January was all about Great White Egrets, Penduline Tits with a Killdeer, Ross’s Goose, Cattle Egret and Lesser Yellowlegs added to the mix. Other diversions were a Black-bellied Dipper and a few Great Grey Shrikes.

Norfolk

Killdeer was at Saddlebow briefly in the early afternoon 11th. This is the third record for Norfolk of this vagrant North American wader. All three have been since 2005. Could they all relate to the same individual?

A Great White Egret was at Welney WWT and then flew south. Another flew over the Hickling Stubb Mill roost watchpoint 17th and yet another put in a brief early morning appearance at Marston Marshes 18th and one was at Long Dam Levels in south-east Norfolk 30th.

A Black-bellied Dipper was seen again on the River Glaven anywhere between Glandford and Hunworth, but as long stretches of this river are on private land the bird was only seen occasionally.

Single Iceland Gulls were seen occasionally at Aldeby Tip, Hockwold Washes and Blackborough End Tip. The juvenile Glaucous Gull remained in the Salthouse, Cley NWT, Kelling area and others were seen at Blackborough End Tip, Aldeby Tip and Great Yarmouth.

A wandering Ross’s Goose was among the Pink-feet in East Norfolk but then moved to north Norfolk later in January

The Taiga Bean Geese were still at Cantley and Buckenham Marshes RSPB. A Green-winged Teal was at the later site 20th. Up to eight Tundra Bean Geese were at Welney WWT, up to six in the Horsey/Waxham area, ten at Blakeney Freshmarsh NT 27th and a single was at Burnham Overy Staithe. Black Brants seen were up to two at Wells & Holkham and singles at Titchwell RSPB, Cockthorpe and Morston. The maximum count of Long-tailed Ducks offshore from Holme was fifteen and up to twelve Velvet Scoter were off Hunstanton.

A Dark-breasted Barn Owl was seen at Stiffkey 16th and a bird showing characteristics of this form was at Welney WWT in the last week in January.

A Great Grey Shrike was still wintering in west Norfolk being seen more off than on near Castle Rising and then at Dersingham Bog NNR. The Great Grey Shrike at Lakenheath Fen RSPB often ranged across the river into Norfolk.

Hickling Stubb Mill roost watchpoint had a maximum count of 85 Marsh Harriers 17th. The numbers of Mealy Redpoll at Town Farm Swaffham grew to thirty-five during the month. Surely it is only a question of time before a Coues’s Arctic Redpoll is found among them.

A hint of Spring, perhaps, was a Balearic Shearwater past Sheringham 23rd.