First time I've opened Bird Club site since November, but I don't seem to have done much birding locally lately. Between 5 & 13 waxwings were frequenting our garden at Brickyard Lane and adjoining dunes in late November and December; 16 siskins in the garden first week in Jan and 1 today, which is unusual in our coastal area, but apart from the 50-80 twite on the beach, along with occasional snow buntings' it's been quiet.
Good days birding at Horseshoe Point today at low tide, but a very long walk for the big numbers of birds seen:
Knot, at least 10,000 birds, but counting difficult. This is the largest number I've seen in this area for a long time. I was told there could have been as many as 35,000 at North Cotes in mid week, but I didn't walk that far. Oystercatcher, 1,400. I saw one flock of 160 fly across from Spurn and join with a single flock of 620 on the tide edge here. Bar-tailed Godwits, 460 in several flocks along tide edge. Grey plover, 178. Another high count. Turnstone, 12 Dunlin, 100 Sanderling, 55 Curlew, 140 Jack snipe, 1 Lapwing, 500+, commuting between haven and fields Shelduck, 68 Teal, 80 Mallard, 180+ on the sea. Note I don't normally see mallard, even in low numbers on the marsh or sea, so this is an interesting record, no doubt linked to cold weather on the near continent. Gadwall, 4 on outer haven. It's unusual to see gadwall on the coast here and it's over 50 years since I saw my first gadwall with Steve Lorand in the same spot, but they were much less common then. Wigeon, 15 Great-crested grebe, 2 on sea Brent goose, 35 locally and 600+ flying north to Tetney from beyond DonnaNook. No doubt the 600 I'm seeing at Skidbrook. Twite, 31 with 14 in the tree over from the car park on return Skylark 80+ Rock pipit, 1. Typically see a lot more than this. Golden plover, 2,000+ over the coastal fields, but counting was difficult because a common buzzard was constantly patrolling the area.
Regards Cliff
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