Stewchat...

Cold and frosty this morning, had to defrost the car. Clear, light W3 at first, by lunchtime this had increased to a strong SE7.

Two walks with Bunty this morning before the weather took a turn for the worse.

9.00am Boulmer Old Airfield. Still some Siskins on the move south with two groups of 12 and 34, 1 female Snow Bunting was a suprise scurrying along the track side, 20 Lapwings, 4 Grey Partridge, Heron.

The pond is still there ( shhh, say nowt, I hope the drain has totally collapsed...) but was quiet, probably with the tide being out.

12.30pm Seaton Point. Blowing a hooly and now the tide is well up the sea is very rough and chopped up. A flock of waders were taking shelter in a field of winter wheat, 160 Golden and 3 Grey Plovers with a few Lapwings, Curlew and Oystercatchers. 15+ Linnets were here too. Along the shore I checked the gulls hunting the surf over the rocks for something different but nothing new. 4 Red breasted Mergansers flew south and 3 Rock Pipits were on the tide line.

The pond in the village now had some birds, 7 Mallard, 59 Redshank and a hatful of gulls. One Herring Gull had a very heavily streaked dark head like that 'Atlantic' Yellow legged Gull in Ireland last year. I gave it a good 20 seconds before losing the will to live and moved on.

A Grey Wagtail flushed from the pond edge.

A quick view from the car at the north seat was generally a non starter until a Kingfisher flew from out in front of the pub and headed north over the mountainous breakers, little auk fashion. A nice record and a year tick here.

147. Kingfisher.