The last species of bird I saw in 2016 was Wigeon (although I heard a Coot call a bit later). I was ultimately glad that I went out for a walk instead of sitting in front of a rather dull TV and a rather sparkling log fire – getting out is always worth it even though it sometimes seems a bit of an effort at the time (a roosting Bittern would have made it even more worthwhile but one can’t have everything).
The first birds I saw in 2017 were some very attractive Wood Pigeons feeding on ivy berries on our shed.
But around 1030 I was looking at the local(-ish) Waxwings at Roade which had rather conveniently hung on into 2017 for those who wanted them on their year list on day 1. Very nice, although also very wet, they were too.
It’s good your log fire sparkles.
Jan. 1. Contracted my great parlor chimney by placing stone-jams on top of the grate on each side, & building brick-work on the jams as high as the work-man could reach. This expedient has entirely cured the smoking, & given the chimney a draught equal to the old parlor.
[Gilbert White’s journal for 1788]
Good blogging, good parleying, good 20 seventeening.
“When the berry crops run out in Scandinavia then we get influxes of Waxwings”
A couple of questions: How do they know whether there are any berries here? Do they have a Plan B?
No they don’t know they move south and west until they find food. According to friends in northern Sweden the berry crop in most of Sweden was very very poor. locally the flock I knew of ate all the berries they were feeding on over 29th-31st and have moved on. Ah well they will be found soon.
Last bird of 2016 Red Kite 6 playing over our housing estate, First of 2017 Blackbird.
Good luck for the New Year. I was photographing Fieldfares feeding on fallen apples over the Christmas period and had them feeding several feet in front of my face with my low hide. I’m off to my local patch now to see if I can get some closer photos of a pair of male Hen Harriers which have been showing well. There are some flocks of Waxwings which have shown up in my county, but until they settle down I will have to leave them as chasing them around on my bicycle is a bit much.