It's always nice to see and hear redwings in full song (near where we live, something we tend to associate with a bit later in winter or in early spring, just before they begin to migrate). One such songster, at the top of an ash tree, was possibly a reminder that some of them at least may already be itching to get back to their probable Scandinavian breeding grounds.
A firecrest was tantalisingly heard contact-calling briefly in the woodland but wasn't seen by us there today.
Out on the middle and lower millponds waterfowl numbers seemed quite low but at last a male pochard had arrived. Perhaps he is the single male noted there two winters ago? Looking at WeBs records, if he was the same individual then he missed being reported to WeBs last winter. It seemed useful to photograph him anyway for the record, just in case they eventually stop coming to the millpond at all!
