And a Happy New Year to You Too (2)

The sun came out (and stayed) on the first day of 2013. A reasonably early start contributed only a few species to the new year list, and the scoters were too far offshore to distinguish. Eight Stumpies were on the pier, however.

Next up Sandwich Bay, and I don't know if this grey partridge was more welcome than the good chat and cuppa at the observatory. Or the mince pie.

Through Pfizer with an eye open for waxwings....... but all I saw was this mistle thrush admiring itself in the reflective window.

A garbled shout of "waxwings!" at the roadside....... ten feeding on hips and twittering nicely. They haven't all gone to Sussex then.

Little at Pegwell due to late arrival and a very high tide, so inland to Seaton Pits for duck. A lovely place in the winter sunshine, and a pleasing addition of goldcrest and little egret.

And then on to Stodmarsh for the setting of the sun, and a great close view of a ringtail hen harrier, flying out of the reeds by the path. Redwings and fieldfares piled in across the lake and on to their roost, and strange noises emerged from the marsh..... squealing water rails, pinging beardies, strident Cetti's and unidentified contact calls.



Since announcing the winding up of Kingsdowner I have been inundated by an email, so I'll keep it going for a little longer, while setting up another slightly different blog (as if the world needs more) and changing the old posts to a more Kingsdown-related display.

May the sun shine through 2013 for you.