Raining Shags!

 Slow with the camera as this Shag gave us a very close fly by (my first at Dunge since April 2014)

MH joined me at the fishing boats this morning despite the frequent rain and hail storms.

08.15-11.00

Brent Goose: 27
Teal: 11W
Common Scoter: 6W
Eider: 1W  as drake
Red-throated Diver: 11W
Great-crested Grebe: 72 around
Fulmar: 11W
Gannet: 299W
Cormorant: c200 around
Shag: 1W
Oystercatcher: 6E
Dunlin: 2W
Grey Plover: 4W
Little Gull: 19W
Kittiwake: 60W
Guillemot: 169W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 18W

 Little Gulls passing the boats this morning

At Scotney I was still unable to find the Tundra Bean Goose among the Greylags. 4 brent Geese among the 100+ Barnacle Geese, a flock of 10 Redshank was notable there, but I found nothing else of note there in horrendous conditions.

Shag from Dennis's hide

As I arrived at very wet RSPB reserve, DB told me that a Shag had been seen on Burrowes but had gone missing. When the rain eased a little I made a dash for the shelter of the Visitor Centre, shortly after I settled myself in there PK spotted the Shag in front the centre, I dashed to Dennis's hide where I had excellent views of the bird as it swam by. I returned to the visitor centre where a red head Smew flew by while I was waiting for the rain to abate, BB joined me as he had come to see the Shag, we went back to to Dennis's to look for it and to my astonishment there were 2 Shags there, after waiting nearly 2 years to see a Shag at Dungeness I see 3 in a day! Also on Burrowes a Kingfisher and a Great White Egret and the drake Smew was seen again by DB.
On the first pool past Boulderwall Farm a Slavonian Grebe, presumably yesterdays bird from Burrowes also another Great White Egret with another on the New Diggings.

2 Shags on Burrowes

3 of 21 Little Gulls past the boats this afternoon

This afternoon at the fishing boats with MH & DW:

14.00-15.40

Brent Goose: 4W
Teal: 37E   14W
Eider: 1W  adult fem
Red-throated Diver: 3W
Great-crested Grebe: N/C
Gannet: 65W
Cormorant: N/C
Little Gull: 21W
Kittiwake: 29W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1  3w feeding along shore line
Caspian Gull: 1 1w by the fish shack
Guillemot: 96W
Razorbill: 6W
Auk sp: 9W

The 1w Caspian Gull by the fish shack this afternoon