Nightingale wash out

05.00 raining and windy I parked at Birchett Wood/Longrope Wood for Nightingale Survey. As I put on wellies and wet weather gear I could hear Nightingales singing. I started slipping and sloshing  down a ride trying to fix in my mind the positions of the singing birds, as unable to write anything down in the appalling weather, after 20 minutes I was cold and my wellies were full of water and mud. I abandoned todays attempt and went back home for a hot shower and breakfast.
After a warm up I went to Scotney where a good selection of waders were on show. (Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel,Dunlin, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Knot, Ruff) and on Pigwell 4 Avocet and a Common Sandpiper.
As there was no shooting on the ranges today I thought I would visit the Midrips. A damp windy plod out to the pools was poorly rewarded with 8 Avocet, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 26 Shelduck.
At Galloways a newly arrived Hobby on the shingle, 2 Stonechats, 2 Whinchats, a Cuckoo and 5 Bar-tailed Godwits and 8 Whimbrel in the field opposite the guard house. Further up the road a male Kestrel was feeding on beetles at the side of the road.     

Male Kestrel

 Met Pete and Pam who persuaded me with tales of myriads of waders to go to Rye Harbour. They were right, soon after arriving at the superb flood opposite Lime Kiln Cottage, I was watching the Kentish Plover giving good scope views among dozens of Ringed Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrels, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, 2 Sanderling, 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 2+ Little Stints but no luck with the Temminck's Stint.   

On the way back I spent some time going through the hundreds of Swallows on at Scotney looking for a Red Rump with no luck, I did the same at the ARC Pit where at the southern end 6 Yellow Wagtails, a White Wagtail and 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on show. Shortly after arriving home and watching the cup final I got a call to say that there was a Red-rumped Swallow on the New Diggings. Maybe it will still be there tomorrow.