In the patch this morning 50 Grey Plover in fields opposite the entrance to Baliffscourt, 40 Brent Geese flying west then landed on the sea at Climping beach, 1 Stonechat in the horse field with several Meadow Pipits and a Kingfisher at Atherington Pools.

Quick stroll around the patch this morning, weather very grey but still birds around. 1 Mediterrainean Gull flew east at Ballifscourt, also 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Green Woodpecker. 1 Stonechat around the horse fields with at least 20 Meadow Pipit there with several Song Thrushes and Blackbirds, and  28 Grey Plover in the field behind. 1 Buzzard and a Bullfinch make up the day totals.

A bright, sunny and very cold morning enticed me down to the local patch again, where the best on offer was a Jack Snipe, flushed from the damp set-aside strip (behind the sea wall) at Atherington. A Common Snipe was also nearby, but there was no sign of any Brent Geese in the frozen fields today. At sea, c.20 R/b Mergansers and 8 Great Crested Grebes, but nothing really moving within viewing range, (though a few distant blurs on the horizon may have been Wigeon?) At Climping/Bailiffscourt a Firecrest showed well, a Chiffchaff did not, and a Treecreeper soon flitted off. There was an indication of a cold weather arrival of Song Thrushes with at least 8 logged; also lots of Blackbirds, 2 Siskins flew over calling and 2 Stonechats appeared.