January 2nd - Girdle ness

A beautiful crisp, winters day, and perfect for getting 2015's patching under way. It was pretty productive for a first jaunt of the year, with a woodcock flushed at the sewage works and at least three goldcrests both pleasant surprises. No sign of any chiffchaffs here but I wouldn't be surprised if there are still some around - and likewise for snipe and jack snipe around the muddy bits.

Best birds were a pair of stonechats that seem to have taken up residence along the south bank. in April 2014 I was absolutely thrilled to see a continental type stonechat near the battery, but over the autumn they became more regular. These two birds have been lurking around the south bank since late October and if the winter stays mild, fingers crossed they'll linger to breed.