6th January

Left Spurn, arriving at Eagland Hill, Lancashire at lunchtime; it was driving heavy rain when I arrived but after a bit it cleared up but remained pretty windy and it took some work but I finally had good views of the first-winter PURPLE HERON which is wintering here (a long-overdue British tick!).   I waited for an hour and a half in the rain and wind at the ditch where it has been showing but there was no sign, so I gave up, walked back through the village and in some random, weedy field opposite a farm, there it was, stalking through the field about 20m away, I was wet and cold by this stage so I didn’t really linger – job done!   

There were plenty of birds across the fields while I was waiting though including a flock of 9 Corn Buntings, a Merlin, several Buzzards and Kestrels, flocks of Pink-footed Geese honking around, 3 Grey Partridges and huge flocks of Lapwings, Starlings and Corvids.

Teal

Shoveler

Didn't take the camera out due to the driving rain, so here's some ducks from tomorrow