The Start of 2013

Well what a start to my first ever January 1st listing of Birds seen in one day, found it hard to sleep with anticipation only to be woken by the warning call of a Tawny Owl at 3.30 am, finally got up at 7.30 am to prepare for the day and although my back was killing me (not to mention all the other aches and pains at the moment), sat eating breakfast and clocked up 16 species just from looking through the window, that then increased to 25 before reaching the end of the drive, went onto Sutton Reservoir and found three types of Gull just from the roadside, put off by going any further by a down poor of rain, on then to Bottom's Reservoir and Macclesfield Forrest, but failed to get the Grey Wagtail which has always been present at Bottom's and also the Dipper which we usually manage on the River Dane at Wildboarclough but finding a pair of Mandarin's on the Trentabank Res did make up for it in a small way, went from there to the Staffordshire Moors in the hope of seeing a Grouse and luckily enough one obliged fairly quickly which was a blessing as after only a few minutes there, a snow blizzard decended, after a quick turn in the road which almost destroyed the exhaust, it was off to Tittesworth, the count went upto 41, had to at this point stop for a coffee and snack as I was starving but never did the eyes stop roving and could not believe it when another pair of Mandarin appeared from no where and although I had vowed I would only concentrate on the count, could not resist a few shots especially as a quick glimpse of sun appeared, again though a disappointing venue, as the Teal and Wigeon were not present and also the Reed Bunting has always been there but not today when I needed him (that's men for you), another big let down was Marshes Hill, a special de-tour was made to pick up a Meadow Pipit and Linnet but afraid it was too windy for either of them, last stop was Westport Lake were my total reached the giddy hights of 57, not bad I think for a first attempt but on the way home for a well earned cup of tea and slice of cake, saw a pair of Collared Dove, grand total ending on 58. All in all an excellent day and very enjoyable, all be it done mainly from the car, due to bad back, took a while to extract myself from the car and will suffer for it tomorrow, but I don't care, can't wait to try and beat my total next year!!!

What A Pair!