Goosander, a terrible pic of todays bird scarce on sea watches at Dungeness.
A cold, damp, dark and dreary day started with a quick look at the 2 Cattle Egrets that seem to have taken up residence in the field opposite Wraxalls Aggregates, Dengemarsh road, Lydd. Next stop The Point where I could sea watch from the relative comfort of the car.
Teal: 5 up
Comon Scoter: 9 down 3 up
Goosander: 1 up
Red-throated Diver: 11 up 7 down 2 on sea
Gannet: 373 up
Merlin: 1 up
Oystercatcher: 3 up
Great Skua: 1 down
Little Gull: 1 down
Sandwich Tern: 1 up
Kittiwake: 58 up
Guillemot: 2 on sea
Auk sp: 38 down 14 up
A short wander around the sea containers looking for skulking passerines found none.
Another walk along the beach from Romney Sands Caravan Park to the Varne and back, found only 2 Meadow Pipits in the dunes, on the sands large numbers of Oystercatchers.
At Scotney 2 Black-tailed Godwits were new on the sward, joining the Lapwings, Golden Plovers, 4 Redshanks, a Dunlin and 100s of grazing Wigeon. By 15.30 it was dark.
At the south end of the ARC c150 Gadwall, c70 Pochard, c50 Shoveler, 2 Great White Egrets and a Marsh Harrier.
On the New Diggings from The Causeway another 2 Great White Egrets and a little Egret.
From Hanson 3 Goldeneye, another Great White Egret and a Little Egret.
On the reserve from Dennis's Hide 4 more Great white Egrets and a Goosander.
I joined MH in Makepeace where he spotted a Red-crested Pochard, also seen 2 more Goosander, several 100s of Wigeon, c30 Pintail and 2 Marsh Harriers.