Merlins

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, wnw2 - 0900hrs - Joined the Viz Mig Club on the concrete road for an hour, where the conversation was more lively than the viz mig; just a couple of Goldfinches, Redpolls and 5 Swallows over. At sea, a trickle of Gannets, a couple of divers, Kitts and a Med Gull. The Glaucous and Yellow-legged Gulls were in their usual fishing boat haunts and a smart female Merlin posed amongst the sea kale on the foreshore before being `moved on` by a Magpie.

                                           Merlin, Dungeness
ARC - 1200hrs - Fairly quiet from Hanson with only a large pack of Wigeon and Shoveler on show. Also, a couple of Lapwings and Golden Plovers, plus a Snipe, on the islands, and Long-tailed Tits and a Chiffchaff from the Willow Trail.
Dengemarsh - 1500hrs - Twelve Dunlins on the islands, Great White Egret and a large, mixed flock of Golden Plovers, Lapwings, Stock Doves and Starlings over the back fields. Raptors included 3 Marsh Harriers and another Merlin, this time chasing Linnets over the hay field. On the drive home noted another Merlin by the Kerton Road Cafe.