18th December 30th December

Mostly local birding with not a great deal to be seen!! Did have a sneaky twitch upto Beeley,Derbys for the Dusky Thrush on the 18th with Archie a nice addition to my Life list but no photos as was always distant....Not much else locally but Siberian Chiffchaff are once again wintering in the Tame Valley with 2 birds at traditional sites of Ladywalk & Edison rd outflow.......

All went a little mental on the 27th & plans made to travel down on the 28th with news breaking of a Blue Rock Thrush at Stow-on-the-Wold,Gloucs an unlikely time of year but rumours that it may have been present since November would coincide with several Eastern birds arriving inc Eastern Black Redstart (1st inland record in Woucs) around the same time!! As i type the provenance of the bird & age is still being debated (1 for the experts to work out) Whatever it was still a cracking bird.......

29th December saw Archie & myself head over to Rutland Water,Leics for the Imm Surf Scoter (1st County record) Only my 2nd Inland bird after the Grafham Water bird in 1989..... Good views were had but always difficult from the dam area with height & sun a problem.......

With the Blue Rock Thrush still being present & Donna nagging me to return for a 2nd visit regardless of its provenance i guess that could be 1 of my 1st birds of the New Year??