First Sand Martins

Dungeness - cold, dry and sunny, NW 5 - Following a weekend away in Dunstable it was good to get out and about again today despite the blustery wind. At the Patch two Mediterranean Gulls were the only interest amongst the gulls on the beach and over the boil, while a male Peregrine took shelter on a high perch in the lee of B station. There was very little action on the sea with just the usual Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Gannets and auks offshore. In the lighthouse garden at least one Brambling and a Reed Bunting amongst a flock of ten very tired looking Chaffinches in the bushes.

                                Scrub clearance, ARC

  On the bird reserve around midday our first two Sand Martins of the year battled into the wind over ARC from Hanson hide. The Cattle Egrets and Whooper Swans were still on station in the fields along the Lydd road where also Little and Great White Egrets noted, while the drake Smew and Black-necked Grebe were reported from the pits around the main circuit.