Frozen nets again yesterday morning thwarted our attempts to get our early so we had to go for a afternoon ringing session instead. Although quieter that recent weeks, despite the colder weather, we did manage to get into double figures with new birds ringed. Highlights were 2 woodcock and a female fieldfare. This is the first bird to be ringed at the site in the last 2 years.

female fieldfare

A couple of hours on the reserve this morning produced two more yearticks (fulmar and slav grebe). Although the tide was further out the sea was much calmer making stuff easier to sea. The two drake velvet scoter showed well fairly close in and stood out well in the good light. Good numbers of goldeneye are still present and the slav grebe was close in feeding with them. The fly-by fulmar was about the only thing on the move offshore. Good numbers of wildfowl on the fresh marsh now with the water levels lower. 209 pintail was the highlight.