January 2013 Catch up

Well to all the blog readers (both of you), I dedicate this catch up to you.
Wintery conditions in the N/East of Scotland have been the order for the last week or so.
In the last week I've seen 3 different short-eared owl midday along the Old Coast Road and at Torry Battery with many other sightings posted so it would appear we have had a bit of an influx. Waxwings are still about the region, albeit in lesser numbers (presumably being topped up with a few new arrivals).
We caught up with a  reported 1st W iceland gull last Sunday 20th January at Loch of Skene after a trawl around Crathes and Drum (usual suspects such as jay, treecreeper and a nice group of long-tailed tit at Drum).
The garden this week has had a nice male brambling and a few fieldfare in the vicinity and a healthy dose of bird seed scattered today will hopefully bring in others. Good numbers of chaffinch seen - predominantly male and again, numbers probably swelled by migrants.

Short-eared owl - near Girdleness 23.1.13

Short-eared owl No.2 100 yards on 23.1.13

Robin in my garden 24.1.13