A brisk walk around the marsh before the rain arrived. Most water is still frozen but many of the fields had lost their covering of snow. On the fields groups of wigeon, totalling over a thousand, were busily feeding along with black tailed godwits (c200), 12 lapwing, 1 redshank and 8 grey plovers. I had never before seen grey plovers feeding in these fields.
At Turf a small flock of 6 greenfinches reminded me how scarce they have become. A bittern flew north over the marshes towards the canal but was lost to view behind trees so I am not sure where it landed and I failed to see it again.
The rain arrived at 3.00 pm and I hurried home.
The garden is still attracting fieldfares, redwings and reed buntings. Single blackcap (male), coal tit and goldcrest have all been seen over Christmas somewhere in the garden.
