9-10/01/2020

Thursday

On Thursday a thoroughly miserable day with constant drizzle and some heavy rain blown in on a strong SW wind.
08.20-10.20 from the sea watch hide joined by OL:
Common Scoter: 2W
Red-throated Diver: 34W   4E
Fulmar: 3W   2E
Gannet: 452W
Cormorant: present n/c
Great Skua: 2W
Kittiwake: 57W
Mediterranean Gull: 2W
Guillemot: 559W
Razorbill: 43W
There were a pair Peregrines over the power station and a female Sparrowhawk over the car park.
No sign of the Smew on Tanners Pool, but it"s probably still around the back of Hookers, but I wasn't going to venture out around there in the poor weather.
As I drove to Scotney a Merlin whizzed across the road right in front of me, at Scotney the usual many Lapwing, Golden Plover and Wigeon but I couldn't find any of the Long-tailed Ducks. With the weather getting worse the lure of a cup of tea was enough for me to give up for the day.

Friday

With builders work going on at home to today my time out was limited. An early morning walk down the Lydd to Dungeness footpath to view the Geese sadly found no Tundra Bean Geese, just several 100s of Greylag, Egyptian, Canada, 2 Brent and a Barnacle Goose. Marsh Harriers and a Merlin were spooking the Lapwing and Golden Plover.

At Scotney I did find 2 of the Long-tailed Ducks, though 3 were seen by SM, the usual Wigeon flock, Golden Plover, Lapwing and feral Geese were also there.

Late afternoon 9 Great White Egrets went to roost at the ARC along with 14 Little Egrets.

The drake Smew was at Hookers per PB.