Grey Partridge

Lade - 0800hrs - cold, sunny, ne 4 - In contrast to yesterday a nagging easterly wind returned this morning which steadily increased throughout the afternoon along with tumbling temperatures. A quiet session around the local patch with 5 Goldeneyes and a Great White Egret the highlight. I could find no sign of the Black-throated Diver despite checking all its favourite haunts. In the willow swamp calling Chiffchaff, Cetti`s Warbler and Water Rail.
Lydd - 1500hrs - Due to a drying wind the farmers were out in force this afternoon ploughing, which in turn gave access to large numbers of gulls, Starlings, Curlews, Goldies and Lapwings into the rich marsh soil. A drive along Caldicot Lane looked to be pretty hopeless as there was barely a bird in sight. However, as we paused by the chicken sheds, there in the adjacent field was a pair of Grey Partridges, my first of the year on the Marsh. Seven years ago when I first moved down here they were easy to see; at Lade, from the access road to the bird reserve, Galloways, Midley, Pigwell to name but a few sites, but not any more.
ARC - Finished off down at Screen hide from where 5 Smew, Bittern and Great White Egret noted. Large numbers of gulls were flooding onto the open water to clean up and prepare to roost having spent the day feeding on farmland. Three Marsh Harriers scuttled low over the lake, due to the blasting wind, heading towards the Oppen pits to roost.