The severe gale force wind of the past couple of days finally abated and with Lubo also champing at the bit (so to speak) to go for a walk, I headed out for a thrash as far north as the Obs. It is certainly a bit milder now too (+6 or 7 degrees celsius). There are even more thrushes around with 100 Fieldfare, 50 Redwing and 27 Blackbird logged plus a Mistle Thrush - spied at Busta as I returned home, so also an addition to the Burkle garden list!!! Star bird however was the Coot in the Barkland ditches. We also turned up a Goldeneye in South Harbour (with six Wigeon and three Teal the other ducks of note) and flushed 16 Woodcock. Greylags still number around the 300 mark and Barnacle Geese around one! The vast majority of the Curlews have moved on but the five Dunlin remain. Lingering small stuff include six Skylark, a Meadow Pipit, two Linnet and a Chaffinch.