More Whistlers

Lade - mild, cloudy, light airs - An early morning walk out back with Barney delivered two parties of Whimbrels moving up the coastline totalling 15 birds. Goldcrest and Chiffchaff singing in the garden pine trees.
Dungeness - A superb couple of hours at the point for the guests mopping up on Wheatears, Skylark, Mipits, Pied Wagtails, Stock Doves, Linnets, Ringed Plover and 3 each of Swallow and Yellow Wagtail in off the sea. At a private garden nearby Blackcaps feeding on apples, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were added, although we missed a couple of Continental Coal Tits. Around the old light and the power station 3 singing Black Redstarts were located, plus Peregrine and Raven on the pylons. Around the moat more Chiff/Willows, Common Whitethroat and a Wheatear.
En-route to Scotney we stopped on the causeway road to scope the 2 Slavonian Grebes on New Diggings with Teal, Shoveler and a Greenshank over calling which was our first of the year.
Scotney - Another good session here with Yellow Wagtails and Corn Bunting bagged, plus a distant Buzzard, 8 Avocets and a flock of 25 Whimbrels that dropped onto one of the back islands, and at least 8 Egyptian Geese amongst the other feral jobs.

                                Yellow Wagtail, Scotney

RSPB - On Burrowes a pair of Black-necked Grebes was the highlight, but the circular walk was disappointing, as the wind picked up, with just the usual Marsh Harriers, common warblers and wildfowl noted, plus the Tundra Bean Goose on Dengemarsh.
Walland Marsh - An evening out looking for owls on the Marsh was a failure, but we had cracking views of one on the way home at Boulderwall. Other bits and pieces around the Marsh included Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Stonechat and singing Yellowhammer.
All in all a pretty successful days birding.