Dungeness - 1000hrs - From the boats a right old feeding frenzy just offshore involving hundreds of gulls, auks, Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants, plus a few Red-throated Divers, Gannets and Kittiwakes. A party of 11 Brents passed east and a seal popped it`s head up briefly.
ARC - 1100hrs - From Hanson a party of 33 Bewick`s Swans on the water, calling and head-bobbing and looking pretty as a picture in the winter sunshine as only they can. Wild swans are undeniably gorgeous creatures, handsome and evocative, that turn up on the Marsh for a few months in the winter from northern lands; funny how the boring old Mute Swan is given the cold shoulder by most birders ...
Still plenty of Wigeons, Shovelers, Gadwalls on the water/ice, plus a scattering of Teals, Shelducks, Goldeneyes, Pintail and a party of 13 Grey Plovers briefly. Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel also noted. Over the road on New Diggings 6 each of Ruddy Ducks, Smews and Goosanders.
On the way to and from Ashford drove via Botolph`s Bridge and surrounding lanes checking for yesterdays reported Sea-eagle... well, you never know...
Satellite - Kerton Road Cafe - one mild night and a moth comes to light, incredible!
A cracking birdwatching break with 95 species noted and some real quality winter birds for the visitors to saviour, including superb views of Bewick`s Swans, White-fronts, Great White Egret, Glossy Ibis, Long-tailed Duck, Smews, Goosanders, Bittern, auks, Marsh Harriers, Black Redstart, Ravens and Tree Sparrows. Birds conspicuous by their absence since the freeze-up were Little Egret, Golden Plover and Kingfisher. That said it always takes visiting birdwatchers to remind me how lucky we are down here with a wide range of species on offer in a small area, and not to take it for granted.
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