It’s been a mixed bag of weather and birds in the last couple of weeks. However here is an update.
This morning I was running along Pakefield Beach and noted that the Sand Martin colony in the cliff near Pakefield Coastwatch is coming along nicely – must be more than 40 birds there now. Offshore I saw a Shearwater sp. although I couldn’t tell which species without binoculars. I assumed it was a “Manx” and coincidentally a Manx Shearwater was reported off Ness Point this morning.

The last three mornings peering out of kitchen window have all had something a bit different.

On Monday a pair of Siskin graced the peanuts. Always nice especially the male.

Tuesday I spotted a female Blackcap creeping around in the big pine tree, my first of this year.

This morning I had a look at a “Goldcrest” on the off chance and found that indeed I was lucky enough to have my 2nd Firecrest in two weeks. This time it was a female but still very welcome.

What next - you never know unless you keep looking!!

It's the time of year when an extra 10-15 mins on the way to work can be rewarding.

This morning I took a slight detour along the cliffs from Pakefield church to Kensington Gardens. I noted 22 Turnstone on the beach, some have nearly got their summer plumage and it won't be long before they leave us for the breeding grounds. A singing Dunnock and a pair of Goldfinch looking for nesting material under the Cefas lab. Then on the bowling green, a male Black Redstart was joined by a "White" Pied Wagtail, both very smart in the morning sun.

What an interesting week, I have a newly arrived Chiffchaff in the garden this morning and last Monday I had to clear two inches of snow off the car!

I'm having a break from throwing myself headlong down the snow slopes of the French Alps, so I can reflect briefly on difference between the birds here and at home. As I look out across the valley to Mont Blanc I can see Raven and Common Buzzard soaring in the bright sunshine. The gardens here have a more woodland feel to them, with Green Woodpecker and Jay quite common. There is some snow on the ground around the chalet where House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Nuthatch search for food. The trees are alive with tits, mostly Great and Blue – so no change there then, but also regular Willow Tit!

It's all a bit hectic at the moment so I haven't been out much. My recent trip to sea was rather rough and busy most of the time. The highlight was an adult Yellow-legged Gull following the ship in the outer Thames.

No really, nothing at all...

I'm back at work and been getting ready to go to sea. I did see a Cormorant in Lake Lothing whilst on our ship but that's hardly earth shattering.

I'll be at sea for a few days - in the Thames Estuary, English Channel, Dutch waters briefly, north of the Dogger Bank, then back down the east coast via the Wash. I expect to see Guillimot, Razorbill, Gannet etc but maybe this run of high winds will have brought something a bit more unusual into the North Sea. Watch this space.

I had a quick walk along Pakefield Beach on Thursday morning. There were a lot of gulls about including at least 14 Mediterranean Gull (Med). I had a go at taking some photos but it was so windy and the birds never settled. You can at least see the difference between adult winter Med and Black-headed Gulls (BHG). The Meds have pale wings without the black trailing edge and a heavier bill. The head pattern of the Med Gull is more like a mask over the eye whereas the BHG has a "spot" behind the eye.