Another weekend of rain! I spent Saturday walking the patch in the drizzle which was not nice and noted some Greylag Geese calling in the dark from the Stour Valley, 115 Mute Swan, 1 Shelduck (78), a scarce bird here, 8 Mallard, 3 Teal, 1 Pheasant, 5 Stock Dove, 17 Woodpigeon, 5 Collared Dove, 15 Moorhen, a pair of Coot have returned to the main pool, 31 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 12 Black headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 89 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull (79), 1504 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 ring tail Hen Harrier flew north at 07:15, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 10 Rook, 2 Raven, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Long tailed Tit, 1 Firecrest (80), 1 Goldcrest, 36 Starling, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 1 Stonechat, 5 Dunnock, 1 Pied wagtail, 10 Meadow Pipit, 11 Chaffinch, 3 Bullfinch, 5 Goldfinch and 2 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording in the week produced Coot and Tawny Owl. 

Tawny Owl 

A weekend of sunshine, light winds and frosty mornings. Birds noted Saturday from before first light included 104 Mute Swan, 12 Stock Dove, 1 Water Rail, c30 Golden Plover, 1 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 67 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Ring necked Parakeet (72) heard, 1 Jay, 11 Magpie, 4 Raven, 1 Skylark, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blackcap (73), 2 Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush, 10 Redwing, 11 Fieldfare, 4 Stonechat, 29 Meadow Pipit, 1 Bullfinch and 1 Reed Bunting. 

There was a heavy frost on arrival this morning with the temperature at -4 degrees. I walked around most of the area in freezing conditions and noted 83 Mute Swan, 120 Woodpigeon, 1 Water Rail, 4 Golden Plover, 1 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Gull, 227 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 2 Raven, 1 Skylark, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Redwing, 30 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, 1 Pied Wagtail and 9 Meadow Pipit. As I walked past the church, the Hawfinch flew up into the tree tops briefly before flying into a Yew tree. I waited around hoping it would come back out but it didn't but as I left, it flew across the road where I had a brief view again before it once again dropped down out of view. It would seem that it has been wintering here, I wonder for how long? Also seen were 10 Goldfinch and 10 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording on Saturday night produced some Teal (74) flying over and 1 Barn Owl (75) heard as well as Tawny Owl and Snipe. 

Green Woodpecker

Kestrel

Teal

Could this be Long eared Owl?

Edit:

After posting the recording on social media, I received a number of replies all telling me that it sounded like a Long eared Owl calling. I put the recorder out again last night and captured what I'm sure is a Long eared Owl (76) calling again around 02:20. A bonus bird for the year list. A Coot (77) was also picked up flying over, a scarce bird here. 

Long eared Owl

Coot

A weekend for once where I actually saw the sun! A visit Saturday morning from first light until 10:30am produced 93 Mute Swan, 6 Mallard, 4 Stock Dove, 66 Woodpigeon, 11 Moorhen, 21 Black headed Gull, 2 Common Gull, 413 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 41 Rook, 1 Raven, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Long tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrest and 1 Mistle Thrush. The highlight of the morning was finding a male Hawfinch (68) in trees around Chislet Churchyard. I have looked here a few times over the winter but never really thought I would get one, so was very surprised when I picked out a bird on the top of a tree with a huge bill! It stayed on the tree for a few minutes where a few distant shots were taken before flying down into the trees and out of sight.

Hawfinch

Also seen were 4 Song thrush, 2 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, 6 Meadow Pipit, 12 Chaffinch, 1 Linnet (69) and 1 Goldfinch. 

With a nice sunny still evening, I returned to Chislet Marshes and spent an hour or so with the scope looking over the area. Birds noted included 1 Greylag Goose, 12 Mute Swan, 5 Mallard, 2 Pheasant, 2 Stock Dove, 343 Cormorant, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 ring-tail Hen Harrier (70) towards Grove Ferry, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 130 Rook, 5 Long tailed Tit and 5 Fieldfare. 

Chislet Marshes

A walk around the area this morning in initially frosty conditions was very nice before the clouds rolled in and the wind soon picked up. Birds noted included 97 Mute Swan, 2 Gadwall, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Snipe, 29 Black headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 40 Herring Gull, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Owl (71) calling in the dark, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kesrel, 1 Peregrine, 37 Rook, 2 Raven, 1 Skylark, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Long tailed Tit, 2 Mistle Thrush, 5 Fieldfare, 5 Stonechat, 12 Meadow Pipit, 7 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch and 4 Reed Bunting. 'Nocmig' recording Saturday night produced a calling Little Owl, Moorhen and a Skylark. I might be able to get the recorder out in the week if the weather allows but otherwise, it looks like January will end on 71 species which is the third best January total in the nine years of recording.