The continuing mild winter weather is having a definite effect on the number of birds. Of the 60 species seen this month at least 27 species are well down on the January average numbers over the ten years studied.
Their was one addition to the Alcossebre bird list – a Zebra Finch, which I found drowned in my swimming pool! Most odd.

A list of species seen this month with comments follows:-
Flocks of 20 to 60 Balearic Shearwaters were seen during the month.
Only single Northern Gannets were seen.
One or two Shags seen were above average for January.
Of the 138 Great Cormorants counted this month 57 were passage birds the rest could be seen roosting on Moors rock, the coast or the harbour.
Only two Grey Herons passed through this month.
One of the few species up in numbers were Cattle Egrets with up to 13 birds counted.

 One or two Little Egrets were normal numbers.
Only three birds of prey were seen.
A passage male Hen Harrier on the 4th January.
Only one Common Buzzard is wintering, usually there are three or four birds.
Two Common Kestrels were normal January numbers.
Only two species of waders were seen three Golden Plovers on the 1st of the month and two Northern Lapwings on the 8th. Both appeared in the same field in the rural farmland.

Both Mediterranean Gulls (15 birds) and Black-headed Gulls (4 birds) were down in numbers.
Audouin´s Gulls (30 birds) were above average numbers.
A maximum of 39 Sandwich Terns were below average numbers.
Both Wood Pigeon (66 birds) and Collared Doves (64 birds) continue to increase in numbers.
Hoopoes were also in good numbers, with up to fives seen daily.

Our resident Crested Larks were in good numbers – 12 max.
Wintering Skylarks were well down in numbers – 67 max.
Both wintering Crag Martins (9 birds) and Meadow Pipits (10 birds) were down in numbers.
Single Grey Wagtails were normal winter numbers, but White Wagtails – 18 birds max. were well down in numbers.
Robins -10 birds max. Black Redstarts – 12 birds max. and Stonechats – 11 birds were all below wintering numbers.
Two Common Blackbirds were normal numbers, but Song Thrushes were well up in numbers at 25 birds max.
Three of our wintering warblers were down in numbers – single Cetti´s Warbler, one or two Dartford Warblers, and 15 Common Chiffchaffs.
Wintering Blackcap numbers were up with 17 birds max.

Resident Zitting Cisticoa´s numbers are very low at only three birds max.

Our other resident warbler the Sardinian Warbler was in good numbers with 21 birds max.

Resident Great Tits were also in good numbers – 6 max.
A passage Coal Tit was seen on the 7th January.
Capycorp lagoon provided two records of the attractive Penduline Tit on the 1st and 13th January.
A Southern Grey Shrike in the rural farmland on the 31st January was the first seen since the 30th November. Probably a passage bird.
Most of the finches were down in numbers, with the exception of Common Chaffinch - max.121 birds.
A male Hawfinch visited the sewage pond on the 31st. A scarce winter visitor.
Three species of Buntings were down in numbers – Rock Bunting, Reed Bunting and Corn Bunting.
A big surprise was seeing a flock of 20 Cirl Buntings in the local almond groves. This easily the highest total over ten years!
This is also the first January in ten years that I have not seen or heard a Little Owl – a worrying trend.
Alcossebre Weather in January 2012.

The first week in January was mainly fine and sunny with above average temperatures. On three days moderate to strong winds chilled things down.

The second week started off with three mild fine and sunny days, but the next four days were mixed with cooler night temperatures.

The third week started off fine and sunny, but quickly broke down with the first heavy rain of the month on the 16th and 17th.
The next four days were again fine and sunny, but moderate northerly winds
dropped the temperatures down.

The fourth week was a mixture of fine and sunny days and some overcast days. The 27th was almost a carbon copy of the 16th, with heavy rain, and the temperature not rising above 11C.

The last three days were mainly fine and sunny, but strong cold northerly winds made it feel much colder.
We had the coldest night of the month on the 31st at 4C.

The average day temperature was 16C (60F)
The warmest days were on the 1st and 3rd at 21C (70F).
The coldest days were on the 16th and 27th at 11C (51F).
The average night temperature was 8C (46F).
The warmest night was on the 6th at 17C (62F).
The coldest night was on the 31st at 4C (39F).
Total rainfall for the month was 3.2 inches (81mm) over three days.

Compared to 2011 it was 1C warmer by day and night, it was just slightly wetter only 1.7 inches of rain in 2011.