Dungeness end of week summary

Lade - cold, sunny, nw 2-4 - A cold, dry end to the week, but with a withering wind out of the north-west that picked up through the day. On south lake the Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck were still present, although it took a while to locate the latter due to its constant diving. At least 10 Goldeneyes were scattered across both waters and several Marsh Harriers hunted the back reed bed.
  Elsewhere today on the bird reserve the Cattle Egret was seen on Boulderwall fields while the Long-eared Owl reappeared at roost behind the Dipping Pool. A Little Gull (PB) was on Burrowes where, throughout the week at high tide, a number of Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls have been located amongst the thousands of gulls. A flock of eight Goosanders have been mobile between Lade and Burrowes and Great White Egrets can be encountered at most wetlands across the peninsula.
  This week Dartford Warblers have been reported from scrub around the Britannia pub at Dungeness and also in the Kerton Road triangle. Lade sands now has its full complement of wintering waders, while across the wider Marsh small parties of Bewick`s Swans have begun to arrive in the Scotney area of Walland Marsh.
  With the change in weather, surely this weekend will see the arrival of one or two Smew to the  gravel pit lakes, or maybe a white-winged gull, we shall see...