Harriers,Pipits & Stunning Wildfowl.....More Local Patching,2nd & 22nd December 2018.

A summary here of the last two visits to the local patch,with a few highlights to keep things ticking over nicely.

2nd December 2018.

A pretty wet day today with a few shower's and moderate south westerly airflow,saw a few nice birds being logged.
 The resident male Cetti's Warbler was still present at Winter's Pond and a visiting 1st calendar year female Marsh Harrier provided some variety away from the usual suspects.An unseasonal record saw a male Dunnock in full song,no doubt he thought spring was here in the milder conditions.
 The mitigation site held 3 Short-eared Owl still,a Common Buzzard and 7 Meadow Pipit.A single Water Pipit flew along the shore towards Winter's also.
 As usual,the Skitter area produced the most notable sightings,with a stunning ringtail Hen Harrier hunting around the pools,a most welcome sighting.Also 4 Water Pipit,a pair of Stonechat,3 Rock Pipits,a single adult Whooper Swan with the local Mute's and a redhead Goosander flew west along the shore here.
 The area between the Skitter and Dawson City also held a few niceities which included a Common Buzzard,35 Fieldfare,5 Song Thrush,2 Sparrowhawk,37 Curlew and 6 Roe Deer.

22nd December 2018.

Another showery visit again today,again in South Westerlies,saw a tougher day sighting's wise.
 At Winter's the adult Whooper Swan was still around,seen flying across the fields towards the Skitter,the same CC Marsh Harrier as on my last visit,hunting around the back pit and a lovely Fox were the highlights.
 The mitigation site held a lovely Barn Owl watched hunting at first light,5 Roe Deer,a pair of Stonechat and a single Water Pipit.The latter was feeding in one of the new wet areas which has been recently flooded.
 A new male Marsh Harrier was watched hunting around the Skitter pools today,a 2nd calendar year bird,the usual 4 Water Pipits and a half decent count of 155 Dunlin.
 The area between the Skitter pools and Dawson City was far more productive on today's visit,with a single Cetti's Warbler at Ruins Pond,at least 2500 Lapwing,850 Pink-footed Geese,85 Dunlin,6 Bar-tailed Godwit,14 Grey Plover and a Rock Pipit.A light passage of Fieldfare saw 204 flying west up the estuary.

Overall,a couple of good visits,but we really need some proper winter weather!.

Winter's Pond at dawn.

Male Yellowhammer,Dawson City LWTR.

Mute And Whooper Swans,East Halton Skitter.

Mute Swan's,East Halton Skitter.

Redhead Goosander,East Halton Skitter.

Pink-footed Geese,heading west,East Halton Skitter.

Pink-footed Geese,heading west,East Halton Skitter.

Pink-footed Geese,Goxhill Marsh.

Doe Roe Deer,East Halton Skitter.