Eiders and Black-necked Grebe

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, SE 2 - 0915-1015hrs - An hour long seawatch from the hide proved most productive with a trickle of Red-throated Divers, Common Scoters, Sandwich Terns and Gannets up-Channel, plus a flock of 75 Brents, 12 Shelducks and 18 Eiders (15 + 3) many of which were drakes in full breeding plumage. There was plenty of action on the land too with up to 10 Firecrests around the point, mainly in the old lighthouse garden, along with several Chiffchaffs, Blackbirds, Robins, and two Black Redstarts and a Reed Bunting near the old experimental building. A male Peregrine was perched atop a pylon by A station.
  This afternoon the first Wheatear of spring was on the beach opposite Jarman`s (JTM).

                                Up-Channel Brents

Firecrests continue to show well

Lade - A Black-necked Grebe on south lake was new in alongside the two wintering Long-tailed Ducks, four Goldeneyes and two Dartford Warblers in the scrub. By the caravan park a Black Redstart was the first of the spring on the local patch. Also noted, Marsh Harrier, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting and Stonechat.

                                Black-necked Grebe, Lade

  On the outgoing tide from the Tavern viewpoint a decent variety of beach waders on show included 150 Knots and 20 Grey Plovers, while a flock of 100 Sandwich Terns sat noisily on the sands as individuals delivered sprats to their mates in a show of pair bonding.

       Sandwich Terns, Lade sands