New year, new start …
1st January 2010, FridayOld habits die hard, and one of these is the New Year’s Day bird list. I went out after breakfast into a gentle sprinkling of snow, but sudden squally gusts were threatening a wet blizzard and I began to have my doubts about the whole exercise! However, miraculously everything went calm again and the sun came out, so off we walked to Castle Water. Back for lunch, then a look at the river and the Rye Hill lanes and paths to top up the day’s total, a modest 60 species. Highlights included 33 Golden Plover on the castle fields, 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Pintail and a female Ruddy Duck (but no Smew) from the hide, Common Sandpiper and Barn Owl on the river, and Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest and three parties of L.T. Tits on the hill. The most unexpected find, however, was a Wood Mouse (or Long-tailed Field Mouse) quietly snuffling about by the railway path near Brede Lock.