Had a good opportunity to get the 2026 year list off to a good start over 02/01 & 03/01.
It began with a late afternoon visit to Calvert Jubilee Lake in the hope of Bittern and something decent in the gull roost.
Couldn't have worked out much better with some great, if fairly brief views of the Bittern, appearing and wandering across the left hand reedbed channel. I also have further flight views at dusk, as it perhaps moved to it's roosting spot.
The gull roost provided nice close views from the 2nd hide and delivered the hoped for Caspian (1w) and Great Black-backed Gull (adult), as well as a handful of Yellow-Legged Gull. A very worthwhile visit!
The next day, I was up early in order to kick off my Grimsbury Res yearlist! Getting there early, I was intending to intercept the roosting goose flock, in the hope of digging out a White Front or Tundra Bean from the recent influx. As it turns out, I was in luck, with 2 White-fronted Geese amongst the throng of Canadas. But on reaching for my camera they frustratingly disappeared completely!
Cursing my luck, I wandered on. No more than a few minutes later, I picked up 4 high-flying geese coming in high from the east. They slowly made their way down towards me and to my joy, were 4 more adult White-Fronted Geese - amazing! After getting on the phone to Gareth (again) to let him know, I continued to watch them for a good 10 minues circling and circling at quite low height. Eventually they settled in the cattlefield, where thankfully they stayed, for Gareth to enjoy a patch tick! These were just my second ever on patch - previously a flyover pair in December 2018, again as part of an influx.
A flyover adult Great Black-backed Gull, the resident pair of wintering Stonechat and a sizable flock of c150 Lapwing over made for a very solid start to the yearlist!
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