A stroll around Garston/Cotton Banks for the Winter Atlas produced nothing of note but did reveal a couple of spots worth checking' later in the year for Redstarts, Pied Fly's and Wood Warblers.

With temperatures considerably warmer than of late a thaw as begun and slightly more open water is available now and this did the trick with a redhead Goosander on the roadside pool at Blake Hall .

Hales Hall: Common Gull 1, Black-headed Gull c100, Canada Goose 15, Mandarin 1.

Blake Hall: Goosander 1, Wigeon 1, Mallard 40, Canada Goose 79, Black-headed Gull 24, Lapwing 2. AB