Misty and very cold all day, with a little bit of brightness from 3pm to 4pm.

Stopped off at the Sandflats' reedbeds, which are always good for a bird or two - even on a cold winter's day.

Sure enough, there were around 50 Pallas's Reed Buntings, in various stages of moult, and perhaps even two races.

As I walked across the reedbed on the thick ice, a flock of a dozen Brambling dropped in, including one male I photographed that was in just about full summer plumage (wishful thinking on his part). Also, 2 Red-billed Blue Magpies and a single Water Pipit and Wren (photo) there. I didn't see Eastern Water Rail (I saw one in the same place last winter), but there were lots of tracks in the snow that I believe were its.

On to have a look at Qinhuangdao beach (near to the site of the planned Shangri-La hotel... yes, indeed, this port city is really on the up).

The sea there was ice-free and even had a few gulls: mostly Black-headed (photo) and Vega (photo of adult), but there was at least one bird showing characteristics (if my understanding of the literature is correct) of Mongolian. In the interests of science and heated debated no doubt I am publishing 2 photos of this interesting specimen.

There was also an adult Kamchatka Gull (photo) and an interesting gull that, again according to the literature (Mark Brazil), showed characterists of second-winter heinei Common Gull. Again, I thought it would be fun to open this particular can of worms by publishing a couple of photos.

Enjoy and do please feel free to join what promises to be an interesting and educational (for me) debate ;-)

9 photos published today of 7? species
(5? species not photographed before in 2010)

2010 = 75-77 species photographed!