6th February

A nice crisp, clear and relatively calm day came up with a few extra passerines of which the best was a likely Siberian Chiffchaff at Southwell; 2 Blackcaps were also there (evidently present for the last fortnight), singles of Goldcrest and Firecrest were still at the Obs and a Goldcrest visited a garden at Easton. Morning rounds at the Bill came up with 11 Purple Sandpipers on the shore and 8 Red-throated Divers, 4 Common Scoter, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser through on the sea.

As we mentioned a few days ago, this winter's been very good for Blackcaps; this male is one of two birds that have been visiting a garden at Sweethill for the last fortnight © Andy Mitchell: