New Year, New- Oh, Wait, Maybe Not..

I do have my Dreaded Annual Top Ten Of Nonsense coming. In fact, you will quake in your boots to learn I'm planning two.. [shock, horror]. But not quite yet.


To the 1st of the month and year, when I did not get up before dawn to go chasing year ticks. This was quite deliberate. The way the rain arrived far earlier than forecast [unlike later, like last year..] didn't help.


So, I restricted myself to a little amble about the Patch [best birds were a nice flock of Greenfinches] and then a check on the roost at Blackball. Here there were.. well, not a lot different! 6 GND, 1 BTD, the 6 C Scoter with 2 males and at least 1 1w, and a paucity of grebes. The great big swell didn't help, I'll admit. Neither did the vast horde of gulls needing sorting through. 1900 Kittiwakes!!! 5500 large gulls!!! 48 BHG.. ! And they were spread in multiple rafts, too.. It was fun going through them.

Actual highlight was the flock of Purple Sands - only the second time at that site - which came in. Definitely an indicator of how rough the Bay was..


...


Arg, there are other things I meant to talk about, but again I can't recall them when I'm actually sat here logged in and typing.. I remember having half a post written in my head as I was stomping up from town this afternoon, but now.. Just gossamer blown away on the wind.


Plus ça change.