8th January - -1C last night. Sunny intervals, light W, 4C

Willey; morning

Green and great Spotted Woodpeckers about, six House Sparrows spotted today.

A raven over.

Even, the Jackdaw mob isn't visiting the feed station as much as they have in last winters!

Below are a couple of my charts for Raven  records in the Parish; a) per year and b) per month.

Misterton; afternoon.

Very quiet here.  A few Rooks were squabbling around the rookery and old nests.

6th January - snow and rain through the night, light rain till mod morning, cloudy, fresh-mod WNW, 4C

Everywhere thoroughly saturated with standing water,over flowing and flooded brooks and rivers. 

Lilbourne Meadows; early afternoon.

c250 Wigeon, seven Gadwall, four Shovelers,  c25 Teal, 17 Moorhens, eight Coots (an increase).

All the area south of the bund is underwater.

5th January - snow last night, 2cm. Melting slowly during the day, 3C, cloudy and mist increasing during the day, vis 2-300 m

Willey; morning

Grat Spotted Woodpecker , four Stock Doves, at least 15 Great Tits at feed station.  Ony three House Sparrows, bit of a concern that so few being seen here.

Stanford Res; afternoon.

Two Chiffchaffs in spillway.  Mistle Thrush, c30 Redwing, Kingfisher, 15+ Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrest 2, 

A Little grebe, female Goldeneye, drake Goosander.  

Plus all the usual waterfowl.

4th January - Frost last noight -2C. cloudy, very light SW, 3C

Shawell Sand Quarry; morning.

A drake Pintail was asleep on the main pit, an unusual sighting here.  Three each Pochard and Wigeon, 15 Shovelers.

Most Gulls were out of sight on the landfill, but some came in for a wash, Carl spotted a Caspian Gull.

Draycote Water; afternoon.

Went to catch up with the Divers present, managed to find the Red-throated but not the Great Northern Divers today.   

3rd January - frost last nioght -3C. Sunny, light NW, 5C

Willey; morning

Checked the feed station, more birds, incl four Greenfinch, two Chaffinch.  three Stock Doves, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker..  Possible Blackcap briefly.

Cottesbrooke village; afternoon.

I went to find a Hawfinch.  I did manage to see one in a tree before it dropped down out of view.  There could be be several in the area.  Other birds included Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Nuthatch.

Ravensthorpe Res; afternoon.

Called in here to see the White-fronted Geese which have been present several days, an adult and 1W.  Fortunately, they and the Greylags had flown back to the res from the fields and were showing well near the causeway.

Several Goldeneye present too, 5+

2nd January - Frost -1C last night. Sunny, light NW, 3C

Bittesby Country Park; morning

Main sighting were:

Two Stonechat, a Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk (f).

25+ Meadow Pipits, and 12+ Song Thrush - these kept flying out from under the vegetation of the weedy field as I walked along the path.

1st January Wednesday - strong SW gusty winds through the night, easing by mid-day. Rain through the morning. 11C, but cooling during the day.

Pretty awful weather through the morning to kick the year off.

Lilbourne Meadows; late morning

c200 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, plus Teal, Shoveler and Mallard.

Four Mute Swans, a Little Grebe.

A few Starlings, Redwings and Fieldfares.

Shawell Sand Quarry, afternoon.

Very quiet, with few Gulls present.

Four Red Kites, four Pochard, Little Grebes, Tufties and Mallards. A single Canada Goose