Dungeness - A quick scan from the seawatch hide produced the usual Kittiwakes, Gannets, auks, divers and grebes offshore, plus 8 Brents up-Channel. From the fishing boats more of the same, plus the Glaucous Gull on the shingle.
PM - A run round this afternoon produced a few bits and pieces. From the causeway road a Slavonian Grebe had joined the long-staying Black-throated Diver on New Diggings. Over the road hundreds of Gadwalls, Shovelers and Teal, plus 3 Shelducks. At Scotney the fields were full of Barnacle Geese, Wigeons, Teal and Lapwings and more Shelducks. The flooded fields around the range road were packed with Common and Black-headed Gulls, plus a flyover Bittern on Brett`s Marina.
The hayfield at Dengemarsh was also flooded and stacked out with dabbling ducks and Lapwings, 2 Little Egrets and a Kestrel. Along the access road a very confiding fox posed on a shingle ridge and a Great White Egret flew over. In the visitors centre I joined the Gull Appreciation Club (DW and PB) scanning the Larids on Burrowes. They`d already sorted out a 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull which was soon joined by a full adult; a Caspian had been seen earlier. Also, a Peregrine and a couple of Marsh Harriers, while elsewhere on Burrowes several Smew and Goosanders, plus all the usual winter wildfowl.
Lade - Finished up at the aerial mound for the roost which comprised a lot more Blackbirds and Song Thrushes coming in, alongside all the usual Woodpigeons, 35 Magpies, a few Starlings and 3 Little Egrets. Plenty of noise from the Water Rails and a group of Magpies were mobbing `something` over by the `mirror`; one of these days they`ll put me onto a Leo...
Sunrise over Lade Bay - For about 10 minutes it was like another world.
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