2 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 red head Smew seen on The New Diggings this morning while on my way to the beach. 

Black-necked Grebe, New Diggings taken with the happy snapper this morning.

In 2 sea watches today 07.45-09.00 & 13.50-15.40:
Brent Goose: 47E
Common Scoter: 12E     6W
Velvet Scoter: 3E
Eider: 3E
Red-throated Diver: 32E      3W     2 on sea
Great-crested Grebe: 105 on sea
Gannet: 19E      2W
Cormorant: present N/C
Oystercatcher: 8E
Kittiwake: 10E     3W
Guillemot: 8E       15 on sea
Auk sp: 67E     2W
Black Redstart: 2 on perimeter fence
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
A wander around Scotney found 2 Great White Egrets on the back lakes, also 2 Avocet, 4 Pintail and a few Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall and Shoveller. On the fields several each of Skylarks, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and a Marsh Harrier.
Another Great White Egret from the entrance track of the reserve, while on Burrowes 3 more Smew, 8+ Goldeneye, 100s of Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck and Pochard.

1 of 3 around the car park

Another day of cold Northerly winds with sleet, hail and rain showers. A stop at the New Diggings on my way to the beach saw both Slavonian and both Black-necked Grebes.

At The Patch the bulk of the c1,000 Gulls was made up of Black-headed Gulls, I was unable again to find any of the more unusual Gulls. On the sea the usual Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants, with a few Red-throated Divers and Gannets tooing and froing. Back at the car park 3 Black Redstarts were chasing around. At least 1 was ringed so they probably resident birds. Very little in the lighthouse garden though 2 Blue Tits dropped out of the sky pausing briefly before heading off north along the peninsula.

A walk from the ARC car park to the pines saw of note 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Common Snipe, 3 Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a red head Smew on the top tower pit. 

At a bleak Scotney a few Ringed Plovers and Meadow pipits on the sward was a poor highlight. 

Most the rest of the day was taken up with domestic stuff, though a short visit to Dennis's hide saw 7 Goldeneye, 3 Smew including the drake and a couple of Marsh Harriers.

 Still showing well.

A quick spin around the reserve this morning the Long-eared Owl was still insitu at the Dipping Pool, on Burrowes 4 Smew including the drake and 10 Goldeneye, Great White Egret at Christmas Dell, another at Dengemarsh and another at Boulderwall, 3+ Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards and a Peregrine probably accounted for the lack of waders and wildfowl in the fields. Cetti's Warblers were singing all around the reserve also 2 Chiffchaffs noted.

 Missing my proper camera & lense!

On the new Diggings the 2 Slavonian Grebes were showing well by the causeway this morning, this afternoon the 2 Black-necked Grebes were there as well.

Herring Gull U5NT

This morning and again this afternoon the northerly winds meant the sea was very quiet. The usual Grebes and Cormorants, with a few each of Guillemot and Gannet. A North Thames ringed Herring Gull U5NT was a new bird for me.

An early afternoon walk around Scotney was pleasant in the sunshine, avian wise it was very poor, there were 4 more North Thames ringed Herring Gulls on the eastern causeway, unfortunately just to far away to read in the windy conditions. 

Another day of cold North Westerlies. As expected nothing moving at sea but still plenty of Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants with a sprinkling of Red-throated Divers off shore.

Very quiet still around the trapping area, a single Firecrest seen and 2 Song Thrushes of note. Around the power station a Peregrine and a male Black Redstart.

At the south end of the New Diggings 2 Slavonian Grebes and a Black-necked Grebe of note.

A Peregrine sitting on the Sward at Scotney meant that there were no waders or wildfowl there.

A walk along the sea wall from Jurys Gap to Galloways and back was bracing and not very productive, c70 Wigeon, 32 Shelduck, 14 Shoveler, 8 Teal, 3 Pintail, 17 Mallard and 6 Redshank on the Midrips/Wicks. Passerines were few and far between with only 4 Meadow Pipits, 3 Reed Buntings and 5 Pied Wagtails. A Marsh Harrier livened up a very damp walk back.

The new sea defences from Jurys Gap to Camber.

 Wind Farm behind Scotney

As a brisk North West wind was blowing first thing this morning I gave the sea watch a miss, instead I walked around the back of Scotney in the glorious sunshine though without any expectations. A pair of Peregrines were feeding on what looked like a Wood Pigeon, a Raven was feeding on a dead Sheep while fending off the attentions of several Crows and Magpies, 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting along the ditches and flushed a Green Sandpiper, several Skylarks and Corn Buntings were chasing around and singing, Reed Buntings were singing from the Reed fringed ditches, a pair of Stonechats were flycatching. Around the derelict buildings 8 Tree Sparrows, a charm of 30+ Goldfinches being watched by a male Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel caught a Vole and a Peacock butterfly was basking by the barn.  

 Peacock at Scotney

Around the reserve 2 red head Smew on Boulderwall Pools, 2 more on Burrowes also a drake, another at the South end of the ARC and 2 more on New Diggings with 2 Black-necked Grebes. The Long-eared Owl was again showing very well behind the Dipping Pool while 2 Sparrowhawks were duelling overhead.

An afternoon walk out the back of the ARC out to the mirrors was hard going, the highlights being a Jack Snipe, 4 Common Snipe, 2 Marsh Harriers another Sparrowhawk, a pair of Stonechats and a sleepy Fox.
A short watch from the fishing boats saw absolutely nothing moving but plenty of Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants on the sea.
Late afternoon at Scotney 30+ Golden plover on the sward with c150 Lapwing, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 4 Curlew and 2 Redshank also the feral Barnacle Goose flock.

Sleepy Fox neat the Mirrors

This morning a truly forgettable hour in the sea watch hide this morning where I was joined briefly by PT and Barney. The 7-8 Westerly wind made some huge waves off shore cut certainly didn't encourage any movement.

08.00-09.00

Common Scoter: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 10E  2W

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 3E

Kittiwake: 2E

Auk sp: 4E

Another hour spent between the fishing boats and Lifeboat Station, once again no sign of the Glaucous Gull, the only notable bird I saw was a North Thames colour ringed Herring Gull K9PT.
A walk around a windswept Scotney complex was bracing, most the wildfowl was cowering from the wind in the shelter afforded by the banks. On the sward 12 Ringed Plovers and 11 Dunlin were feeding in the puddles with the feral Barnacle Geese. Fortunately I was at home having lunch when the hail storm and sleet showers came through.
Mid afternoon at the ARC a Bittern flew across the lake as did a Great White Egret and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Chiffchaff was in the pines. A Common Snipe was feeding in front the Screen and 3 Goldeneye were on the lake.
Late afternoon on the reserve the Long-eared Owl was showing well behind the Dipping Pool, from Scott hide a Kingfisher was noted, a red head Smew was among c100 Shoveler in the lee of the Willows, a Marsh harrier made several unsuccessful attempts at catching a Coot.

The Long-eared Owl showing well this afternoon as I only had my happy snapper.

Coulor ringed Caspian Gull!

This morning it was Cold, Wet, WSW 5-7 with poor visibility, can’t think why I had the sea watch hide to myself.

08.00-11.00:

Brent Goose: 120E

Red-throated Diver: 94E

Great-crested Grebe: c30 on sea

Fulmar: 6E   1W

Gannet: 5E    2W

Kittiwake: 3E    2W

Sandwich Tern: 1 feeding o/s

Guillemot: 26E     4 on sea

Auk sp: 8E   3W

Harbour Porpoise: 1 o/s

When the weather finally cleared late afternoon, a visit to Scotney paid dividends when a colour ringed 2w Caspian Gull dropped in. Very little else was seen in this visit. The image below was taken with my happy snapper as my proper camera and lense is in for a much needed service.

2w Caspian Gull XDEF

As OL was braving the strong cold North East wind on The Point this morning I decided to be equally silly and wander around the Scotney complex. The birding was very thin fare, the highlights being 2 Black-necked grebes on the main pit, 11 Dunlin,16 Ringed Plover and 2 Curlew on the sward and the feral Barnacle Goose flock at the double bends. At the back of Scotney I had difficulty seeing with the amount of dust being blasted off  the fields in the wind.

Next I walked around the reserve, I couldn't find the Long-eared Owls at the Dipping Pool, Burrowes was very windswept so it was not till I reached Dengemarsh did I see anything of note, a Great White Egret. I stopped at the view point but quickly moved on due to the wind, reaching the entrance track pools 4 Smew including the drake could be seen. Making my way back to the car park along the entrance track was unpleasant due the dust being blasted off the track by the wind, when ever a car came past it was even worse.

At the New Diggings the 2 Black-necked Grebes and the 2 Slavonian Grebes were still present.

In a short visit to the beach this afternoon I was surprised to learn that the 1w Glaucous Gull had not been seen at all today the first time since the 14th January. Offshore a few Red-throated Divers and Auks were tooing and froing.

 These images were taken early yesterday morning

Hen Harrier!

 Stopping at the New Diggings on my way to the fishing boats the 2 Slavonian Grebes could be seen but not the Black-necked Grebes.
At the fishing boats the 1w Glaucous Gull was again showing well. In the bitterly cold easterly wind several Red-throated Divers were tooing and froing off shore, along with a few each of Gannet and Great-crested Grebe.
In wander around the Long Pits a Woodcock was flushed, a Cetti's Warbler was chattering at the causeway, 22 Coot and a Moorhen were on the pits,a few Robins, Blackbirds and Great Tits were in the bushes.

 A visit to Lydd water treatment works payed off with superb views of a Male Hen Harrier though little else was seen.

At Scotney the 2 Black-necked Grebes still sheltering under the far bank, on the sward 19 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 3 Redshank and 4 Curlew were of note.
Back at the beach the Glaucous Gull was performing for the cameras, but still nothing moving off shore.

Grebes!

As a gentle SE wind was forecast for this morning I went to the relative comfort of the sea watch hide where a few bits and pieces were seen but no real movement. 

07.10-08.10:

Brent Goose: 6E

Wigeon: 2E

Common Scoter: 6E

Red-throated Diver: 22E   3W   4 on sea

Great-crested Grebe: c300 on sea

Gannet: 27E

Cormorant: many present

Oystercatcher: 3W

Peregrine: 2 present

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Guillemot: 14 on sea

Black Redstart: 2 present

A walk around The Moat found 3 Song Thrushes, a few Blackbirds and the usual Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens and House Sparrows.

At the fishing boats the 1w Glaucous Gull showing well still, but again no sign of the 1w Caspian Gull.

 Black-necked Grebes on the New Diggings

On the New Diggings 2 Black-necked Grebes as well as 2 Slavonian Grebes were of note. At Boulderwall Farm, 2 Great White Egrets, c200 Golden Plover and 20+ Dunlin among the many Lapwings.

 The 2 Long-eared Owls at the Dipping Pool  just!

The Brute!

Back at the beach this afternoon the Glaucous Gull still. Despite a couple of loaves still no sign of the 1w Caspian Gull. On the sea many Great-crested Grebes, a few Red-throated Divers and Guillemots and 3 more Brent Geese flew east.

Late afternoon at Scotney the 2 Black-necked Grebes still, c150 Wigeon, 2 Marsh Harriers, 8 Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin, 8 Curlew, 3 Redshank and 6 Oystercatchers were all noted. 

This evening BM watched the ARC Egret roost and recorded 5 Great White Egrets and 21 Little Egrets.