Wind and Rain

With the rain lashing down and the wind howling, where else would I be but sitting in my car sea watching at The Point on Dungeness beach. At times the car felt as if would be blown over in some of the squalls. In 2.5 hrs  150+ each of Gannets and Kittiwakes moved west, also 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Sandwich Terns, c40 Auks, c30 Starlings in, a Merlin just offshore and 2+ Harbour Porpoises. As I drove back across the causeway a Great White Egret and 2 little Egrets were sheltering on the New Diggings.

 A soggy Glaucous Gull in its favoured puddle.

 Merlin just off shore

 At midday the wind seemingly strengthening I called it a day and headed over Walland, where the Whooper Swans were feeding reasonably close to the road. Little else was seen due to the wind.

A record shot of the Crossbill that Mike Buckland kindly informed me about at the pines yesterday taken in virtual darkness. This is the only Crossbill that I have seen on the peninsular that was not a fly over.