December 23rd

It was cold and windy this morning as I walked inland at Reculver where the highlight was not a bird but a mammal. We occasionally see a Harvest Mouse nest in the area but I have never seen a live animal until this morning. As I was walking back to my car along a muddy path with rough grass on either side I saw a thumb-sized, orange mouse with a sturdy pink tail crawling through the foliage on the ground and disappearing into the foliage. I had imagined that Harvest Mice hibernate but apparently they don't but become less active during the winter and spend a good deal of time underground. 

Birds I saw included 6 Pied Wagtails, 62 Chaffinches, 2 Grey Herons, 56 Mallard, 66 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 36 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck, 13 Teal, 18 Little Grebes, 1 Redshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Water Rail.