Sunday 14th January

A visit between 8am and 10.30am today. Weather clear and cold.

My aim today was to try and actually see a Bearded Tit in the Sunken Marsh. I sat and scanned it for a hour but only heard calls of birds deep in the reed bed. Also 4 Reed Buntings feeding on the reeds very close by and at least 2 Cettis and 1 Water Rail calling. I heard a Redshank on the river and had a pair of Kestrel hunting from the pylons. At the North End of Abbey Mead I did see a male Blackcap in the Ivy covered tree. Also a stunning male Bullfinch nearby.

A Chiffchaff showed well in Brooklands car park. Back along the Millstream I saw both Green and GS Woodpecker and several Goldfinch and tit flocks.

MILLSTREAM LAKE (streamside) early morning

Before I left I scanned the scrape where there were 5 Lapwing. A pair of Stonechat were perching in scrub in the far bank. Both Blackcap and Stonechat were new for me here this year - pushing my list up to 63 species