around the block picking up calling Tawny and Barn Owls, bringing the day total to 70 species.

Greater White-fronted Geese, Buckenham (the Lesser was too distant!)