Slav Grebe & 2 Scripits

Lade - 0900hrs - cold, grey and miserable, nw2 - Still a few Chaffinches knocking around, plus Goldcrest and Chiffchaff in the garden and a couple of Mipits over. On south pit a pair of Oystercatchers had taken up residence on the scaffold island.
RSPB - 1000hrs - Picked up MH for a mornings tour around the bird reserve. First stop the causeway road to look for the reported Slavonian Grebe, (which we eventually saw from Hanson) where 5 Smews, 1 xxxxx Duck and the Great White Egret on New Diggings. Plenty of Tree Sparrow activity around the car park plus several Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and Great Tits. From Hanson had poor views of the Slav Grebe which was the first this winter on the reserve. Hundreds of common wildfowl on the water.
Over the road 5 Marsh Harriers, 50 Goldies and 2 Pintails at Dengemarsh, Long-tailed Duck on Burrowes (where 2 Caspian Gulls reported) and several Green Woodpeckers from the access road.
At the southern end of ARC, 2 Scandinavian Rock Pipits (aka Scripits) showed well, along  with 8 alba wagtails.

                                          Slavonian Grebe, ARC - desperate record shot

                                           Goldeneye, ARC