Cormorants

Lade - cold and sunny morning, cloudy, SE 2-4 afternoon - A mixed day of weather with clear skies last night delivering a hard frost this morning and - 6C being recorded at Lydd Airport just before daybreak. Whilst out birding around the local patch I`ve had many comments from residents and dog-walkers of late regarding the large squadrons of Cormorants passing over the peninsula each  morning and late afternoon.
  The spectacle is unavoidable as they leave roost sites on the bird reserve islands of Burrowes and ARC and fly out to sea to fish alongside thousands of grebes and auks. The majority of the Cormorant flocks round the point and head into Lade bay, while others simply cut the corner and fly out to sea towards Folkestone and beyond. From mid-afternoon onwards until dusk the reverse route is taken back to Dungeness RSPB involving upwards of 10,000 birds, which must be something of a national record.
  It is only a recent phenomenon which seems to have happened since the island creation on Burrowes has provided safe roosting sites. One thing is for sure though, Cormorants in these kind of numbers certainly make for a truly impressive spectacle.
  A check of a local reedbed this afternoon delivered five Marsh Harriers to roost in deteriorating weather as a cold wind increased from the south-east with the prospect of overnight snowfall to come, maybe...