The Stour Valley list for 2020stands at 80 species so far.
Please send your sightings to martynwilson@talktalk.net
January 1st
As is usual at this time of year a small group of met in the car park at Stodmarsh just before 6.00 am to see how many species we could record for the first day of the year .We started the day with calling Tawny Owl and Little Owl and ended the day with, a surprising, Barnacle Goose flyby (11 of them), although Mr Gibbard added Bittern and Woodcock at dusk. Total for the day being 74.
Highlights included 2 Tundra Bean Gees, 3 Russian White-fronted Gees (looks like we may have lost one of the immature White-fronts!), the first Shelduck of the winter, 2 Ringtail Hen Harriers, 1 Great-white Egret and Firecrest. The first raptor of the day was a Common Buzzard the flew out of the fog at 7.45am and we are yet to see a Sparrowhawk.
A whole day in the valley again on the second only added Little Egret and Redwing bringing the total to 76.
