Happy Christmas (and a few sightings for Christmas Day)

A1 North Pit: 2 adult Bewick's Swans late morning, then flew off ENE. Drake Red-crested Pochard still, plus single Corn Bunting with Bunting flock.

Northern Pits: 5 redhead Smew, drake Red-crested Pochard, 5 Pintail, 5 Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, 2-3 Chiffchaffs.

A1 North Pit: adult and 1st winter female Scaup still, plus drake Red-crested Pochard still. Also 1+ Corn Bunting(s).

Heron Trail: male Brambling with c.50 Chaffinches in hedgerow along haul road, just north of Southoe Brook.

A1 North Pit: adult female and 1w female Scaup, drake Red-crested Pochard, 2 Buzzards & 2 Corn Buntings with Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers around nearby stubble fields.

Heron Trail: 6 Redpolls over (1 landed by Visitors' Centre).

Northern Pits: 5 redhead Smew, 2 drake Pintail, drake Ruddy Duck, 2 Shelduck.

Adult female Scaup, A1 North Pit.

A1 North Pit: adult female Scaup, 2 drake Red-crested Pochards, Chiffchaff, c.15 Corn Buntings.

Heron Trail: c.30 Lesser Redpolls around Fisherman's car park briefly in morning; Chiffchaff along Haul Road.

Northern Pits: 5 redhead Smew, drake Ruddy Duck, adult and juvenile Egyptian Goose, Green Sandpiper, 2 adult Peregrines, Chiffchaff.

Washout Pit: Redshank calling.

One of two adult Peregrines at Paxton Pits this afternoon.

5 redhead Smew, female Red-crested Pochard, 2 Egyptian Geese still, 3 Little Egret, Green Sandpiper and a Barn Owl all at north end of pit complex this afternoon.

Weekend round-up

The 1st Smew (a redhead) of the winter was present on both Saturday and Sunday, whilst the male and female Ruddy Duck were also still present. A male Red-crested Pochard was on A1 North Pit briefly on Sunday morning (before being flushed by water skiers), with 2 Marsh Harriers also being noted. The adult and juvenile Egyptian Goose still remain and a female Shelduck was around all weekend. Other bits of note include a Woodcock flushed from a ditch east of the A1 Pits and 15+ Corn Buntings were among good numbers of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings which are again making use of the stubble/weedy fields east of A1 North Pit. Finally, 6 Siskins feeding briefly in Alders at Boughton Lodge Farm on Saturday morning (with the odd single noted passing overhead too) and at least 3 separate Chiffchaffs were noted.

Short-eared Owl seen several times today, also Barn Owl, Peregrine, male and female Ruddy Duck, Green Sandpiper, Redshank and 4 Dunlin.

Drake Ruddy Duck at north end of complex, also Little Egret, adult and juvenile Egyptian Goose still, 6 Dunlin & a single Snipe. 2 Cetti's Warblers singing around Meadow Trail in morning, plus 4 Lesser Redpolls in trees at the start of the Heron Trail and groups of Siskin over during the morning totalling 23 birds.

Drake Goosander on Island Pit late afternoon. 20+ Goldeneye around southern end of complex, plus small group of Redpoll over (heard only). Kingfisher along the river at Washout Pit.

Single male with 2 female Mandarins in front of the Kingfisher hide briefly in morning. Also today a metal ringed adult Yellow-legged Gull, 5-6 probable Grey Partridges seen briefly in flight, Curlew, Redshank, 2 Snipe, Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail & a group of 25 Meadow Pipits. Weasel seen near A1 South Pit.

Adult (probably female) Caspian Gull late afternoon, plus male and female Pintail, 2 female Goldeneye, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Redshank, Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Kingfishers, c.20 Skylarks, 12+ Meadow Pipits, c.15 Fieldfare and a single Siskin over. Still a good number of Common Darters and 2 Peacock butterflies enjoying the late autumn sunshine.

Today's highlights:

Adult and juvenile Egyptian Goose still, 250+ Golden Plover over, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Red Kite, adult male Sparrowhawk around Great Meadow, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Grey Wagtails, Rock Pipit, Brambling, plus 2 Siskins and 2 Redpolls over. Also 2 Otters briefly from Kingfisher hide at 09:20.

Cetti's Warbler singing from the reedbed at Washout Pit, plus 10 Golden Plover south over Island Pit; also 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, Little Egret and Snipe. Small Copper and Common Darter noted around Island Pit.

Adult Mediterranean Gull, plus the adult Caspian Gull both around again today. Otherwise fairly quiet, with Little Egret, 9 Golden Plover, c.600 Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail and 3 flyover Siskins being the only other noteable birds. Butterflies and Dragonflies just hanging on with singles each of Peacock and Common Darter noted when the sun came out.

Mediterranean Gull (with Black-headed Gull), Paxton Pits.

c.200 Teal, Little Egret, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, Ruff, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards & 2 Redpolls (flew south). Still a handful of Common Darters.