December 2010

December continued with the Waxwing theme, they were pretty much everywhere!! And even when I returned to Hampshire there were still Waxwings to be found. Including individuals over my house (garden tick) and local flocks.

The highlights of the month didnt come till after Christmas; when a 1w Pink-footed Goose was found at Farlington Marshes with 15 Eurasian White-fronted Geese as part of the influx into SE Britain. This represented my first county tick for a while.

The other highlight was a trip to Norfolk with Dan Houghton for the Northern Harrier which we obtained frustrating views of but enough to see it was the bird with its dangling - diagnostic of this individual. A quick dash to Cantley RSPB for the Lesser White-fronted Goose was fruitless but 40+ Taiga Beans were seen.

The last couple of days of the month were spent in the New Forest with the regular Great Grey Shrike at Beaulieu Road Station.