Thursday 9 February 2012

Bittern & Chiffchaffs

Lade - 0900hrs - cold, sunny, ne2 - Seemed a bit warmer this morning as the wind had backed off. The Desert looked a treat with the sunshine bouncing off the snowdrifts, where several Blackbirds and a SongThrush were rooting around in the broom. Three Goldeneyes on Lade south amongst the regular ducks was about it.
ARC - 1330hrs - Had a run out with CP and MH this afternoon. First stop the causeway road where a couple of Smews on New Ex and hundreds of Wigeons, Shovelers and Gadwalls on the ARC side. Further down towards Boulderwall we had cracking flight views of a Bittern flying over the road and into the reedbed at ARC, that duly performed again from Hanson later on by flying across the lake. From the hide hundreds of Wigeons, Shovelers, diving ducks, 3 Smews, 2 Shelducks and a Dunlin. Also, incredible views of 3 Chiffchaffs flitting through the reeds and hopping onto the ice, plus singles of Cetti`s Warbler and Water Rail. Walked the Willow Trail for Woodcock without success but did note a few Blackbirds, Wrens and Robins, Redwing and Great Tit.
On the way out bumped into and had a natter with Martin Garner (former Bedfordshire birder) who was in the county to give a talk this evening for KOS in Maidstone.

                                          Lade Desert                                         

                                           Smew and Wigeons

Dungeness - 1510hrs Finished off with a 45 minute seawatch from the concrete road where the highlights were 2 adult Little Gulls, 20 Red-throated Divers, plus a few auks, Kitts, Gannets and a Shelduck.

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