January....

Good news readers, I've decided to spare you the usual epic 'review of the year' post in favour of reflecting on 2016 via twelve month-by-month instalments during December. So a bit like a crappy advent calendar without the chocolates. Starting, then, with January which was warmer than usual - something to do with this, no doubt: one of the scariest info-graphics of 2016. Anyway, enough of sobering but educational scientific diversions - this was the year, after all, that the free world decided it'd had enough of experts, facts and truth in general. As well as mild, January was also, as I recall, unremittingly grey, so wildlife photography was a bit of a challenge. A few willing subjects presented themselves though, most memorably:

Black Redstart - this handsome male brightened up a grey day at Chesil Cove. My January 'photo of the month' - and bird of the month

Female Black Redstart also at Chesil Cove

This Great Northern Diver spent the New Year just yards offshore at Baiter Park in Poole

Russian Dark-bellied Brents were on the playing fields at Baiter

Purple Sandpiper on the stone steps at Sandbanks

Marsh Tits were coming to feeders at Corfe Castle in January

Blackbird in a rare front at Swineham