Thunderstorms bring in the Slavonian Grebes!

After a night of non stop thunderstorms I arrived at the fishing boats at c08.45, it was still raining, just not quite so hard. After 15 minutes I'd logged just a handful of Gannets and Kittiwakes tooing and froing, when yet another thunderstorm rolled in from the channel cutting visibility to zero.

  

 Goldcrest Dengemarsh Gully

After another breakfast the rain had eased a little. I drove down the rough track which is now a lake to Dengemarsh Gully. In the Gully a single Goldcrest and several Blackbirds and Robins also a small flock of Linnets.

 Scruffy Slavonian Grebe ARC

I went onto the reserve this afternoon to check out the Gull roost which I found to be non existent, My hope of checking the roosting Gulls from Makepiece were dashed when I went into Dennis's hide and could see that the islands in front of Makepiece were just about submerged.

Late afternoon over the road on the ARC from Hanson a scruffy looking Slavonian Grebe was showing quite well in the gloom. Scanning the wildfowl flock which was constantly being harassed by 2 Marsh Harriers, I found another Slavonian Grebe, a much smarter looking individual, also 5 Goldeneye and on the margins 2 Great White Egrets. I was just about to leave as it was now almost dark, when presumably yesterdays Red Head Smew swam out of the reeds. 

 Smart Slavonian Grebe ARC

Red Head Smew at dusk ISO 2000