An Odd Duck & Jays

Scotney - 1000hrs - cool, cloudy, dry, nw2, sunny later - Picked up the Joker for a short mornings birding locally. Once again Chiffchaffs were much in evidence in both our gardens and elsewhere today. Following heavy overnight rain we decided to check out the fields beside the pits which were full of  birds: c1000 Golden Plovers, 500 Lapwings, Grey Lags, Woodpigeons, Starlings, 20 Barwits and 5 Curlews all busily feeding, plus plenty of hirundines over the water.
Dengemarsh - Onto the bird reserve where BP informed us of a Spoonbill on Burrowes, plus Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher at Christmas Dell. We had the Great White Egret on Dengemarsh, plus Marsh Harrier and all the usual common wildfowl.
Burrowes - A quick check for the Spoonbill from Dennis`s hide drew a blank, although a Common Sandpiper and 2 Common Terns noted.
ARC - From Hanson an odd dabbling duck caught our eye. Slightly larger and longer than Teal, so more Garganey size with a two-tone bill and reddish breast and underparts, but otherwise similar to Teal. A presumed hybrid, as couldn't find anything quite like it in Wildfowl, but if anyone has an opinion please e-mail me. My digi-pics arent up to much, but hopefully Plodding Birder should be posting some proper ones

                                          Teal type dabbling duck, ARC

                                         Scarce Bordered Straw, Kerton Road Cafe

No sign of the Pec Sand, but 2 Black Terns and a Black-necked Grebe remained from yesterday and plenty of Chiffchaffs in the willows.
PB reported a sprinkling of common migrants at the Point this morning; Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffs etc.
Jays have been on the move of late and I had 2 flying down the avenue in Littlestone this afternoon, while 2 at the Kerton Road Cafe this morning was a site first, where 2 Scarce Bordered Straws were trapped last night.
Finally, large numbers of Swallows were streaming over the cottage this evening heading south in clear, calm weather at last.