Having spent the new year in Scotland, my very first visit of the year on the 12th January produced lengthy views of my first Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the woodland and added Egyptian Goose to my patch list at the Mill Lakes. From home on the 23rd, I observed a skein 30-40 Pink-footed Goose, flying NNW over the Pit Tip. In February, I was lucky enough to film an photograph a single Waxwing on the 25th, when it perched on the lamppost at the end of my garden. 
Two Grey Partridge on the railway line at the Leen Pastures were another patch tick. The main highlights of March were a pair of Common Buzzard over Bestwood Quarry on the 11th, a single Golden Plover near Lamin's Lane on the 14th, and the three Shelduck at the Mill Lakes on the 25th.
The middle of the year was generally quieter, but being my first chance of any warblers there was plenty to aim for. In April my first Willow Warbler on the 19th and Whitethroat on the 22nd were nice, as was the male Yellowhammer at the Mill Lakes on the latter. 
The main highlight of May, and possibly the entire summer, was the stunning male Garganey present on just the 11th, which was reported around lunchtime and still present when I got there in the pouring rain in the evening - my first patch twitch! 
The Barnacle Goose on the Golf Course was an interesting find on the 23rd, as were the more tickable Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler. May also produced two stunning male Ruddy Duck that went past me laughing on the 29th and my first ever Tawny Owl on the same evening. A trip to Bestwood Quarry on the last day of May added Linnet to my patch list.
June was quiet, but I got my first footage of a Kingfisher to keep me happy. July produced nice views of a family of Kestrel on the 14th and patch ticks for Common Tern and Reed Warbler the following day. A dozen Mistle Thrush perched together on the 22nd was a nice site and I got some decent footage of a juvenile Kestrel on the 27th. The highlight of August was locating a local colony of Tree Sparrow on the 16th, thanks to an anonymous tip off on the blog.
The end of the year coincided with the start of my new job, which has restricted my weekday visits to the park, but I still managed to get some early mornings in, despite the poor light. On the 5th of September a single Lapwing was on Mud Island, and the Common Snipe have been present since at least the 13th. Two Kingfisher were seen on the 16th, but the three eclipse Wigeon were the highlight. My first Shovelor of the year was on the 18th, and the month finished with a Notts scarcity in the form of an Osprey seen from my garden as it drifted from over the Pit Tip on the 30th.
October brought more good birds in, and the news of the Stonechat that had been present all week on the Pit Tip got me there after work on the 9th - just in time. More notable, was the first winter Whinchat present the following morning - another Notts scarcity. A flock of Lesser Redpoll were on the Pit Tip on the 16th, Fieldfare on the 31st, and I finally caught up with the Water Rail on that day too.
November was a bit quieter, but three Little Grebe on the 10th was my highest site count, and the Stoat was a nice sight too. My first Siskin were small numbers on the 25th, with the larger flock found on the 4th of December at the Mill Lakes, then another flock were found on the Pit Top on the 11th.In 2008, I'm hoping to catch up with some of the annual visitors that have so far eluded me, such as: Red-legged Partridge, Woodcock, Common Sandpiper, Herring Gull, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo (acutally see one!), Little Owl, Sand Martin, Garden Warbler, Brambling, and Common Redpoll. However, I'll also be looking to see the the scarcer birds again, particularly Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
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