It's possibly my favourite day of the calendar. New lists begin, and this year I've started by adding a new Circle Year List (which reached 50 by the end of the day), and also a Garden Year List for the first time ever. No doubt more lists will follow.
So, the first bird I heard after clambering out of bed was a Robin. Isn't it always. By the time I set off for Earlswood I was up to 19 species. I'd chosen Earlswood Lakes because the Scaup which I'd twitched on Xmas eve was reportedly still present yesterday. What a great addition to the 2026 list it would be. Well, spoiler alert, it could not be found. Maybe last night's festivities were just too loud and unsettling and it's now swimming around on the sea where it ought to be.
Fortunately there was some back up. Pride of place went to the Water Rail lurking among the willow roots at the bottom end of Terry's Pool. It took me two attempts to see it, and even then I required the assistance of John Chidwick to finally track it down. Once it actually appeared, the views were excellent.
 |
| Water Rail |
This was actually the first one I'd ever seen at Earlswood, my only previous one being one I'd heard calling in the Scrublands.
Also present around the bottom of Terry's Pool were a host of woodland birds including Marsh Tit, and Treecreeper, and a slightly less expected drake Teal.
 |
| Marsh Tit |
 |
| Teal |
 |
| Treecreeper |
My search for the Scaup eventually yielded 22 Tufted Ducks, two drake Goosanders, at least 13 Common Snipe, a Little Egret, and a female Shoveler as my final bird of the day.
 |
| Goosander |
 |
| Shoveler |
Elsewhere at Earlswood Matt Griffiths was reporting a Red Kite and two Common Gulls, but I failed to lay eyes on them. Not to worry, there's another 364 days to pull them back.
Happy New Year.
