An Excellent Day!

As it was such a beautiful bright still winters morning with a touch of frost, instead of going down to the beach I went straight to Scotney GP. As soon as I parked I heard the familiar call of a Green Sandpiper which flew across the main lake to join another on the far bank. While watching them another familiar call of 4 Greater White-fronted Geese as they whiffled down to join a grazing flock of c100 Greylag Geese on the far bank, scanning through these I picked out 2 Pink-footed Geese among them, on the sward the flock of c180 Barnacle Geese were grazing with several 100s each of Lapwing and Golden Plover also 2 Ruff and 6 Curlew among them and I hadn't moved away from the car yet. I scanned the main lake looking for Grebes and Divers and not surprisingly found none and only a few Tufted Duck. It seems to me that ever since Brett's have been pumping water from their new excavations into the Sussex end of the main lake Grebe and Diver numbers have diminished, possibly clouding the lake or worse polluting it, I doubt we'll ever know. On the eastern lake a resting flock of Pochard, a Goldeneye and many Coot.

As I approached Scotney Farm a Pied Wagtail begged me to take its picture, several Tree Sparrows were feeding with Chaffinches on the edge of the road and around the farm machinery, a Black Redstart was fly catching from the fence line and the Little Owl was on the pallets. Interestingly I counted 18 Great-crested and 4 Little Grebes on the back eastern lake with at least 10 Cormorants feeding on it.

 1 of c12 Tree sparrows around the farm

 Black Redstart at the farm

 Common Buzzard eyeing up the Wigeon flock

By the western back lake a large flock of Wigeon were feeding on the lush grass with more Greylag Geese and Egyptian Geese, around the edges dozens of Shoveler with a few Shelduck, the Wigeon were spooked by a low flying Sparrowhawk. In the distance 1,000s of Golden Plover and Lapwing were being spooked by at least 1 Peregrine, 2 Marsh Harriers and another Common Buzzard. At the Sussex end of the back lakes the 2 Whooper Swans were with Mute Swans and another 6 Greater White-fronted Geese flew over towards the main lake.

Late morning I went back to Lade for another view of the Hume's Leaf Warbler which gave me some nice views as it foraged in the Sallows in the company of at least 2 Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, Blue and Great Tits, but once again I failed dismally to photograph it, though I didn't put to much time and effort into it, the Red-necked Grebe was still present but in the middle of the lake when I saw it.

Grey Heron feeding on worms in a flooded field at Dengemarsh this afternoon

Having a very late lunch at home I managed to pick out 4 Bewick Swans and 2 Barnacle Geese from the garden, also very distant views of the 2 Cattle Egrets.

Late afternoon I joined OL at Galloways, seeing a Stonechat and a couple of Snipe, then we walked out on the ranges to look for Harriers. As the light faded 3 Barn Owls and a Short-eared Owl were seen, then a male Hen Harrier was spotted and presumably roosted, also a Merlin and Common Buzzard were seen. A excellent end to a superb day.