Some good birds for January

Well my 2014 patch list got to off to a a start today with some good species for January amongst the common stuff.

We did some coppicing, which was going well until the chainsaw died (old fuel we think). I had to resort to more traditional methods to finish the job and then got half an hours birding in.

hard work after the festivities

The first species on the list was predictably magpie. There was lots of waders and ducks on the Budge fields including 4 black-tailed godwits. Blackwits are normally very rare here in winter, there were two on my December WeBS count, so this winter is proving to be exceptional for this species.

later this afternoon, I had a look on the sea. Not arriving until half-three, dusk was setting in but the light was nice. Scanning the sea, I picked up a black-throated diver, presumably the same bird as last week. Near it and close in was a slavonian grebe. Also of note offshore were two gannets heading north and a couple of fulmars, both good species for January.

So the 2014 patch list stands at 31 earning me 36 points in the 2014 Patch Work Challenge.

1 magpie
2 goldfinch
3 linnet
4 wren
5 carrion crow
6 starling
7 lapwing
8 curlew
9 black-tailed godwit
10 redshank
11 wigeon
12 teal
13 shoveler
14 mallard
15 black-headed gull
16 red-throated diver
17 goldeneye
18 black-throated diver
19 common gull
20 common scoter
21 gannet
22 slavonian grebe
23 fulmar
24 herring gull
25 great black-backed gull
26 oystercatcher
27 kestrel
28 pink-footed goose
29 barn owl
30 blackbird
31 Guillemot

PWC 36 points