Some post Christmas cheer.

With Christmas now behind us for another year its time to concentrate on the birding - only a few more days until the end of 2008 maybe still time to pick up another goodie in Cheshire? The Staffordshire White-fronts most surely be frozen in at Doxey Marshes and head for the Wirral Riviera. Maybe, maybe not. The Richard's Pipit has resolutely refused to pose for the camera despite trying for it another four times including this morning.

After 3 hours fruitless searching I decided to head up to Red Rocks from where local birder Keith had phoned me with news of a Black Redstart and where Steve Williams subsequently found a Snow Bunting. Both proved to be quite photogenic and we spent a happy hour in the winter sunshine watching these two birds go about their business. Nice to see the Obs Chairman out and about with his camera as well!

The Snow Bunting was equally as obliging though the low sun created lots of shadow. Two good winter birds within metres of each other and all this followed by a bacon butty with the Wirrals premier pelagic skipper and a walk around the lighthouse whilst putting the birding World to rights.