Buzzards

 07.20 this morning and 6 Waxwings still in their favourite Alder Tree looking stunning against the blue sky, I couldn't resist taking a couple more snaps of them.

 A quick call to AJG let me know that there was little sea passage at Dungeness this morning, so I diverted to Park Wood to see Marsh Tits and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and failed on both accounts. However all the other usual woodland birds were seen as well as 2 Common Buzzards and a Raven Kronking over the wood. Also I noted the shoe tree has had some additions!

                                            A Shoe Tree what is that about?
Moving on to Dungeness a text about a Jack Snipe by the track to Hanson had me stop at the ARC car park, where nobody had seen it or new anyone who had. As I was there I wandered up to the tower and round the pits where 5 Common Snipe, Several Cetti's Warblers, Reed buntings and 2 Green Woodpeckers were seen. Overhead 7 Common Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier spiralled up into the stratosphere and 2 more Marsh Harriers displayed over the fishing pits and a Bittern flew over to Boulderwall. Back at the car park 30+ Tree Sparrows were in the bushes.
An hours sea watch 12.30-13.30:
Red-throated Diver: 93E  2W
Gannet: 63E
Brent Goose: 18E
Shelduck: 2E
Common Scoter: 7E  5W
Kittiwake: 17E
Auk sp: 35E  16W
3W Glaucous Gull on the beach.

                                                    Pre-Packed fresh Lamb!
 A couple of hours spent this afternoon with MH, we went to Dengemarsh Hide which was predictably quiet the highlights being 6 Barnacle Geese and 2 Marsh Harriers. From there we went round to Brickwall Farm where the the highlight was the polythene coated lambs, never seen that before.
A drive along Caldicott Lane drew a blank on Little Owl and Grey Partridge, so we made our way to the Screen hide seeing the female Red-crested Pochard on its usual lake, From the hide 2 Bitterns one of which fished in the open, a Great White Egret, 10 Smew (2 drakes), 6 Goldeneye, a Chiffchaff and 2 more Marsh Harriers.

Driving back across Walland I was unable to find any wild Swans. There are still plenty of winter Thrushes in the fields and the feeding station at Bayland Farm was alive with Tree Sparrow and Finches. At Midley a Barn Owl flew across the road, at Tickners Lane seed dump 16 Corn Buntings, 20+ Yellowhammers with a few Reed Buntings, also 20+ Chaffinches and to finish the day 2 more Common Buzzards. Where else in Britain can see all this and more in a day!