Lots of Waxwings were still present throughout December but the cold seemed to split up the really big flocks, with 200+ in Denton Holme and 250 on Tarraby Lane, Carlisle and 130 in Dalston the only flocks over the hundred. Many of the Waxwings have now switched to eating apples which allowed from some nice close photos in Dalston, also sharing the tree where a pair of wintering Blackcaps.
Brambling were still present in good numbers with 240 in Brampton on the 3/12 and c400 on the 1/12 at Talkin tarn, a late record for November of c2000 at Talkin tarn must have been spectacular.Suprisingly few other birds were reported this month, 2 Red head Smew frequented the river Eden in the Grinsdale area from the 5/12 to the 13/12 then on the 15/12 they were relocated at Tindale tarn.
Other highlights included a Firecrest in Cockermouth Cemetery on the 19/12. Bitterns on ice on Siddick Pond on the 3rd and 12/12. and up to c600 Twite on Border Marsh
A lovely walk around Grune Point on the 3/12 produced a cracking female Hen Harrier, c200 Twite, c3000 Skylark and c6000 Barnacle geese, 1 drake Scaup and a Merlin. A Buzzard on a roadside post near Allonby posed for a nice photo.
The truly amazing thing this month has been the prolonged and severe cold with many river including the Eden freezing over, at Grinsdale in the photo below, this is something I've never known before and at Old Sandsfield the Eden looked almost artic.
Further inland the River Gelt provided a spectacular display of Icicles.
