New Year's Day...

A trip around several sites today to try and get a decent species count together,failed miserably in my aim to get to the 100 mark,but i enjoyed some excellent sightings all the same.The main highlight was the amazing count of 5 differant individual Bittern's at Far-Ings,with possibly more on site!!,they showed very well,with at least 4 birds walking about in the open on the edge of the ice,giving the observers present an excellent chance to study this fantastic heron.Other birds here included the super drake Smew and a young adult male Marsh Harrier,with the tamest Robin i have ever seen trying to get food out of my packup box!!Other highlights enjoyed over the 8 hrs i was out where Merlin and a pair of Stonechat at Alkborough,5 Marsh Harrier and Peregrine at Read's Island and to round the day off in great fashion a cracking female Hen Harrier,2 Barn Owl and 4 Stonechat on the patch.An excellent start to the new birding calendar.