Dungeness - cool, sunny, NE 4 - Started the morning at Lade where the redhead Goldeneye was still on south lake along with 35 Tufted Ducks and six pairs of Great Crested Grebes. Moving onto Dungeness, where the wind was stronger than expected, and as a result the walk along the foreshore was virtually devoid of birds apart from a Cuckoo disturbed from cover by the boats. However, things picked up around the Sanctuary and new lighthouse where six Wheatears sought shelter from the wind around the cottages plus several pairs of Linnets, Common Whitethroats and Stonechat in adjacent scrub. Two Swallows hurried inland and a smart male Black Redstart burst into song; also noted here and elsewhere several each of Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a Reed Bunting. Next stop the reserve where two singing Garden Warblers at Tower pits were new for the year, as was a Common Tern over ARC lake from Screen hide, along with plenty of Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Sedge and Reed Warblers. The highlight of the morning though was over the road on the Boulderwall wetlands where a female Lapwing showed off her three tiny chicks close to the main gate, which according to the warden were the first of spring, plus four Avocets, two Redshanks, two Little Egrets, two Shelducks and the usual feral geese. Also noted during our wanderings a Brown Hare on the beach and several Small Coppers in sun-traps behind gorse thickets.
Over the weekend walkabouts around New Romney delivered more Sedge Warblers in the reed-fringed ditches, several singing Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Yellowhammers and a Corn Bunting plus two Tree Sparrows and a stream of Mediterranean Gulls over the town. Marsh Frogs were also in full voice and a dead Grass Snake along a lane was a sad first of the season. On Saturday afternoon a family visit to Park Wood, Appledore produced a calling Cuckoo and two singing Nightingales in Great Heron Wood.
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