Hooded Crow

Lade - 0600hrs - cool, sunny, n 3 - A bright start to the day, but nippy in the northerly airflow. We worked our way up Mockmill sewer which was full of singing Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats and Linnets, plus Stonechat and Reed Bunting. Cuckoo and Lesser Whitethroat noted behind the `mirror`s, while Grey Plover and Med Gull went over calling. Not much on the water apart from the usual wildfowl, plus a party of Swallows and a Swift heading north. Met MB et al by the aerial who`d looked for the Red-rumper on north lake without success, and also reported the sea to be a dead loss early on.
Dungeness - We made a diversion onto the estate this afternoon, on the way back from the allotment, where DB had found a Hooded Crow, which is somewhat of a rarity in these parts and an odd time of year for one to turn up. Anyhow, it was well received and settled down on the shingle ridges to feed.

                               Hooded Crow, Dungeness

Lade - Checked out the gravel pit this afternoon where 30 each of Curlew and Oystercatcher were sitting out the tide. A Dabchick with young was also of note. On north lake a small party of hirundines were hawking insects high over the willow swamp. Another scan from the aerial mound yielded a Great White Egret over heading inland towards Lydd.
Apparently there was a small influx of GW Egrets today across the peninsula, plus two Glossy Ibises that eventually settled down on Dengemarsh (per SB & PB).