02/01/2023

Dartford Warblers at Scotney

A nice day weather wise for a change prompted me to have a wander around the Sussex end of Scotney this morning. The first surprise was flushing 9 Song Thrushes and several Blackbirds from the scrub as I walked up the western track, in the fields numerous Meadow Pipits with several singing Skylarks and at least 2 Marsh harriers quartering the ditches. Around and in the sand pit several Reed Buntings, Stonechats, Cetti's Warblers, Shelducks, 2 Ravens, a Great White Egret and 2 Dartford Warblers, disappointingly I did not see or hear a single Green Sandpiper which is usually guaranteed here, 1,000+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing were wheeling around probably being displaced by raptors, a low flock of low flying Geese that dis appeared below a bund looked like Greater White-fronted Geese, a short while later when I was scanning the Sward at the from of the lakes I spied a party of Whitefronts among the many feral Greylags and Canada Geese, also 12 Barnacle Geese, 4 Brent Geese, several Curlews and 1,000+ Wigeon there. 

Greater White-fronted Geese at Scotney

A glance into the Horse Paddocks as I drove past to the beach saw the 2 Glossy Ibis and 2 Cattle Egrets there. 

From the fishing boats 100s of Kittiwakes with smaller numbers of Gannets feeding distantly off shore, reasonable numbers of Red-throated Divers, Guillemots, Razorbills, Great-crested Grebes were feeding and tooing and froing, along with the 1,000s of Cormorants, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and the highlight a Black-throated Diver which flew West.

Out on Walland 53 Bewick Swans can usually be found in the Hawthorn Corner area, 3 Whooper Swans are usually in the field by Midley Cottages, 2 more Whoopers can usually be found at the south end of the ARC or in the fields at Cockles Bridge. I was going to look for the Green-winged Teal this afternoon but the reserve shut early as there was a problem with the water supply there, why this would necessitate the closure of the reserve I cannot fathom, 

Mediterranean Gull at the Fishing Boats

Some of the 53 Bewick Swans on Walland Marsh

2 Whooper swans at Cockles Bridge