Deluge!

Eider past the fishing boats this morning

08.00-10.30 from the fishing boats with OL & AJG who collated the numbers.
Brent Goose: 2E
Teal: 12W
Common Scoter: 24W
Eider: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 48W
Great-crested Grebe: 57 around
Fulmar: 8W
Gannet: 140W
Cormorant: c200 around
Oystercatcher: 2E
Dunlin: 9W
Turnstone: 5 around
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Little Gull: 10W
Kittiwake: 46W
Guillemot: 168W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 61W
Grey Seal: 1 around

Slavonian Grebe from Dennis's Hide

By 10.30 the weather had deteriorated to a mere monsoon, despite plenty of bread being deployed there was no sign of the 1w Caspian Gull.
At Scotney the geese were hunkered down, so once again I was unable to find the Tundra Bean Goose among the 100s of Greylags.
As I arrived on the reserve a Slavonian Grebe flew in to Burrowes Pit which seemed to disappear as quickly as it arrived. I made my way to Scott hide, stopping to admire the Long-eared Owl on the way, and glimpsing a Chiffchaff at Firth. I spent a couple of hours in Scott mainly because the rain was so heavy I couldn't leave, although I did see 2 red head Smew, and plenty of dabbling ducks.

Stonechat at Christmas Dell

In a brief respite in the rain I walked to Dengemarsh seeing a Stonechat and a Great White Egret at Christmas Dell. I met MH in Dengemarsh Hide where we sat out another rain storm seeing 3 Marsh Harriers and another Great White Egret, fortunately MH had his car outside the hide and kindly ran me back to the visitor centre where we had a cup of tea as darkness fell.