It seems that today was my last look at the sea for sometime as the Dungeness Estate closed to cars this afternoon for the foreseeable future, perhaps I'll invest in an electric bicycle if it goes on to long.
Highlights of this mornings freezing sea watch was a Red-necked Grebe flying East into Lade Bay, also a juvenile drake and 3 female Eider flying West. There were still lots of Auks and Red-throated Divers but little else of note. The Patch was disappointing with few Gulls present as it was barely bubbling.
A lovely metal ringed male Black Redstart was briefly by the old lighthouse before disappearing into the power station. The Black-throated Diver was still on the New Diggings. A half hearted count of the Cormorants on Burrowes arrived at a figure of c4,700, even the Great Black-backed Gulls have been pushed off the islands by the Cormorants. The ARC was very quiet, with again no sign of the Dusky Warbler, a party of Long-tailed Tits being the highlight for me as the freezing fog descended.
While I was In the garden during a brief clear patch a flight of Russian White-fronted Geese flew low over me giving super views, I wasn't quick enough with the phone to record the lovely calls emanating from the flock.
Ringed Black Redstart by the old lighthouse
A superb Russian White-fronted Goose over the garden today
Part of the flock of Whitefronts flying back out onto Dengemarsh
