Great White tick

A quick stop at Summer Leys Nature Reserve - just 10 mins from Northampton work place produced a GREAT WHITE EGRET, GADWALL & LAPWING.

Nice little spot that I hope to return to in the future

Year ticks at #55

GWE in the pouring rain

Gadwall 

Tyttenhanger dip

A couple of visits to this beast of a site - first on a lunch break after a course and then before work didn't reap the Great White Egrets that I was looking for.
However I now know which one is the main pit - the first one I looked on!!!
A HERRING GULL, LINNET and COMMON SANDPIPER added to the year list amongst other year ticks at this venue
Year list at #48

Gull in flight 

Shovelers

Field fare - not seen many this winter

Bittern at Marsworth

A trip to Tring reservoirs with Anna & Harry looks to be a yearly event!
A few of the usual birders around including Roy & Steve - Steve located a BITTERN on Marsworth and I connected through my scope - and Anna saw it too :) Harry was asleep.
Bumped into LGRE on the way back to the car - who then headed towards Steve to get a look at one of two Bittern showing.
Among other New Year birds for the list - RED CRESTED POCHARD, POCHARD, LITTLE GREBE and TEAL
When we returned home the moon was shining bright - with Venus just below. I took a shot through the scope

A shiny moon through the scope

Granville tick on New Years Day

On a miserable day weather wise, I was looking out of the bedroom window at the grey rainy garden, when I spotted a NUTHATCH (N) on next doors tree! A first for the garden.
Later on I then spotted the bird on the feeder.
Could be a good start to the year!
Granville Garden life count @ #40
Around 20 REDWINGS also in the neighbours trees

New addition to the garden - NUTHATCH

Redwing in the trees

A visit to the feeder by the NUTHATCH