Blackbirds

Lade - cold, cloudy, rain, ne 3-4 - A grim morning to be out and about across the peninsula that got steadily wetter as the afternoon progressed. The local patch had a few more Teal and Wigeon on south lake, but otherwise it was similar fare to earlier in the week. On the high tide and with the onshore wind picking up a few Gannets and Red-throated Divers were forced into the bay, although still fairly distant. A late Sandwich Tern was also of note.
  Around the bird reserve Burrowes held all the usual wildfowl, gulls and Cormorants, while at least five different Marsh Harriers were active over the Boulderwall fields. A walk down to the pines yielded good numbers of 20 plus Blackbirds foraging on sea buckthorn berries, plus a mixed flock of tits, Chaffinches and a couple of Chiffchaffs. Two Goldeneyes were on the ARC lake, but with all the islands now underwater for the winter it was a pretty bleak picture.