23rd January

Quiet weather was again the order of the day but it came in two sorts, with a lovely sunny morning giving way to an afternoon of cold, blanket fog. Yesterday's - or another? - Jack Snipe in a different spot at the Bill was the best of the day's sightings; a lone Long-tailed Tit was a surprise arrival at the Obs but otherwise there was little change, with 3 Purple Sandpipers, a Black Redstart and a Reed Bunting at the Bill, 3 Red-throated Divers through on the sea there, 8 Redwings at Suckthumb and a Goosander at Ferrybridge.
Also some news that we've gleaned from recent visitors to the Obs of a few other random local oddities: a Treecreeper - presumably the individual seen before Christmas at Pennsylvania Castle - has visited a garden at Wakeham twice in recent weeks, whilst single Blackcaps have been seen in gardens at Southwell and Weston in recent days.

Although we've encountered roaming parties of Long-tailed Tits rather often around the centre of the island this winter they're very rare visitors to the Bill at this season © Martin Cade:

And thanks to Duncan Walbridge for passing us a photo of yesterday's Marsh Harrier over Weston: