Red crested pochard females

A long staying pair that have graced Amwell for a month, brought in by the cold weather

Smew female

Posing at Amwell on a cold january day, fortunately the ice had driven it closer to the hide

Crossbills

Some images taken at a new location for me in Beds, there were also a number of siskins and a single redpoll

Goshawk

Sadly not a wild bird, this was on a falconers arm.

Bittern

One of two seen by me at Brogborough, the other one was skating disconsolately around the ice on a bitterly cold January day

Ring necked parakeet

A trip to Staines moor to see the Brown shrike turned into a 'dip' and I had no opportunity to use the camera until we got back to the car and found this chap in a tree next to it!

Firecrest

Taken in terrible light at Holkham pines, I have only added it to the blog as they are so difficult to photograph