First Sandwich Terns

Lade - mild and wet, sunny later, S then E 3 - These past few days have been something of a cross-over period between winter and spring with two Long-tailed Ducks moving between south lake and the Kerton Road pit, where a Black-necked Grebe was present this afternoon. Four Goldeneyes were still on site, although duck numbers generally have declined as expected at this time of year. Little and Great Crested Grebes seem to have moved into breeding mode with much trilling and head-shaking respectively, while Reed Buntings and Cetti`s Warblers were in fine voice staking out territories.

                                Long-tailed Ducks, Lade south

                                Coltsfoot in bloom

Elsewhere around the peninsula this weekend wintering birds clung on with the two juvenile Glaucous Gulls commuting between the Patch and Burrowes, three Smews favouring Tanner`s Pool on Boulderwall fields and a Slavonian Grebe from Christmas Dell hide. Dartford Warblers continue to be present on shingle scrub across Dungeness.

                               Sand dune damage from last weeks easterly gales

                                First Sandwich Terns of the spring

Hints of spring were in the air today with our first Sandwich Terns of the year on the sands at low tide comprising a flock of 45 raucous birds, plus two Mediterranean Gulls. More were noted past the point this weekend, plus  singing Chiffchaffs on the bird reserve and Black Redstart on the power station. In the Channel good numbers of Brent Geese were on the move eastwards.