Purple Sandpiper!

First light at Scotney GP was very quiet with just a Curlew and c40 Golden Plover of note.

On Walland c100 Golden Plover opposite Midley Barns, at Baynham Farm a handful of Tree Sparrows, with a few Chaffinches and Greenfinches, a disappointing drive around the marsh found it to be ornithologically barren, with all the fields ploughed up to edges or turned over to turf, even long standing rough areas ploughed, so much for the farmers being the stewards of the countryside.    

09.45-11.15 from the sea watch hide:

Brent Goose: 7 down    13 up

Common Scoter: 1 down

Red-throated Diver: 3 down     2 up

Great-crested grebe: 5 around

Gannet: c150 feeding off shore

Purple Sandpiper: 1 down

Great Skua: 2 up

Mediterranean Gull: 68 around

Kittiwake: c350 around

Guillemot: 2 on sea

Razorbill: 1 on sea

Auk sp: 17 up    9 down

Blackbird: 1 in

Starling: 350 in

Earlier a Velvet Scoter and 3 Sandwich terns were seen per AJG.

 Purple Sandpiper Denge Marsh Gully

On the fields opposite Herons Park c200 Golden Plover with c200 Lapwing. From Springfield Bridge the Cattle Egret distantly with the cattle, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Ruff of note. At the bottom of Denge Marsh Gully a Purple Sandpiper showing well on the Groyne, presumably the bird that flew past the sea watching hide.

 Dartford Warbler

 This afternoon 3 Dartford Warblers around the lighthouse area with 5 Stonechats.

Frosty  Stonechat

14.50-15.20 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 37 down     5 up
Common Scoter: 20 down
Eider: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 2 on sea
Gannet: c20 off shore
Turnstone: 1 on beach
Kittiwake: 9 around
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Auk sp: 8 down
Common Seal: 1

Late afternoon from the causeway 7 Great White Egrets could be seen. On the reserve a 1w Caspian Gull came into a small roost viewable from Makepiece.