TODAY'S IMAGES
Plates 1-2: Slavonian Grebe, Brogborough Lake, Beds, December 2008 (Dave Bilcock)
Plate 3: Juvenile Great Northern Diver, Queen Mother Reservoir, Berkshire, December 2008 (Marek Walford)
Plates 4-5: Juvenile Great Northern Divers at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, December 2008 (Nic Hallam)
Plate 6: Juvenile Great Northern Diver, King George VI Reservoir, London, 8 December 2008 (Andrew Moon)
Plates 7-10: First-winter Grey Phalarope, Covenham Reservoir, North Linolnshire, December 2008 (Dean Eades)
In East Kent, a winter-plumaged adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON is wintering on the Royal Military Canal, ranging between the dam 600 yards west of West Hythe car park (at TR 118 340) and the roadbridge 3 miles further west at TR 070 343).
A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER is at Newlands Farm, Fareham (Hants), in bushes on the east side of the large fishing pond, with a LITTLE BUNTING reported again in Old Basing (Hants). Also in Hampshire, a first-winter drake RING-NECKED DUCK remains for a second day - SE of Bordon at Passfield Pond.
On the Isles of Scilly, the juvenile SNOWY OWL remains on St Martin's but there has been no sign on St Mary's of the white morph GREENLAND FALCON (GYRFALCON) since Wednesday.
A juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL colour-ringed on Bear Island, Svalbard, in the Barent Sea was at Minsmere RSPB Reserve (Suffolk) this morning, as was a juvenile on Cley Beach (Norfolk), with two more at Long Drove, Cottenham (Cambs) and another at Aldeby Tip (Norfolk).
In Angus, a beautiful adult RING-BILLED GULL is still showing exceptionally well, taking scraps from passers by in the snackbar car park 250 yards west of the railway bridge on the A85 Riverside Drive at NO 386 292, with another on the beach in West Angle Bay (Pembs). The first-winter remains on Helston Boating Lake (Cornwall) with other regular adults in London, Essex and Hampshire.
The long-staying first-winter GREY PHALAROPE and Long-tailed Duck remain on Covenham Reservoir (North Lincs).
CATTLE EGRETS remain at Hubberton in West Angle Bay (Pembs) north of the B4320 in the cattle field behind the farmhouse and just east of Day's Lock, Dorchester-on-Thames (Oxfordshire). Meanwhile, the adult GLOSSY IBIS remains on Warton Marsh (Lancs).
The adult white morph SNOW GOOSE remains with Pink-footed Geese in fields behind Bell's Pond, Druridge Bay CP (Northumberland), whilst the adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE remains with Dark-bellied Brent Geese on Normandy Marsh (Hants).
American Green-winged Teals remain at Loch of Tankerness (Orkney), Tain (Highland) and Marshside Marsh (Lancs), with a first-winter female LESSER SCAUP at Lea Marston Balancing Pond (Warks) (present for 3 weeks) and drakes at Hogganfield Loch (Clyde) and the A52 Pit, Holme Pierrpont (Notts). The first-winter drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK reappeared yesterday at Groby Pool (Leics) (but was not seen today after the site froze over), whilst the long-staying drake HOODED MERGANSER remains at Radipole Lake RSPB (Dorset) and the female SURF SCOTER at Dawlish Warren (South Devon).
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS are now penetrating further south and further inland with 23 at West Lorimer Place, Cockenzie (Lothian), 200+ at Joppa Terrace, Edinburgh (Lothian), 25 in Irvine (Ayrshire), 300 in Heathfield, Ayr (Ayrshire), 2 at Rockcliffe Marsh (Cumbria), 4 in Grange-over-Sands (Cumbria), 5 in Dalston (Cumbria), 43 in Penrith (Cumbria), 17 in Hornby (Lancs), 1 in Warton (Lancs), 1 in Blackburn Town Centre West St Car Park (Lancs), 6 in Risley (Cheshire), 45 in Brancepeth (Durham), 30 by the Castle Eden Walkway (Cleveland), 20 in Green Lane, Yarm (Cleveland), 57 in Forest Lane, Kirklevington (Cleveland), 95 by Woodhouse Square, Leeds (West Yorks), 4 in Crossgates, Leeds (West Yorks), 5 in Yeadon (West Yorks), 48 in Cemetery Avenue, Sheffield (South Yorks), 8 on Featherbed Lane, Shrewsbury (Salop), 13 in Rugeley (Staffs), 15 on Princess Drive, Weston Coyney (Staffs), 9 in the front garden of 59 Bilbrook Road, Bilbrook, Codsall (Staffs), 2 in Melton Mowbray (Leics), 9 at Gibraltar Point (Lincs), 1 in Holkham Pines (Norfolk) and 34 in Tower Field Road, Rendlesham (Suffolk) On the South Coast, 4 remained for a second day on Mortimer Road in Botley (Hants), with another in Mogg's Mead, Petersfield (Hants). Three were also seen in Lower Halstow (Kent), with 2 at Reculver (Kent)
An obliging HAWFINCH is in Croome Park (SO 878 446) (Worcs), just NW of the ornamental lake, with 4 in Romsey (Hants) and up to 20 at the Rhinefield roost in the New Forest (Hants).
NORTHERN GREY SHRIKES seen today include singles just north of Dalwhinnie (Speyside) (at NN 640 858) and at Charterhouse (Somerset) (ST 504 556), whilst ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS include singles at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancs) and between Farforth and Scramblesby (Lincs). In Cambridgeshire, the bird remains SE of Coveney near Coldmoor Farm viewable by looking east from the road between Wentworth and Coveney.
In London, 21 Black-necked Grebes remain on William Girling Reservoir, with the long-staying bird on Coton Lakes (Warks) and another in the North Arm at Rutland Water (Leics), with the Slavonian Grebe still at Brogborough Lake (Beds). Great Northern Divers remain in Whitwell Creek, Rutland Water (Leics) and at Draycote Water (Warks), Farmoor Reservoir (Oxon), Queen Mother Reservoir (Berks) and Staines Reservoirs (Surrey).
At Marton Mere (Lancs), 9 LONG-EARED OWLS are roosting on the north side of the reserve, with 5 Ring-necked Parakeets (rare localised record) nearby at Lytham St Annes Churchyard.
The first AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT for NORTHERN IRELAND is present for its second day at Mullagh, Lough Beg (Co. Antrim) whilst a first-winter drake KING EIDER remains off Frenchport Pier at Annagh Head (Co. Mayo).
A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER is at Newlands Farm, Fareham (Hants), in bushes on the east side of the large fishing pond, with a LITTLE BUNTING reported again in Old Basing (Hants). Also in Hampshire, a first-winter drake RING-NECKED DUCK remains for a second day - SE of Bordon at Passfield Pond.
On the Isles of Scilly, the juvenile SNOWY OWL remains on St Martin's but there has been no sign on St Mary's of the white morph GREENLAND FALCON (GYRFALCON) since Wednesday.
A juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL colour-ringed on Bear Island, Svalbard, in the Barent Sea was at Minsmere RSPB Reserve (Suffolk) this morning, as was a juvenile on Cley Beach (Norfolk), with two more at Long Drove, Cottenham (Cambs) and another at Aldeby Tip (Norfolk).
In Angus, a beautiful adult RING-BILLED GULL is still showing exceptionally well, taking scraps from passers by in the snackbar car park 250 yards west of the railway bridge on the A85 Riverside Drive at NO 386 292, with another on the beach in West Angle Bay (Pembs). The first-winter remains on Helston Boating Lake (Cornwall) with other regular adults in London, Essex and Hampshire.
The long-staying first-winter GREY PHALAROPE and Long-tailed Duck remain on Covenham Reservoir (North Lincs).
CATTLE EGRETS remain at Hubberton in West Angle Bay (Pembs) north of the B4320 in the cattle field behind the farmhouse and just east of Day's Lock, Dorchester-on-Thames (Oxfordshire). Meanwhile, the adult GLOSSY IBIS remains on Warton Marsh (Lancs).
The adult white morph SNOW GOOSE remains with Pink-footed Geese in fields behind Bell's Pond, Druridge Bay CP (Northumberland), whilst the adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE remains with Dark-bellied Brent Geese on Normandy Marsh (Hants).
American Green-winged Teals remain at Loch of Tankerness (Orkney), Tain (Highland) and Marshside Marsh (Lancs), with a first-winter female LESSER SCAUP at Lea Marston Balancing Pond (Warks) (present for 3 weeks) and drakes at Hogganfield Loch (Clyde) and the A52 Pit, Holme Pierrpont (Notts). The first-winter drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK reappeared yesterday at Groby Pool (Leics) (but was not seen today after the site froze over), whilst the long-staying drake HOODED MERGANSER remains at Radipole Lake RSPB (Dorset) and the female SURF SCOTER at Dawlish Warren (South Devon).
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS are now penetrating further south and further inland with 23 at West Lorimer Place, Cockenzie (Lothian), 200+ at Joppa Terrace, Edinburgh (Lothian), 25 in Irvine (Ayrshire), 300 in Heathfield, Ayr (Ayrshire), 2 at Rockcliffe Marsh (Cumbria), 4 in Grange-over-Sands (Cumbria), 5 in Dalston (Cumbria), 43 in Penrith (Cumbria), 17 in Hornby (Lancs), 1 in Warton (Lancs), 1 in Blackburn Town Centre West St Car Park (Lancs), 6 in Risley (Cheshire), 45 in Brancepeth (Durham), 30 by the Castle Eden Walkway (Cleveland), 20 in Green Lane, Yarm (Cleveland), 57 in Forest Lane, Kirklevington (Cleveland), 95 by Woodhouse Square, Leeds (West Yorks), 4 in Crossgates, Leeds (West Yorks), 5 in Yeadon (West Yorks), 48 in Cemetery Avenue, Sheffield (South Yorks), 8 on Featherbed Lane, Shrewsbury (Salop), 13 in Rugeley (Staffs), 15 on Princess Drive, Weston Coyney (Staffs), 9 in the front garden of 59 Bilbrook Road, Bilbrook, Codsall (Staffs), 2 in Melton Mowbray (Leics), 9 at Gibraltar Point (Lincs), 1 in Holkham Pines (Norfolk) and 34 in Tower Field Road, Rendlesham (Suffolk) On the South Coast, 4 remained for a second day on Mortimer Road in Botley (Hants), with another in Mogg's Mead, Petersfield (Hants). Three were also seen in Lower Halstow (Kent), with 2 at Reculver (Kent)
An obliging HAWFINCH is in Croome Park (SO 878 446) (Worcs), just NW of the ornamental lake, with 4 in Romsey (Hants) and up to 20 at the Rhinefield roost in the New Forest (Hants).
NORTHERN GREY SHRIKES seen today include singles just north of Dalwhinnie (Speyside) (at NN 640 858) and at Charterhouse (Somerset) (ST 504 556), whilst ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS include singles at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancs) and between Farforth and Scramblesby (Lincs). In Cambridgeshire, the bird remains SE of Coveney near Coldmoor Farm viewable by looking east from the road between Wentworth and Coveney.
In London, 21 Black-necked Grebes remain on William Girling Reservoir, with the long-staying bird on Coton Lakes (Warks) and another in the North Arm at Rutland Water (Leics), with the Slavonian Grebe still at Brogborough Lake (Beds). Great Northern Divers remain in Whitwell Creek, Rutland Water (Leics) and at Draycote Water (Warks), Farmoor Reservoir (Oxon), Queen Mother Reservoir (Berks) and Staines Reservoirs (Surrey).
At Marton Mere (Lancs), 9 LONG-EARED OWLS are roosting on the north side of the reserve, with 5 Ring-necked Parakeets (rare localised record) nearby at Lytham St Annes Churchyard.
The first AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT for NORTHERN IRELAND is present for its second day at Mullagh, Lough Beg (Co. Antrim) whilst a first-winter drake KING EIDER remains off Frenchport Pier at Annagh Head (Co. Mayo).