Not the January 1st count

Saturday 1 January 2011

My traditional attempt on January 1st to get the list off to a flying start was somewhat thwarted by a workday at the Watercress Beds followed by a turkey lunch.  Only managed a pathetic 37 species, the best being the Teal at Ewelme, 2 female Blackcaps together in the garden (first time this winter I have seen 2 females) and a few water birds on the river including Goosander, Pochard, Tuftie and both Little and Great-crested Grebes.  After seeing 45 Cormorants recently along the same stretch of water not one was to be seen today and the Scaup was absent.