Saturday 18/01/2020

07:30-09:00 from the sea watch hide with SO, Brian, Russ & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Red-throated Diver: 14W  29E
Great-crested Grebe: 3E
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 133W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 2E
Kittiwake: 627W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 1W
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot:160E   67W
Razorbill: 3E    24W
Auk sp: 263E    323W

Black Redstart Scotney Farm

I joined AJG and SO in wander around Scotney where on the main lake the 5 Long-tailed Ducks were viewed from the double bends along with all the usual feral geese that were grazing and resting on the sward. A Green Sandpiper was at the Kent end of the lake with a couple of Redshanks.

Around the back of the lakes Corn, Reed Buntings and Skylarks were noted along with 100s of Linnets and Chaffinches but sadly not a single Tree Sparrow was found, 1,000s each of Golden Plover,Lapwing and a few Curlew were being chivied by Common Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Kestrels, a smart male Merlin and a Sparrowhawk.

 All 23 of the Bewick Swans at Midley this afternoon

The Bewick Swans were showing well at Midley, Walland Marsh this afternoon, as well as many Fieldfares but no Redwings and very little else. I walked out from the Woolpack to the wind turbines and found it to be virtually an avian free zone.

 Many Fieldfares in the fields near Midley

8 Ruff coming into Burrowes to roost after sunset this evening

Late afternoon and early evening on the reserve the Smew was at the end of Tanners Pool along with 2 Great White Egrets, On Burrowes * Ruff and 14 Black-tailed Godwits came into roost, disappointingly few Gulls came in and nothing of note among the few that did.

2 Little Owls were by the watch towers at Lydd Camp viewed from Galloways Road per SO.