Wednesday 15th December

2 Little Egrets and 2 Dippers were on the beck in Thornton Dale this morning, and the Little Grebe is still surviving on the Valley Road duck pond. At Wykeham Lakes: 15 Gadwall, a Goosander, 2 Pochard, a Jay and a Kingfisher were at South Lake, while 42 Coot, 7 Tufted Duck and a Great Crested Grebe were at East Lake. 40+ Yellowhammers, 18 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 12+ Greenfinch and 2 Buzzards were seen at Coverdale Moor. A Shelduck and a Peregrine were seen on Cayton Carr, and a single Canada Goose was on the sea in North Bay. In and around the harbour were 18 Purple Sandpiper, 24 Turnstone, 2 Shag, a Cormorant, a Red-throated Diver (3 more of which flew past southwards), and 2 Guillemots. A Kingfisher was again at the Open Air Theatre, while 200+ Starlings were seen in fields near the River Hertford by the A64.