Spring sunshine

Dungeness  - 0830hrs - cold, dry, sunny, w 2 - There was no real change from yesterday along the beach with Black Redstart, Skylark and Pied Wagtail still present, plus good views of a Merlin hunting around the fishing boats. Offshore there was around 600 Great Crested Grebes on the sea.

                                Black Redstart, Dungeness

Galloways - From the range road the two Cattle Egrets were just about in view behind the chicken sheds. Over on the Brett`s pit side of the circular road we parked up and walked the fence line taking in the gorse thickets on the army land where at least eight Cetti`s Warbler were in song along with several Reed Buntings, Chaffinches, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks and Stonechats. A Raven sat atop one of the pylons while a Green Woodpecker and Mistle Thrush flew over.

                                Raven, Galloways

Scotney - A decent enough session here with a Black-necked Grebe on the road side pit along with three White-fronted Geese and all the expected common wildfowl. The walk out back yielded singing Tree Sparrows, Pied Wagtails, Corn and Reed Buntings, Skylarks and Mipits in the linseed fields, plus distant Buzzards and Marsh Harriers over towards the wind farm. On the new pits 12 Avocets, 30 Shelducks, 20 Pintails, five Egyptian Geese and the wintering Scaup amongst plenty more common wildfowl, Redshanks, Oystercatchers and four Little Egrets.

                                Corn Bunting, Scotney

                                Spring lamb, Scotney

                               Sunbathing Starlings

Lade - Whilst working in the garden this afternoon the local Herring Gulls went ballistic as two Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk headed north along the coast.