January 2025 Patch Update

 


Finding the motivation to get out birding on an inland patch can be a challenge during the damp, dark days of January. Our plans to kick off 2025 with a New Year’s Day ‘bonanza’ were certainly scuppered by a dawn to dusk deluge, which returned the heath to its familiar winter sludge, after a relatively dry December. When we did manage to get out, our first circuit of the year was rewarded by a sighting of one of our most overdue target species, when two drake Eurasian Teal circled overhead at Setley Pond. Although plentiful during winter on the nearby coast, this was a new record for our patch, bringing the total count to 119, and a great start to the year list, which is marginally lower than in January 2024 at 58 species. As usual, all of this month’s checklists can be found at our eBird ‘hotspot’, along with bar charts and other statistics. A map of the patch and usual route can be found here for readers who are new to this site.

A male Hen Harrier over Widden Bottom was the highlight of our raptor sightings, which also included Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel but no Merlin, Red Kite or Goshawk. Interestingly the Harrier was seen in the same week of the year as our only sighting of 2024, and its appearance in the early morning suggested it may have been roosting nearby.




A brief cold snap, early in the month impacted the predictable heathland species, with Stonechats disappearing altogether for a few weeks, the year’s first record being on 25th January. Dartford Warblers remained present – albeit in small numbers - with a male even managing some song on one sunny morning along with Skylark and Meadow Pipits. The usual winter roost sites for Lapwing and Snipe yielded regular sightings, and a Woodcock flushed once from close to the path behind Latchmore Bridge. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reappeared close to the old railway line at Cater’s Cottage on 25th January, the same location as in 2024. Marsh Tits have been easier to find than at this time in previous years, with weekly records in several areas, alongside Firecrests and all the other regular woodland species.

Numbers of Redwing continue to be lower than in previous years, although a good size flock were joined by a single Fieldfare behind the allotments on one occasion. Song and Mistle Thrushes have been singing strongly in the mornings, reminding us that the longer (and hopefully drier) days of Spring are not far away. 


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