Tuesday 17th January

 A male Blackcap was at Sinclair Court this morning and a female was in a Barmoor Close garden in Scalby. 20 Greenfinch were in Farmanby Close, Thornton Dale and two Little Egret, 20 Skylark and 150 Redwing were at Thornton Carrs. A drake Goosander was on the partially frozen Peasholm Park Lake and the Dipper was again present in Peasholm Glen. 95 Wigeon, one Curlew and one Grey Heron were at Scalby Mills and three Bullfinch were at the Open Air Theatre. Ay Wykeham Water Park this morning there were 11 Gadwall, 10 Goldeneye, 20 Tufted Duck, 12 Coot, 80 Canada Geese, five Greylag Geese, one Little Grebe and a Jack Snipe. Two Woodcock and one Common Snipe were at Seamer Tip and a Brambling at New Dike.19 Reed Buntings were in the quinoa patch on the eastern side of the tip and four Siskin were by the railway crossing. One first winter and one adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Holbeck and eight Fieldfare were at Hatterboard Drive. Two Gadwall, two redhead Goosander, one Goldeneye, two Little Grebe and the resident Whooper Swan were at a 75% frozen Seamer Road Mere. Back at Seamer Tip this afternoon there was one Short-eared Owl at the south west corner, one Barn Owl, two Common Snipe, 10 Reed Bunting, two Fieldfare, one Common Buzzard and a Yellowhammer. 32 Purple Sandpiper and 38 Turnstone were at the harbour high tide roost this afternoon. The undoubted highlight of the day was the discovery of a redhead SMEW, a scarce winter visitor, late this afternoon at Wykeham Water Sports Lake where it was showing well near to the island. The Australasian x Common Shelduck hybrid also visited the Water Sports Lake at Wykeham lakes today (present in Yorkshire since 2016).

Montage of drake Goldeneye at Seamer Road Mere by Beverley Senturk.