Bitterns

Dungeness  - 0900hrs - cold, showery, sw 2 - An hour from the seawatch hide produced hundreds of gulls moving west along the shore, plus a trickle of Kittiwakes and auks further out; also five Little Gulls, 24 Red-throated Divers, 2 Gannets and a Common Scoter.
By the time we got to the trapping area the wind and rain had ceased and there was much small bird activity, mostly tits, Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens, plus two Chiffchaffs. At the south-west corner the Hume`s Warbler was heard and briefly seen moving through cover.
Needless to say the water level has risen dramatically across the whole area since a week ago.

                                Black-throated Diver, New Diggings

                                DBO `Desert`

                                DBO moat

ARC - On the approach to Hanson hide we were surprised to see a Bittern standing in the middle of the path before making a short flight into the reedbed, while from the hide two further flight views were had. On the water all the usual ducks including two Smew, plus Chiffchaff, Water Rail and Long-tailed Tits in the scrub. Three Marsh Harriers were on the wing and on the drive back across the causeway road the two Black-throated Divers were noted at the Boulderwall end.
A difficult three days birding due to the weather, but for the guests they were delighted with the divers, Black-necked Grebe, Bewick`s Swans, Long-tailed Duck, Smew, Red-crested Pochard, Bittern, Glossy Ibis and Great White Egrets, birds we tend to take forgranted, and then of course there`s all the gulls, seabirds, shorebirds, raptors and even Tree Sparrow.