Happy New Year?

Well, for the first time in many years (25+), I have been able to get out birding on New Years Day! I braved Draycote Water in the hope of getting a good number of year ticks. Arriving in darkness, the light really did not get much better! I hoped to get images of the New Year sunrise, but this didn't really happen -

In fact, it got even darker with no noticeable change until late morning, and that is debatable! I have to say that this New Year has not got off to a very good start! I decided to pop into the hide for a welcome coffee, only to find the powdered milk in my flask had failed to dissolve, making it undrinkable! I then went to look through my scope, only to find that the eye protector on my zoom had been lost, with eye to metal feeling quite painful! It was a waste of time trying to take any images with ISO 1600 being required and making unusable grainy pics! Could New Years day get any worse?

My tally of birds was, however, good!

Robin; Greylag Goose; Mallard; Coot; Canada Goose; Black Headed Gull; Tufted Duck; LBB Gull; Carrion Crow; Dabchick; Cormorant; Great Crested Grebe; GBB Gull; Goldeneye; Drake Smew; Green Woodpecker; Pied Wagtail; Common Scoter; Meadow Pipit; Buzzard; Moorhen; Long Tailed Tit; Wood Pigeon; Grey heron; Herring Gull; Teal; Gadwall; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Goldfinch; Bullfinch; Jackdaw; Kestrel; Great Tit; Blackbird; Wren; Magpie; Merlin (fem); Lapwing; Chiffchaff; Goosander; Little Egret; Shoveler; Pochard; Mute Swan; Tree Sparrow; Kingfisher; Dunnock; Goldcrest; Song Thrush; Common Gull; Starling; Rook.