Over the christmas period a high pressure over France tracked north into the UK. As it moved north over the north sea an easterly airflow was created clearing out the cloud and bringing bright sunny weather with a cold easterly wind. This is what was needed to get a new wave of birds through. New birds included big influxes of gulls involving many Mediterranean Gulls and the odd Ring-billed Gull. Iceland Gulls cropped up in many new sites also. Waxwings continued to delight a wider audience as they became increasingly prevalent in more southerly counties. Wildfowl were also on the move with geese and swans on passage as well as fluctuating duck numbers. For my patch, 2 Black Redstarts and 3 Water Pipits were new discoveries although with little coverage it is difficult to know the exact arrival dates. Around Weston-super-Mare, Blackbirds continue to reduce the towns berry crop leaving it incredibly hard to predict where if at all any Waxwings will turn up.

A return of warmer temperatures has at least made it more pleasant birding conditions. Locally, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds have been going through. One field at Weston sewage works held 30 Song Thrush. The Blackbirds were more widespread making counting difficult. Unfortunately the Blackbirds have been feeding on the very same Rowans I have been staking out for the Waxwing invasion. Waders are still on the up with 1,500 Dunlin, 60 Knot, 31 Grey Plover on 15th compared to Saturday 13th counts 1,000 Dunlin, 43 Knot, 19 Grey Plover.

It's been a long time since my last update. After coming back off holiday I haven't been in touch with much of the movements, however, I did fly off the day before an cold snap on 22nd november which affected the numbers of birds on my patch. Checking after my return home revealed a drop in duck numbers and the thrushes that were feeding on a good hawthorn berry crop had moved on. All was not lost as wader numbers were up with 1,050 dunlin in sand bay and 600 in weston bay. Other increases seen involved Redshank, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover. Redwings were going over at night but the last four days I haven't heard any going over in the first three hours after dark. A week ago, I actually heard my first Fieldfare calling at night. Waxwings are on the move too, working their way south. Some have now reached the south-west but despite staking out two fully laden Rowan trees, none have yet been found in Weston. Woodpigeon numbers have been building up with some large flocks around the few crop fields that we have here. Also, a couple of dates have seen some Blackbirds arriving and feeding on the hawthorns that the Redwings and Fieldfares have left so this species is clearly one that works its way through the country the same as waxwings, Redwings and Fieldfares.