1st December is officially the first day of winter and the first Iceland Gull of the season has already appeared at Ditchford Gravel Pits. Many birders find gull identification problematic although it need not be so. Help is at hand!
From 13th December, and on various weekends throughout the winter, confirmed Laridophile and gull ID aficionado Martin Elliott will be running gull identification field classes at Stanwick Gravel Pits, using the visitor centre as base. So now you’ve got no excuse …
Northants birds 
Surely 21 Dec (shortest day) is first day of winter!
1st December is the first day of winter according to the Met Office. In the birding calendar, Dec/Jan/Feb = winter. Brrrr …
Yes, indeed. But the Old Farmer’s Almanac states winter runs from winter solstice to vernal equinox, around 21 March (in Northern Hemisphere). Strangely, there is no international agreement, not even within EU. Sweden declares winter on 14 October!
I didn’t know the “birding calendar” ran meteorologically rather than astronomically.