Lincolnshire. 1 January 2012

To start my 2012 list off I started early at Kirkby gravel pits this morning. Notables from the South pits were 2 Little Grebes, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 228 Greylag Geese, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 1 Redshank, 1 Kestrel, 2 Shoveler, 15 Fieldfare, 2 Shelduck and 5 Goldeneye.

Then moved onto the Reserve pits and notables from here were 50 Lapwing, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Little Egret, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Treecreeper, 11 Shoveler, 1 Egyptian Goose, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kingfisher and 9 Siskins. A Water Rail was heard calling but not observed. Then went back to South pits and waited in vain for the Great White Egret to turn up. Thanks to Russell H who went and found it on a pit near the landfill site where I took this record shot below through the trees.

Later in the afternoon I popped down to Nocton Fen to boost my list with 10 Whooper Swans amongst c80 Mute Swans. At Wasps Nest, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Short-eared Owl was observed.