15th Jan - Rain all morning until about 1400h, then cloudy, light NW, mild 8C

A bit of a wash out today, the rain steady making obs difficult during the morning a couple of Mistle Thrush were around the central village Holly trees which surprisingly are still loaded with berries.

I visited Brandon marsh for the afternoon, everything was dripping wet and not too much was stirring.  I viewed one of the Barn Owl boxes through the Bins, no Owl sitting in the entrance but a Wasp/bee species had occupied it and were very busy coming and going - in January!

On the pools there were quite a lot of Teal, I counted over 75, also a good number of Shoveler. Both taking advantage of the low water level, well down on a normal winter.

Two Goosanders were present and six Pochard, Coot and Moorhen were busy feeding.  A Grey Heron was standing, drying out, lakeside.

Unusually, only six Lapwings were present on the East marsh island, may the recent cold weather made them move away, or they may just have been local on the fields feeding.

The woodland areas were fairly quite, just the usual common birds, a couple of Jays were heard and one seen carrying an acorn, no doubt from is store.  A Buzzard was hunting the meadow area and sitting on the gate posts.