New Year Listing Plus Mandarin Ducks & Fox

It has been traditional in recent years for Helen and I to try and see as many birds as we can on on New Year's Day. We visited Bowling Green Marsh, Exmouth, Budleigh and the River Otter and finished on Woodbury Common. We managed a reasonable tally of 95. Highlights included Black Redstart, Purple Sandpiper, Red-Throated Diver and Barn Owl. Notable misses included Cetti's Warbler, Sparrowhawk and Stonechat! 

Today thanks to local birder Ray, I saw only my second Mandarin Duck on the patch. 
A pair of birds were on the River Otter during the very high tide.

Mandarin Ducks, River Otter 4th Jan 2018

Mandarin Ducks, River Otter 4th Jan 2018

Red Fox on the patch today also