A walk around The Desert with AJG this morning yielded the almost resident group of Wheatears and Whinchats at the eastern end, while the bushes held a few Chiffchaffs, Common Whitethroats and Tits also a Grey Plover over. Around The Moat a Skylark and 3 more Wheatears were of note.
Sparrowhawk behind the sea watch hide
I had wander down to The Patch where a juv Little Gull among 100s of Black-headed Gulls was noted along with a handful of Common Terns. A Sparrowhawk flew into the power station grounds, while on the perimeter wall 3 Wheatears, 2 Black Redstarts and a Chiffchaff along with the ubiquitous Linnets and Pied Wagtails.
At the ARC just a Ruff and a Garganey of note this morning, though this afternoon 11 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Golden Plover had joined them.
At Scotney late morning all the usual feral Geese on the sward along with 41 Curlew, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Merlin.
Whinchat Denge Marsh Gully
Lunchtime in Denge Marsh Gully 5 more Wheatears and 2 Whinchats of note. On Denge Marsh 2 Great White Egrets, an Avocet, 4 Dunlin and a Ruff were noted.
Back at Scotney a Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, a Redshank 18 Yellow Wagtails, a Hobby and 2 Black-tailed godwits were all seen in a failed attempt to see the very brief Red-necked Phalarope.
Unusual record of 14 Pink-footed Geese flying west down channel this afternoon
16.00-16.50 with AJG at the fishing boats:
Pink-footed Goose: 14 down
Eider: 1 around
Gannet: 12 around
Cormorant: present N/C
Oystercatcher: 2 up
Arctic Skua 12 down
Kittiwake: 1 down
Common Tern: 2 down
Sandwich Tern: 136 down
Late afternoon I went to the boardwalk to have another look at the Grey Phalarope which was showing very well, best of all I had it all to my self, I was very restrained and resisted the temptation to take yet more pictures of it, probably more because the light was very poor.
Just a few more images of the Grey Phalarope
