Skuas and ducks

Dungeness - cool, dry, clear, SSW 3 - 0625 - 0825hrs - An entertaining seawatch from the hide this morning resulted in some quality seabirds in the shape of 25 Bonxies, 10 Manx Shearwaters, two Velvet Scoters, six Eiders, a pair of Garganey and a Black-throated Diver, most of which passed within or just outside the cardinal buoy as they migrated up-Channel, except for the Manxies going west. There was also a decent supporting cast of Gannets, Common Scoters, Sandwich and Common Terns, Fulmars, auks, Red-throated Divers, plus 10 Arctic Skuas, two Little Gulls, 20 Whimbrels, two Teal and a Mediterranean Gull. No doubt many more were noted during the morning. For a fuller picture refer to the DBO Website.
Lade - After breakfast we headed out over the local patch where the highlight was a `reeling` Grasshopper Warbler in Mockmill along with 10 Sedge and two Cetti`s Warbler, a pair of Stonechats, our first Cuckoo and plenty of Linnets. At the risk of sounding like a stuck record the two Long-tailed Ducks remained on south lake. Several parties of Whimbrels were seen and heard passing overhead throughout the day.

                               Shelducks, Lade sands

  An evening visit over the bay to scope the sands was notable for that curious phenomenon of light and tide which occurs every so often where bye the coast of France appears to be much closer and more obvious than usual, as were the ships in the Channel. Birdwise, just the usual Sandwich Terns, waders and gulls including a pair of Shelducks and five Ringed Plovers.