Friday 2 January 2015

A Glorious Day!

Sunset over Dengemarsh
My first sea watch of the year from the fishing boats 08.00-09.00:

Common Scoter: 5 down
Velvet Scoter: 2 down
Red-throated Diver: 253 down            7 up
Gannet: 198: down
Turnstone: 8 on beach
Kittiwake: 176 down including a party of c70 off shore
Auks sp: 605 down          27 up       most appeared to be Guillemots

Driving across the causeway towards Pigwell. a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier flew over. At Pigwell no sign of the Dartford Warbler but a Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and 6 Stonechats were some compensation.
A long walk around the fields at the back of Scotney with PW in the warm sunshine was very pleasant, though some what lacking in avian interest. We did see of note several each of Corn Bunting and Skylark along with 18 Egyptian Geese.
On the main pit at Scotney now 3 Black-necked Grebes and the 1w drake Scaup along with the usual wildfowl.
In Lydd the 2 Cattle Egrets in there chosen field performing for the crowds.
As the reserve was apparently very busy I parked at the ARC and wandered up the track over the railway line out towards the mirrors to look around the Gorse banks, although once again very pleasant avian interest was at a minimum, with a Red-legged Partridge, a handful of Song Thrushes and 2 Green Woodpeckers. I came back via the airport pits where a couple of Water rails were squealing, a Marsh Harrier put on superb display of agility avoiding 2 annoying Crows. At last light from the screen hide 2 Great white Egrets and 2 Chiffchaffs.
The Bewick Swans, Whooper Swan and Bean Geese are still in the field by Horsebones Farm, Walland Marsh per MH.

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