6th February

Now that we've got through the cold snowy patch and back to milder windier weather, the gulling is back on track. Our first winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL is still being seen most evenings as well as a few YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (1w, 3w and adult this evening) and we've had a REDSHANK pop in on a few occasions as well. However, after last month's amazing tally of four different Caspian Gulls, so far this month we've not had any.

We also had our first LITTLE EGRET of the year this evening: working its way along the ditch down by the boat moorings.Also a drake TUFTED DUCK on the floods this evening was a most unusual sight. Whilst this common diving duck can usually be found up at the Wolvercote Lakes, we only normally see it down at the south end of the Meadow when it's frozen or the floods are in Lake Mode so this was a notable record.

The most stand-out record since my last post was an amazing sighting of a KNOT up at Wolvercote Common just south of the allotments by Colm O Caomhanaigh on a very snowy 2nd February. I can only guess that it was grounded by the weather and with everything frozen had just decided to tough it out where it was until it thawed - I hope that it got through it all OK. Knot is less than annual on the Meadow so is a good record to get on the books.

I forgot to post this picture of a pair of Goosander on the Castle Mill Stream from a week or two ago

With the Snowdrops and Crocuses now coming out and the milder weather one can't help but start to turn one's thoughts towards Spring though we've still got a fair way to go yet before we can start to think about the first spring arrivals. In the meantime it will have to be gulls to keep us going through the month!