January 7th
GORING GAP : A quick lunchtime visit produced a single Slavonian Grebe on the sea opposite the western most field and drifted west. Still good number of Great-crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea and several Gannet drifted through. A few Mediterranean Gulls were on the roost fields with 7 Skylark tucked away in the south west corner otherwise it was quiet NB
January 6th
GORING GAP : Plenty of birds were on the sea this morning, including minimum counts of 40 Red-breasted Mergansers and 47 Great Crested Grebes. 2 Slavonian Grebes were fairly close in off the eastern end, moving west when a small dinghy appeared from the east. The Slavs were sticking close together and were displaying for a short while. A Red-necked Grebe was a bit further out but unfortunately drifted even further out when the dinghy approached. Other birds on the sea included 4 Red-throated Divers, 3 Razorbills and 3 Wigeon. Birds moving were Little Egret 1E, Gannet 5E 4W, Brent Goose 2W 7E and Kittiwake 1E. Waders on the beach on the rising tide were 32 Grey Plovers, 17 Sanderlings, 22 Turnstones, 7 Oystercatchers, 24 Dunlin, only 4 Ringed Plovers and a Redshank. In the western field were 6 Mediterranean Gulls and 7 Skylarks RS
A female Stonechat was also around GDM
LONG FURLONG :
7 Red Kites and a single Raven GJ
BROOKLANDS :
2 Velvet Scoter on sea to the east although distant - probably the same birds seen off Widewater recently SS
