I was out early this morning at 05:30 where I parked up at Nethergong and listened into the darkness for a while. I managed to hear 2 Tawny Owl calling before I drove around to Chitty Lane and had a listen from there as the day woke up. I managed to hear 1 Tawny Owl, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Gadwall (63) calling in the dark. I then spent the next few hours having a walk around the area where I noted 2 Greylag Geese, 39 Mute Swan, 5 Pheasant, 10 Feral Pigeon, 7 Stock Dove, 10 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove (64), 20 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1 Lapwing, 6 Black headed Gull, c300 Herring Gull, 310 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard and 2 Green Woodpecker. There were 2 Kestrel, 2 Jay, 6 Jackdaw, c150 Rook, 1 Raven, 6 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 3 Skylark, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Long tailed Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 8 Song Thrush, 17 Fieldfare, 5 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 9 Meadow Pipit, 9 Chaffinch, 16 Linnet, 2 Goldfinch, 4 Yellowhammer and 13 Reed Bunting. Nocmig recording Saturday night out on the marsh produced some Teal, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and best of all, 1 Long eared Owl (65) called at 05:30. 

Egyptian Geese

Raven

Long eared Owl

Greylag Goose (57) and Dunnock (58) were added to the year list on the 10th January. I spent a couple of  hours this morning from 10am walking around the area in quite cloudy conditions where I noted 63 Mute Swan, 2 Egyptian Geese (59) were seen flying from the main lake and represent only the 2nd record I have recorded in 9 years here. There were 3 Mallard, 3 Pheasant, 10 Feral Pigeon, 35 Stock Dove, 9 Woodpigeon, 12 Moorhen, 2 Coot (60), 2 Snipe, 1 Black headed Gull, 14 Herring Gull, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Common Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 12 Magpie, 2 Jackdaw, 79 Rook, 2 Raven, 10 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 1 Cetti's Warbler (61), 2 Long tailed Tit, 7 Song Thrush, 3 Redwing, 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 31 Meadow Pipit, 8 Chaffinch, 8 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch and 2 Yellowhammer (62). 

A Happy New Year to you all. Most of today was spent in the Nethergong and southern end of Chislet Marshes apart from a two hour break at midday where I joined the family for lunch. I managed to see or hear 56 species in very cold conditions which is not too bad a start to the patch year list. Birds of note seen or heard this morning  included 2 Tawny Owls and 1 Barn Owl at dawn, 4+ Tundra Bean Geese still in fields between Nethergong and Sarre, 1+ Teal heard in the dark flying over, c200 Stock Dove, 123 Lapwing, 18 Snipe, 71 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 3 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jay, 19 Skylark, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Greenfinch and 2 Linnet. After lunch I returned until dusk and watched over the south end of Chislet Marshes where I noted 7 Tundra Bean Geese, 74 Mute Swan, 240 Stock Dove, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Jay, 2 Raven, 9 Starling, 2 Fieldfare, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Linnet and 1 Reed Bunting.