Sandpipers and Brents

Lade - 0730hrs - mild, misty and miserable, sw 3 - We started the day by walking Mockmill Sewer in murky weather conditions with the power station shrouded in mist. It had been a while since I`d ventured out to this part of the site but it was largely quiet apart from a couple of Cetti`s Warblers, a Goldcrest, several Robins and Great Tits. The only glimmer of brightness was a late flush of Ragged Robin in flower.
  Skirting back along south lake the Shoveler count reached a tidy 220, while Great Crested Grebes numbered 52. Across the shingle ridges a scattering of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Mipits noted.
Dungeness - A good session with waders from Hanson hide included two Little Stints and a Curlew Sandpiper on the shingle islands, plus a supporting cast of 30 Blackwits, 30 Lapwings, 20 Dunlins, 10 Snipe, Ringed and Golden Plovers. Also noted the long-staying Red-necked Grebe, a Water Rail, five Pintails, four Great White Egrets and five Marsh Harriers.
  A quick call in at Long Pits produced three Ring Ouzels.  

                               Brent Geese heading down-Channel

  An afternoon seawatch from the fishing boats produced a range of seabirds offshore including a trickle of Gannets and Sandwich Terns, 50 Brent Geese, 10 Razorbills, 10 Kittiwakes, 20 Common Scoters, a juvenile Little Gull, an Arctic Skua, two Barwits, five Dunlins and a Red-throated Diver. A juvenile Caspian Gull was on the beach and several Swallows headed out.