Lade - cloudy, drizzle, mild, S 4 - Our morning walkout was blighted by a fine drizzle and a blustery wind but at least it was milder than of late. There was plenty of interest around the ponds where Barney flushed yet another Woodcock from the now unfrozen margins. Star bird though was a Redwing a species that rarely grounds hereabouts; it must`ve been desperate as there is nothing much for them to feed on. Also noted: Cetti`s Warbler, Chiffchaff, 15 Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest, Greenfinch, five Chaffinches, two Blackbirds and a Green Woodpecker. There was no change to the low numbers of wildfowl on the lakes where the slack water around the willow swamp remained frozen.
This afternoon a strandline survey along the beach from Lade boardwalk to the Tavern (under a mile) produced the following death toll: Black-headed Gull 5, Common Gull 3, Woodcock 2 and singles of Dunlin and Curlew. The beach in front of the Tavern still had an impressive ice-shelf by the tideline. As the tide receded 520 Oystercatchers reclaimed their feeding grounds along with 23 Grey Plovers, 18 Ringed Plovers, 12 Sanderlings, 21 Dunlins, two Knot (at last!), four Barwits and two Turnstones.
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