Snow, ice and plunging temperatures. So started December, flocks of Waxwings, large flocks of winter thrushes, Great Tits invading the house, plus a few Smew and White-tailed Eagles lingering on.

As the month progressed, with no let up in the snow and cold, a Crested Tit and two Hawfinches joined the crowds at the feeders, I made a quick visit to the UK.

Few birders visit Iran, fewer still that travel independently. But leave aside the preconceptions and venture beyond the media stereotype, the country is truly an amazing place, inhabited by a most gracious people and blessed with a culture second to none and landscapes that incorporate all from high Alpine peaks and lush green valleys through to vast desert vistas, stark coastlines and shimmering marine environments dotted with corals, intertidal flats and mangroves. And then there are the birds - along with an impressive array of desert and mountain species and an unrivalled selection of waterbirds, Iran is home to some mighty fine specialities, including Grey Hypocolius, Iraqi Babbler, Sind Pied Woodpecker and, the jewel in the crown, inhabiting the remote deserts of the interior, the enigmatic Pleske's Ground Jay.