Egrets and sandpipers

Lade - cloudy and humid, w 2 - Another disappointing batch of moths in the garden MV this morning apart from two, now not so scarce, Scare Bordered Straws. However, as always it was good to first hear, then glimpse, our first Firecrest of the autumn in the garden fir trees.
Dungeness - We kicked off a Birdwatching Break for two of our regulars from London today. After picking up Ray and Stuart from Ashford we headed back to the coast to Galloways where three each of Whinchat and Stonechat were noted by the bend in the road leading down to the sea. Near Springfield Bridge a mixed flock of c300 Lapwings and Golden Plovers in a recently ploughed field contained two Ruffs, until flushed by a Sparrowhawk. On Dengemarsh five Great White Egrets and all the usual wildfowl.
  We then moved around to Burrowes where two Black Terns dropped in. Despite the ongoing digger work a decent collection of waders across the pit included 15 Dunlin, three Ruff, two Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers, Little Stint and Knot. Also noted, a Swift, hundreds of Sand Martins and Swallows, Sedge and Willow Warbler, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel.
  On Boulderwall fields two juvenile Cattle Egrets showed briefly amongst the cows before disappearing into ditches. Walking down to Hanson hide PB alerted us to an Osprey flying over towards Dengemarsh. From the hide a cracking close Great White Egret in the reedbed, a distant Pectoral Sandpiper on the cormorant island, two Garganeys, a Green Sandpiper and Kingfisher amongst a host of wildfowl and Lapwings rounded off a decent days birding.