Bright and Cold!

A very cold watch from the fishing boats 08.10-09.20

Eider: 1 drake down

Red-throated Diver: 2 up

Gannet: 72 down    19 up

Turnstone: 18 on beach

Pomarine Skua: 1 down

Kittiwake: 32 down

Auks: 16 down  4 up

At The Patch 1,000s each of Black-headed and Herring Gulls despite much disturbance, but could not find anything of note.

The 2 Cattle Egrets were back in the field opposite Wraxhalls Aggregates today joined by a Little Egret.

Staring into the bright sunshine on Walland Marsh this afternoon, the Whooper Swan among 86 Bewick Swans, 2 Common Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier over. Tree Sparrows, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers in the usual spots.
At Scotney the 3 Black-necked Grebes and drake Scaup still, along with the feral Geese and 140+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese
Around the reserve a minimum of 4 Great White Egrets, 2 Goosander, 2 Kingfishers, 11 Smew, 4+ Marsh Harriers, c200 Golden Plover, a Peregrine and the usual Wildfowl. An hour late afternoon at the ARC from Hanson saw 2 Bitterns, a Great White Egret, 11 Goldeneye and 2 Smew of note.

The drake Smew still performing!