6th-12th February 2012

Sunday 12th - a village tick in the shape of four Gadwall on the pub pond! Clearly driven off Whitlingham or somewhere by the cold weather, along with a very high pond count of 38 Mallard! Elsewhere around the village, mostly usual species but I did flush a Snipe within the woods at Joy's Loke, which was a surprise; no Woodcock though.

Saturday 11th - WeBS count at a very icy Whitlingham. The highlight was my first Brent Goose for the site; found here by James Emerson earlier in the week! It was a young bird, rather tame and hanging around with the swans at the usual "feeding beach". Most of the site was frozen over, making for an interesting and intense count! Numbers of Gadwall (302) were way lower than last year's cold snap, but 464 Tufties were impressive. There were also 3 Goldeneye and a smart Aythya hybrid that wasn't a Lesser Scaup, again! Finally, just after I'd given up hope of finding it, a redhead Smew flew along the river!

In the evening, I did the Sutton Fen harrier roost again, with no Hens and 7 Marsh plus most of the other usual suspects - Water Rail on the ice was nice.

Friday 10th - work trip to Newark; a couple of Marsh Harriers at Lakenheath and c200 wild swans on the Ouse Washes, distant as usual. However, the highlight (albeit frustrating) was during my meeting at the HQ of the Wildlife Trusts at Newark, where I spotted a distant Great White Egret flying over the town. Although distant, and seen only with naked eye, this was clearly not a Little Egret, and on checking later I discovered there was wintering nearby, that had been seen a few miles away the previous day. Unfortunately, the meeting was at a rather involved point and wouldn't have benefited from me shouting out the bird!

Thursday 9th - work trip to London; was somewhat surprised to see a couple of Avocets from the train whilst crossing the Stour near Manningtree, I don't think I've seen these here before.

Wednesday 8th - went searching the Nunnery Lakes at lunchtime for Nick's pair of Smew, and eventually picked up the female only, in flight and then briefly on E lake (although it then disappeared inexplicably). Also now at least 30 Bramblings and 10 Lesser Redpolls around.

Tuesday 7th - just the one egret at dusk tonight

Monday 6th - The snow had the immediate result of bringing three Bramblings to the feeders by the Nunnery, my first around here of the winter I think. In the evening, three Little Egrets flew downstream along Shotesham Common at dusk, my highest count for here.

Pub duck-tick! Gadwalls in Shotesham, who'd have believed it?

Aythya hybrid at Whitlingham, cunningly hiding its bill-tip most of the time (although it's tuft is perhaps a tad outrageous for a putative Lesser Scaup!)

...and speaking of outrageous - Whitlingham Brent Goose!