First day of the year, and first post op day out birding. Decided not to chase Tundras but visit local patch. Very quiet until a pinkie Gull turned up on the beach. How do you motivate yourself after a Ross's Gull sits within 20 feet of you on the first day of January!

C50 White Storks west over Greenhill at 9.50am in a loose flock harassed by Gulls. Presume these are Knepp birds.

Large Skipper at Long Rock.

Visit to Oare started well with a pair of Crossbills next to the Car Park but I failed to find the Turtle Doves. This interesting moth, I think, is a Mother Shipton.

Spent a few days in Lincolnshire and managed to get out in the countryside.

The Swalecliffe patch is livening up thanks to sea mist. Yesterday, I had my first Common Sandpiper of the year. Today produced a rather elusive Whinchat, 6 Yellow Wagtails in the Marsh Pool & 4 Red Kites passing over.

Missed out on a couple of good birds on the local patch, but was compensated on holiday with a Forster's Tern at RSPB Arne. #GBLifer

Went looking for Mandarins and found 8+ Bramblings, numerous Chaffinch, Goldfinch and a vocal pair of Greenfinch.

Visited Grove Ferry this afternoon, I was shocked to see a Sand Martin. Clearly, my earliest bird ever. Thought it may be a Kent Record. Went to message Martyn on the Stodmarsh site only to find they had two birds yesterday. #kentbirding

My first visit to Willow Tree Fen. 2 of 7 Cranes seen. Also, a spectacular leucistic Marsh Harrier. #lincsbirding

What a Christmas! Yellow Warbler on Xmas eve and then today Scops Owl. A very organised twitch to generate minimal disturbance. Congrats to the planners. #Kentbirding

The Long Rock Snow Bunting has been joined by two more escaping the ravages of the north. Bring on some Shore Larks.

Scanning the shoreline waders my eye was caught by an Auk in the background. I expected a Guillemot, but as it came closer, it was obviously smaller and had a dumpy round shape with a significant white collar. I'd missed the Ramsgate Harbour Little Auk by 5 mins. I was ecstatic to have one on patch.

Completed the usual patch walk after the rain subsided. Started quietly with the recent scarcer birds not to be found. But when I got to the tidal pools, I was surprised to find a Slavonian Grebe close to shore. Nice year tick.

Sent to me for id from my son in Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire. #ukbirding

Popped into Grove Ferry and found 72 Pink footed Geese. #kentbirding

Finally caught up with my local Snow Bunting. ##kentbirding

40 species on the local patch after lunch was impressive. Went after the Dartford Warbler but drew a blank, but Great Egret was a patch lifer.

Hunters Moon

View out of the back door this evening in Kent.

Couldn't get out until midmorning. The Patch was busy with bird life but nothing to excite twitchers. A Common Tern on the beach is not that common and a lovely female Reed Bunting (nfy) newly arrived took the attention away from the water levels after last night's storm. ##kentbirding

Patch visit as rain stopped. Juvenile Sabine's Gull after a Puffin in Kent is a but special. Loads of Gannets, 1000s of incoming Brent's, one pale phase Arctic Skua amongst 5. Wigeon and Teal also west.

First Purple Sandpiper of the Autumn today on the patch. Still plenty of Chiffchaff lingering around. Very quiet on the sea.

Great day for seawatching in North Kent. Couldn't get out until 3ish. Managed to see Bonxie, Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas. Manx and Sooty Shearwaters. Arctic Terns, Little Gulls and Sabines Gull. Managed to not pick up Pom Skua or the Leach's Petrel. Tomorrow is another day.

Bit of a purple patch at present. Found Wryneck 12 days ago, Redstart 5 days ago and Wheatear today. A mile west visited the Tea Gardens at the weekend for Pied Flycatchers and Yellow-browed Warbler. Autumn is here!

Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #6,145,771!

After yesterday, the weather and birds seemed somewhat subdued on the patch until I was surprised to find a Wryneck. Good birds can turn up for no obvious reason. #kentbirding

Significant westerly movement of hirundines on the patch. Several hundred House Martins, a couple of hundred Swallows and a small number of Sand Martins. A single Hobby followed and twenty plus Meadow Pipits.

Late morning visit to Walpole Bay to enjoy Whinchats and Redstarts. Surprised by the number of Red Admirals. #kentbirding

Worth marshes, fairly quiet on the avian front. Caught these with a mobile.

Trip up the river Stour last night.