Gulls and ducks

Dungeness very cold, snow showers, E 5 - Another bitter cold day with sub-zero temperatures throughout and a blasting wind off the sea - just right for a days guiding! However, we joined PB at the Patch where a blizzard of gulls over the boil contained at least four Mediterranean Gulls, plus the regular Glaucous Gull on the beach. Offshore a few Gannets, Guillemots and Red-throated Divers drifted by and a flock of four Meadow Pipits were noted by the power station wall.


                         

                               Adult Mediterranean Gulls, the Patch

RSPB - We spent most of the day on the bird reserve starting at ARC where a mixed flock of Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest performed in a sun trap from the willow trail, plus a flushed Water Rail. Another Chiffchaff feeding in the reeds in front of the hide was seen to pick off a spider. Snipe, Marsh Harrier, Goldeneye and 500 Wigeon also noted. At Boulderwall we had good views of Tree Sparrows, tits and finches on the feeders, while Curlews, Golden Plovers and Lapwings probed the frozen fields nearby.
  The circular walk delivered a perched Kingfisher which caught a fish, Great White Egret, three Smews and a Slavonian Grebe from Christmas Dell hide, 20 Pintail and five Snipe from Dengemarsh, plus Raven, Sparrowhawk, Dabchick, Redshank, Buzzard, several Marsh Harriers and another different Glaucous Gull back on Burrowes.
  We finished a very cold day in the field at Kerton Road pit with distant views of a Long-tailed Duck.

                                Kingfisher and Chiffchaff