Cattle Egret

Dengemarsh - 0800hrs - cool, sunny, W5 - Another very breezy morning made for difficult birding conditions. A circuit of Dengemarsh delivered the Cattle Egret and two Brent Geese opposite the hide, plenty of Shelducks and a few Lapwing on the hayfields, two Greenland type Wheatears near the gully, plus Raven and Peregrine overhead. Also noted a few Whimbrels, Yellow Wagtails and Swallows over, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Kestrel, plenty of singing Cetti`s, Sedge and Reed Warblers and a Cuckoo.

                                A dozen Shelducks, Hayfield 3

                                One of six smart Wheatears at the fishing boats

Dungeness - An hour at the fishing boats this afternoon with a big sea running on a brisk westerly typically produced few seabirds. Two down-Channel Manx Shearwaters and a Bonxie up was the pick of a poor crop, plus a few Gannets and Sandwich Terns. Just offshore on the sea, however, were 60 Great Crested Grebes, 20 Guillemots and at least 10 Harbour Porpoises. On the foreshore and along the concrete road a party of six Wheatears were making light of the strong wind as they snapped up small insects.
  Nothing new at Lade in blustery weather conditions and only a handful of waders on the sands on an ebb tide. Several parties of Whimbrels flew along the coast this afternoon uttering their distinctive seven note whistle call.