Happy New Year! 2026 kicked off with sunny intervals, a cold north-west wind and high of four degrees C. Two Great Northern Divers were recorded during a seawatch that also saw four Velvet Scoters and 104 Great Black-backed Gulls flying north, with an adult Mediterranean Gull heading south. The immature male Long-tailed Duck was again off the South Cliffs near Old Fall. Additional wildfowl interest included the two Russian White-fronted Geese at Thornwick Lakes and a pair of Gadwall at Thornwick Pools. Other outer head sightings included a single Lapwing, 36 Curlew, one Woodcock and a pair of Grey Partridge.
Further west, Buckton hosted 27 Teal, four Grey Partridges, seven Lapwing, one Woodcock, two Redwing, a Fieldfare, 40 Corn Buntings and 60 Yellowhammers.
