Snow Bunting

A very dull grey morning at The Point this morning. In an hour looking out to sea  7 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Fulmar, 16 Common Scoter w +8E, 28 Auk sp w + 56E, 6+ Kittiwakes off shore with a few Gannets and c300 Starlings in off.

With sea watching being so slow and having been told yesterday by CT that a Snow Bunting had been seen at Littlestone golf course I decided and look for it. I parked at Littlestone and walked east along the sea wall. As it was high tide and flat calm a dozen or more Great Crested Grebes could be seen along with 4 Red-throated Divers, 2 Common Scoter and 2 Guillemots could be seen feeding. Along the tide line 8 Grey Plovers, 12 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin and 43 Turnstone. Along the top of the beach 8 Pied Wagtails and 4 Meadow Pipits feeding on numerous spiderlings that covered the sea wall. Reaching St Marys Bay end of the golf course and no sign of the Snow Bunting I decided to walk back along the rough track on the inside of the sea wall. After about 150mts I nearly trod on the Snow Bunting before I saw it. It was very obliging walking within a couple of feet of me as I sat on the sea wall. In the second image you can see the difference in the amount of white in the wings.  

Trying not to step on it

 Making my way back to The Point the Glaucous Gull and Yellow legged Gull were in there usual spot but no change on the sea. As the rain started I went to the ARC and sat in Hanson for a while where the highlights were another adult Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Goldeneye, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 Water Rails and 2 Chiffchaffs.

I really must stop photographing this bird

As the rain eased I went to Scotney where the feral Barnacle Geese were still present and at the East Sussex end the Common Crane was still present but distant. Driving back across Walland Marsh the 2 Whooper Swans still present with the Mute Swans. While scanning the Swans a Merlin shot through and 2 Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzard drifted over. In Tickners Lane c200 Fieldfare in the Hawthorns.