December – A total of 79 species for the month was again significantly below the ten-year average of 85.6 species (for the fifth month running)! There were two new species for the year with a Water Rail on the Marsh Pool on 3rd and again on 17th and two single Crossbills heading west over , the Obs on 20th. Long-staying birds included the Dartford Warbler, the Snow Bunting with three from 23rd and the Purple Sandpiper. Unusually, Shoveler have been present on the Marsh Pool all month with a duck being joined by two immature drakes.

A total of 166 species so far this year

167 species by this time last year

31st

Cloudy, drizzle and moderate SW winds. Three Gannets flew east, six Brent Geese (rather scarce lately), flew west and there were two drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Waders included 33 Oystercatchers on the beach at high tide, 15 Golden Plovers west and the Purple Sandpiper. The three Shovelers were still on the Marsh Pool where 20 Common Gulls were all adults. Also noted were the first Grey Wagtail of the month at the mouth of the brook, the Dartford Warbler and the three Snow Buntings seen briefly on the shingle ridge.

30th

Sunny, light SW wind. There were three Red-throated Divers and three Great Crested Grebes offshore, and adult Gannet flew east and a Shelduck flew west. A drake Teal and the two immature drakes and a duck Shoveler were on the Marsh Pool. Old favourites the Dartford Warbler, in the grassland bushes, and the three Snow Bunting, on the shingle ridge, were still present.

29th

Four White-fronted Geese flew west, a drake Pintail was noted and three Teal and a Shoveler were on the Marsh Pool. The Dartford Warbler was still present.

28th

Cloudy, cold, murky, light westerly wind. Three Red-throated Divers flew east, there were five Great Crested Grebes offshore, two Brent Geese flew east, five Shelducks, a Wigeon, two Pochards and a Goosander flew west and there were four Teal and three Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. Waders included the Grey Plover and the Purple Sandpiper. Also noted were our first Kingfisher and first Skylark of the month and the three Snow Buntings.

27th

Cloudy, misty and calm. There were three Great Crested Grebe offshore, the drake Teal and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool and the Little Grebe was in the middle brook. A male Sparrowhawk was at the Obs and a Peregrine flew over the beach. Nine Great Black-backed Gulls were on the beach.

24th

Cloudy, milder and calm. A Red-throated Diver and six Great Crested Grebes were offshore, a Greylag Goose was resting on the tidal ponds and there were three Brent Geese offshore. A drake Teal and the three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool. Waders included the Purple Sandpiper and 12 Golden Plovers flew west. 198 Herring Gulls were counted on the beach. The wintering Dartford Warbler was present and the three Snow Buntings were seen again. A flock of Long-tailed Tits included two Firecrests and a Goldcrest.

23rd

Sunny, moderate NW wind. There were three drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, three Shovelers, two immature drakes and a duck, on the Marsh Pool and a Merlin zipped over the beach. Waders included 30 Golden Plovers and the Purple Sandpiper. Also noted was an increase to three Snow Buntings on the beach and a Little Grebe along the middle brook tackling a rather large, for this small bird, fish.

21st

Cloudy, some rain, moderate SW wind. There were two Red-throated Divers and six Great Crested Grebes offshore, a Little Egret on the beach and a Grey Heron on the tidal ponds. 25 Golden Plovers flew west over the sea and a flock of 17 Linnets on the beach was the highest count of the winter so far.

20th

Two Crossbills that flew west over the Obs, about an hour apart, were a late addition to the year list. There were three Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea and 10 Golden Plovers flew west. Also noted were the pair of Stonechats, a Chiffchaff and a Jay.

19th

Sunny, cold, fresh NW wind. Two Red-throated Divers were offshore, a Great Crested Grebe flew west and there were 41 Brent Geese on the beach. Waders included he regular Grey Plover and a flock of 15 Knot heading west over the sea.

17th

A Water Rail was seen again on the Marsh Pool.

16th

Cloudy, light SW wind. There were four Red-throated Divers and five drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. Two Brent Geese west were the only one noted. Waders included 63 Ringed Plovers and 18 Dunlin roosting between the groynes and the Purple Sandpiper and Grey Plover. An adult Mediterranean Gull was roosting withy the Black-headed and Common Gulls on the Marsh Pool. The Dartford Warbler showed well in the grassland.

14th

Cloudy, light NW wind. 20 Red-throated Divers flew east, one Great Crested Grebe, seven Wigeon, a Common Scoter and a drake Red-breasted Merganser flew west, an adult Gannet was offshore and a drake Teal was on the sea and the Marsh Pool. Waders included 81 Sanderlings and the Purple Sandpiper between the groynes. The Snow Bunting was still present, a Song Thrush and a Goldcrest were in the trees west of the skate park and three Chaffinches and a Reed Bunting flew west.

13th

A flock of 12 White-fronted Geese flew west and there were six Red-breasted Mergansers. The Purple Sandpiper, Dartford Warbler and Snow Bunting were also present.

12th

Cloudy, murky and calm. A drake Goosander dropped onto the Marsh Pool at 9.15 am, was diving continuously, but did not appear to stay very long. 14 Red-throated Divers flew east, there were only three Brent Geese on the beach and, with the high water level on the Marsh pool, there were 26 Snipe visible. The Elmley-reared Curlew, first seen here on 24th October, was on the beach again, in a party of six birds. Also noted was the Snow Bunting, two Greenfinches over the churchyard and a flock of nine Linnets in the scrub and on the beach.

11th

Cloudy, moderate NE wind. 28 Red-throated Divers flew east. Waders included three Grey Plovers east and the lame bird was on the beach. 18 Snipe were visible on the Marsh Pool and the duck Shoveler was still present. A Song Thrush could be heard singing distantly within the sewage works and there were seven Goldfinches by the scout hut.

10th

Cloudy, fresh NE wind. There were five drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, 14 Red-throated Divers flew east and the duck Shoveler was still on the Marsh Pool. The lame Grey Plover was on the beach and there were ten Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach. The Snow Bunting and the Dartford Warbler wee also present.

6th

Sunny, moderate SW wind. Three Red-throated Divers included one on the sea, a group of four Great Crested Grebes on the sea and one flying west and four drake Red-breasted Mergansers close inshore. Waders included the injured Grey Plover, and 40 Sanderlings along the shoreline off the Obs. A Peregrine flew west along the beach and a female Sparrowhawk stopped briefly in the bushes opposite the Obs. Other birds noted included a Chiffchaff along the east bank and two Goldfinches.

5th

Cloudy with a light SW wind. There was one Red-throated Diver and eight Red-breasted Mergansers, all but one a drake, offshore. Four Greylag Geese flew south over the caravan park and there were four Little Egrets on the Marsh Pool at high tide, with another on the beach. Waders included an increase to 60 Oystercatchers on the beach, the Grey Plover, and 16 Snipe and 16 Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. The Dartford Warbler was in the grassland bushes again and single Firecrest and Goldcrest were seen along the east bank. A flock of seven Linnets were on the beach.

4th

Sunny, light NW wind. There were six drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and 33 Common Scoters (flocks of eight and 25) and a Shelduck flew west. The Shoveler was again on the Marsh Pool where there were also 16 Snipe and 18 Redshanks. Other waders included two Lapwings flying west low over the sea, the Grey Plover and the adult Purple Sandpiper on the beach. Other birds noted included the Snow Bunting and the Dartford Warbler and four Stonechats included three males.

3rd

A Water Rail on the Marsh Pool was an addition to the site’s year lost.

2nd

Sunny at first then cloudy, light westerly wind. There were five Great Crested Grebes and two drake Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, ten Brent Geese on the beach, a Grey Heron on the tidal ponds, the duck Shoveler on the Marsh Pool and 22 Mallard along the middle and upper brook. Waders included a Grey Plover along the shoreline, that didn’t appear to be the usual limping winter resident, 11 Sanderlings, and 16 Snipe and 19 Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. An adult Mediterranean Gull was also on the Marsh Pool. Other birds noted included the long-staying Snow Bunting and Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff at the Obs and nine Goldfinches at the Elm Wood.