05/05/2025

Grey Heron coming in off the sea early morning and leaving a calling card on the beach

As I drove over the causeway early this morning the frost warning light came on in the car, with a stiff Northerly wind it was very cold in the sea watch hide.

06.45-08.45 from the hide with OL et al

Common Scoter: 3E

Great-crested Grebe: 19 present  

Oystercatcher: 7E

Whimbrel: 24E

Knot: 6E

Little Tern: 6W

Commic Tern: 18W

Common Tern: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 16E      42W

Kittiwake: 1W   

Black-headed Gull: 7E

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Auk sp: 1E

Red-throated Diver: 3E   

Gannet: 6E   18W 

Cormorant: present N/C

Grey Heron: 1 in off the sea

Swallow: 27 In off the sea

House Martin: 3 In off the sea

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

I was going to go out the back of Scotney after breakfast but the wind was so strong I stayed home and got domestic tasks done instead.

When the sun was shining this afternoon I counted 14 Hobbys over Denge Marsh, most of them were very high so I probably missed the Red-footed Falcon if indeed there was one present. 😞

I counted at least 12 Lapwing chicks in Hayfield 1 & 3 but strongly suspect several more were present but hidden in the vegetation.

Lapwing and chick

It seems there were few birders out braving the cold weather looking for birds, but I was assured by Jacob that the trapping area, Desert and Long pits were avian free zones today.