Wild Geese and Bohemian beauties......

Jelly Ear,Far-Ings NNR,Barton.

Mute Swan pair,Far-Ings NNR,Barton.

A whole day to myself today as Trace was working,saw me visiting a few sites around the north of the county and i managed to see a few good birds in the blustery conditions.A short visit to Far-Ings revealed very little in the gale force wind,apart from a flock of 7 Goldeneye watched feeding on Ness Lake,but the best was yet to come.The best bird of the day was seen after a quick phone call from Graham saying he was watching the first winter Greenland Whitefront with a flock of 300 Pink's on fields between West Halton and Whitton.I got there within about 10 minutes,as luckily i had been watching a flock of over a 1000 Pink's near Winterton,looking for the bird Graham had rang me about,talk about being in the right area at the right time!.It showed well as it fed with the Pink's,the longer orange bill and darker overall plumage being very distinct when compared with the European species.This is my first sighting of this race,which is a proposed future split and was a great bit of experience to gain of this distinctive bird.The last place i visited was the local patch at Worlaby,which was a little bit on the windy side to say the least were the best sightings went to a beautiful flock of those Bohemian visitors from Scandinavia,23 Waxwings.They were watched feeding in a Guelder rose bush on the side of the small pond just over the railway crossing,giving superb views and resting in an adjacent Ash,my 3rd record for the patch!.Other sightings included 4 Common Buzzard,11 Corn Bunting,a 3rd calendar yr. male Marsh Harrier and 72 Fieldfare.Non-bird sightings today included a Weasel carrying a Shrew,seen while watching the Pink's at Winterton and 2 Roe Deer at Worlaby.It was hard work today in the weather conditions,but very rewarding!.