Well the big news from Carr Vale since my last posting, which I’m afraid was a while ago, is that having spent many hours (in excess of 25) working the embankment trying to work out how many Chiffchaffs are on there (there’s at least seven nominate ones) finally on 22nd I found what I was hoping for in the form of a Siberian Chiffchaff. Always a challenge this one looks good and more importantly it reacts to Siberian Chiffchaff call, unlike the nominates. So perseverance finally paid off. Carr Vale has a very good track record for this race and this is the 13th, indeed the first four records for the county were from Carr Vale and there are only about 20 records for the county up to the end of 2017 (ignoring records of birds showing characteristics of). So what else has been seen since my last post on 12th. Wigeon maximum 111 on 22nd, Gadwall maximum 20 on 19th, Teal maximum 143 on 19th, Male Shoveler on 18th, Goosander six north on 13th, seven north on 14th, five south on 15th, six south on 18th, three south on 19th, female on 20th, Red-legged Partridge maximum of 33 on 14th, Little Egret two south on 13th, one south on 16th and one on Middle Flash on 17th, Water Rail, maximum day count six but whole area population estimate is 12-14 birds, Golden Plover 32 on 16th, 11 on 17th, Lapwing, maximum count 250 on 19th, Snipe maximum count 13 on 23rd, Common Gull, maximum count five on 20th, Barn Owl on 17th and 21st, Kingfisher, one on five dates, Green Woodpecker on seven dates, Peregrine on 14th, 19th and 20th, Coal Tit, site record of six on 21st, Willow Tit seen daily, maximum of five on 22nd, Marsh Tit seen daily, Cetti’s Warbler heard 16th, 20th and one seen on 21st but two calling together on 17th, Chiffchaff seen daily with maximum of seven on 20th, Fieldfare, maximum 400 on 19th, Redwing maximum 200 on 19th, Grey Wagtail seen daily, maximum four on 17th, Brambling male on 17th, Bullfinch seen daily, maximum nine on 21st, Redpoll maximum 18 on 17th and Reed Bunting 29 into roost on 17th. And finally today on 24th two adult Whooper Swans dropped in at 0940, a nice early Christmas present for the regulars.