A few finches

Saturday - Dungeness - mild, cloudy, w 2 - With the wind and rain abating we headed down to the point first thing for a wander. From the fishing boats at least 500 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, plus several Mediterranean Gulls, auks and Gannets coming and going. On the beach a trickle of Goldfinches, Greenfinches and a single Siskin overhead, our first of the year. On the land a few Skylarks, Mipits, Robins, Dunnocks and two Stonechats, plus a Chiffchaff in a private garden.
  At the Patch the two 1st winter Iceland Gulls and a Little Gull still present along with the usual melee of gulls over the boil including two more Mediterranean Gulls.
  A quick look in at the bird reserve revealed the drake Ring-necked Duck still on Cook`s Pool displaying amongst the Tufted Ducks. Also on the pool a large flock of Wigeon, 10 Teal, two Shelduck, Great White and Little Egrets, while on New Diggings two Slavonian Grebe.
  At Lade the two Great White Egrets and Slavonian Grebe remained on south lake.
Sunday - Dengemarsh-  cool, cloudy, breezy, sw 4 - After the rain band went through this morning we ventured out for a circuit of Dengemarsh. The expected Marsh Harriers were on the wing, plus Great White and Little Egrets, four White-fronts in amongst the Greylags, 100 Wigeon, 100 Lapwings, four Ruffs and a redhead Smew on the small pit by the back track. Four Corn Buntings, 10 Tree Sparrows, 10 Reed Buntings, 10 Mipits, 10 Pied Wagtails, four Cetti`s Warblers and 50 Linnets also noted around the route.