It's a new day, a new dawn, a new birding year

I avoided the new year rush to get "ticks" and will try this year to find as many birds but by a less frenetic chase. To this end today I went for a walk with Olive, albeit to a place where I might see a rarer bird and it was still there and spotted by her. Yes it's the same Little Egret from a few days ago but since it took 364 days to find an Angus one last year I thought best to get this species out of the way.

Little Egret feeding in a channel on the North Esk estuary at Kinnaber before flying across the river into Aberdeenshire. Photographed from a long way off and I was surprised to get one as good for the distance

Two young Mute Swans also at Kinnaber

Now 35 Tree Sparrows in my garden, the highest count I've ever made and it's costing a fortune in seed, but currently worth it. This one photographed from the car late in the day, I must try and get some photos before I go out when the sun is on part of the garden!

The seed spilled by the Tree Sparrows is also attracting this Wren which is an uncommon visitor to my garden. This photo is through the old rabbit run which acts as a barrier to the Feral Pigeons and Sparrowhawk while still allowing birds up to Blackbird size through the 50 mm chicken wire mesh