Two White-fronted Geese arrived on the 5th and stayed into the New Year while a flock of 11 that flew west on the 24th did not stop despite the perfect marsh conditions. Mild, wet weather precluded any other interesting arrivals and numbers of duck and waders only slowly increased with Teal and Wigeon reaching about 1200 and 700 respectively and Lapwing to about 1400 by year end. Golden Plover umbers fluctuated up to about 300 and Black-tailed Godwits briefly peaked at 520 on the Barges. The wintering Ruff and Spotted Redshank from Crayford occasionally visited and Jack Snipe were seen on the 3rd and 22nd. Woodcock, Avocet and Turnstone were all also seen. Gulling was poor with several daily Yellow-legs, a single adult Med and three Caspians. A Merlin was seen on the 18th and Marsh Harriers and Peregrines continued to put on a show although our returning pylon female did kill and eat one of the local juvenile males... Bizarrely the rarest bird of the month was a Red-legged Partridge seen on the 10th.

White fronts (Jerry Hoare)

10-1-14