Local Birding for the New Year

Day 1

The new year started with lockdown restrictions still in place. So the usual new year's day trip to Norfolk was well off-limits. With that in mind, It was an early morning visit to my former patch of Fisher's Green in the Lee Valley. I wasn't expecting a big total but after a casual walk around Hooks marsh, Seventy Acres, and the farms I ended the morning with 61 species. A Cattle Egret among the cows at Hall Marsh Scrape, A flock of White-fronted Geese in fields bordering the farms, and a redhead Smew on Seventy Acres Lake were the pick of the species seen.

In the afternoon I returned to Lee Valley hoping the Short-eared Owls that had been on site for a while were still present. Luckily one was showing well when I arrived.

Day 2

There were a few glaring omissions from my first day's birding and with that in mind I visited KGV Reservoir. A quick scan of the south basin produced a female Goosander and several Goldeneye to complete the three winter duck species. The North basin was scanned for any sign of the Red-Crested Pochard pair from yesterday but I failed to find them. Two drake Scaup were found asleep among the Tufted Ducks which was a nice addition to the year list along with two Black Redstarts which were found along the fence line on the opposite side of the causeway. My first record of this species here for several years.

Day 3

A very brief visit to Epping Forest added Mandarin Duck and Nuthatch to the year list. Before spending the morning at Rainham Marshes. I began with a scan from the Serin Mound which added Barnacle Goose, Ruff, Dunlin, Redshank, Shelduck, and Curlew. Aveley Bay had  30+ Avocet feeding along the shoreline and a walk along the path alongside the reserve added the hoped for Water and Rock Pipits. A final scan of the reserve from the sea wall added Snipe, Pintail, and a flyover Rook and a Marsh Harrier drifted across the reserve as I was walking back towards the car park.

My year list after three short days birding stood at 87.