Thursday 15 January 2015

Gales!

Most this week I have been battling man flu, although I did manage to get to Hythe yesterday for distant views of the 1w Night Heron.
This morning was an absolute shocker with gales and torrential rain till mid morning. It eased enough for me to be able spend an hour sea watching at The Point from the car in the company of MH, though in truth it was not the most enthralling of watches.

10.00-11.00
Common Scoter: 3 down
Red-throated Diver: 7 down
Fulmar: 3 down
Gannet: 66 down
Kittiwake: 75 down
Auk: 121 down

In 2 short visits to the reserve 7 Smew including the drake, 3 Great White Egrets and the usual wildfowl, from the entrance track 5 Brent Geese were with the Greylags and Canada Geese, unfortunately the flock was to distant to study properly for any other grey geese, the hail showers were far to hard to risk being caught out in walking out to the back of Hookers for a better look, maybe tomorrow?
Late afternoon at the ARC from Hanson, again with MH we saw 2 Bitterns, 2 Kingfishers, 4 Smew, 6 Goldeneye, 2 Great White Egrets, a Little Egret, 2 Marsh harriers and the usual wildfowl.  

2 comments:

  1. Having followed your blog for quite a while and noting your late afternoon comment, I was wondering whether you were one of two gentle heading back from Hanson just as my friend and I arrived who helpfully commented to enter the hide quietly as the Kingfisher was perched just outside? It was certainly shocking morning yesterday although we managed to stay dry during our visit and found it a very productive visit both on the reserve and elsewhere. Highlights for us were a Merlin out at Walland and 3 Black-necked Grebe on Scotney + the Kingfisher of course.

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