Short-eared Owl

Lade - 0730hrs - mild, sunny, se 2, rainy later - The perfect morning for a slog across the shingle to Mockmill Sewer to look for Rouzels. En-route plenty of Swallows, House Martins and Mipits pressing southwards with more Mipits grounded on the shingle ridges. However the sewer was quiet with only a few Reed Buntings, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a Stonechat of note, but there was no sign of any thrushes whatsoever. As we reached a patch of juncus and tussock grass (which always looks good for a Corncrake) in went Barney and out popped a surprised looking Short-eared Owl ! It wasn't on the wing for long before flopping back down in the rough ground behind the `mirrors` and was the first of the autumn here.
On south lake over 600 Grey Lags flew in to join a similar number of Coots and hundreds more common wildfowl. On the walk back home a party of 5 Siskins over were also new for the season.

                                Owl-flusher

                                Lade `Mirrors`

Dungeness - 1430hrs - A seawatch from the concrete road was once again disappointing by Dunge standards with only a few Gannets, Sandwich Terns, Brents and scoters on the move. One or two pulses of Swallows went out between the showers and a Merlin fizzed along the beach.
RSPB - A scout around the pines and Tower pits for this mornings Rouzels drew a blank. All we could muster up were a few Chiffs, Mipits and Robins, 50 Stock Doves, 2 Blackcaps, Green Woodpecker and a Marsh Harrier. On ARC, Pectoral Sandpiper, Little Stint and Greenshank.
Checked the scrub along the access road but only Stonechats and Mipits here.
From the VC 2 close Little Stints, Ruff, Blackwit, Little Gull and a Merlin over.
The 6 GWEgrets were on the sightings board for Burrowes along with 5 Black-necked Grebes.