Saturday 14.01 NHGP

Arrived about 10 am at Alders and ran into Martin W and Flossie, Martin found a Goldeneye on Alders then a  quick visit to the feeders on Lunsford lane produced Siskin but no Redpoll today. The scrape which was partially covered in ice offered us a Snipe, Bittern did not show in its usual place so we proceeded to Abbeymead where yesterday Terry Laws found and photographed an unusual Chiffchaff 20 minutes were spent in the area and all we had for our effort was a BlueTit. So Chiffchaff of any description is still missing from my 2012 list.  Onward to the sunken marsh and riverside proved just as fruitless. Here I parted from MW and made my way back via the Mill Stream at Brooklands met Phil Sharp and exchanged pleasantries. Further along the Mill Stream Path I met one of the Country Park Rangers who had not  heard about the water mains leak but confirmed a mains pipe runs along the Mill Stream and across the Park and there is talk of new pipes being laid straight thru the park. Little else of interest on the way back home.