Whooper Swan – one at Chimney Corner South ClP on 27th and 28th
Pintail – eight at Meadow Lane GP on 7th, a male at Broom East CWS on 15th, five nicluding two drakes at Brogborough Lake on 31st
Ring-necked Duck – a male at Willington GP on 6th, Meadow Lane GP on 7th and potentially the same bird relocated later in the month at Chimney Corner South ClP on 27th and 28th
Velvet Scoter – an immature male at Blunham Lakes on 15th was the first in the county since one in December 2021 and previous to that two in November and December 2016
Smew – a drake at Meadow Lane GP on 3rd, another at Radwell Lakes on 30th
Dunlin – two at Grovebury SP on 13th
Woodcock – a count of 12 were noted coming from the well-watched roost at The Lodge RSPB over a period of 20 minutes on evening of 11th
Mediterranean Gull – two reporting in the roost at Stewartby Lake on 1st and 13th, one at Broom East CWS on 12th, one at Grovebury SP on 27th
Great Black-backed Gull – a count of ten at Stewartby Lake on 13th was noteworthi for this species which has been decreasingly recorded in the years since the closure of the local landfills
Caspian Gull – a second winter regularly recorded at Broom East CWS throughout the month while other individuals including a regular adult were noted from Stewartby Lake
Great Northern Diver – one present at Grovebury SP from 12th to 18th
Cattle Egret – nine roosted at Grovebury SP on 1st, two at Harrowden Water Meadows from 3rd to 10th, a single noted around Broom East CWS and Upper Caldecotte from 19th to the end of the month, two at Willington on 21st
Great White Egret – increasingly reported in winter in the county, three were together at Radwell Lakes on 13th with may records of singles elsewhere
Marsh Harrier – at least two around the brick pits during the month with others at Meadow Lane GP on four dates and Broom East CWS on 27th
Hen Harrier – a ringtail at Wrestlingworth from 1st to 18th
Short-eared Owl – one seen at Thurleigh on 7th and 17th, with two there on 28th
Merlin – single birds noted regularly around both Broom and Thurleigh during the month, one at Houghton Brook Pools seen on 9th and 16th
Ring-necked Parakeet – 20 recorded at Great Denham on 12th, all other reports involved up to three in the area around Wardown Park Luton
Waxwing – a group of 18 in Leighton Buzzard on 1st increased to 25 on 6th, then 43 on 17th, most often recorded along the houses and bypass verges just to north of Grovebury SP. Elsewhere up to five were near Broom East CWS then Sandy, nine in Ampthill and later in Bedford, and a single day count of 26 in Woburn on 4th
Chiffchaff – one of the Siberian race “tristis” at Bedford WTW on 6th
Firecrest – singles noted at Harrold Odell CP and Houghton Hall Park on 5th, Ampthill and Bedford WTW on 6th
Crossbill – two at The Lodge RSPB on 31st
