Ring-necked Duck

Dungeness RSPB - heavy rain followed by showers, cold, e 3 - Not a particularly inspiring morning with rain throughout and an increasing wind from the north-west. However, yesterdays drake Ring-necked Duck (211) was still on the Boulderwall pool, asleep within a Tufted Duck flock, while the Cattle Egret was far more obliging, being close to the track and feeding amongst the suckling herd.
  A circular walk for a visitor from north Kent delivered a good range of raptors as they came out to hunt in a rain break, with up to 10 Marsh Harriers, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard all noted. On Burrowes three Blackwits, Dunlin, 20 Pintails, 500 Shovelers, seven Goldeneyes, a Goosander, Great White and Little Egrets, while at Dengemarsh 200 Golden Plovers, Linnets, Goldfinches, two Stonechats, two Ravens, Snipe and Kingfisher were the highlights. Along the return trail at least 10 Blackbirds were flushed from cover and we finished off back at the car park with a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeders.
  On the way home the pale, eastern Stonechat was still present in scrub in the corner of the quarry and the two Bewick`s Swans from yesterday were in fields along Dengemarsh Road.

                               Ring-necked Duck and Cattle Egret, Boulderwall

                               Kingfisher, Dengemarsh

St Mary`s Bay - 1400hrs - Following a tip off from a local dog-walker we walked the foreshore from Littlestone to the St Mary`s Bay outfall and back searching for a small flock of Snow Buntings, but drew a blank. However, a short while later a flock of five Snow Buntings was seen by BB near the car park, although they were flighty.