First Swallow and Wheatear

Dungeness - mild, sunny, wsw 6 - A very blustery morning at the point first thing proved to be a fairly dull affair with one flock of 80 Brents through and the usual Gannets and gulls offshore. We joined MC at the Patch which was also quiet apart from a few gulls on the beach.
  Moving on to the bird reserve at the back of ARC by the pines our first Swallow of the year was struggling to hawk insects coming off the willows. Despite the blow plenty of Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and Great Tits were in song. From Screen hide a shoal of spawning red-finned fish in the shallows (which I assumed were probably Rudd) attracted the attention of a smart adult Grey Heron. It soon speared one about a foot long and proceeded to bludgeon it to death, eventually swallowing it whole, the entire process taking about 20 minutes. Needless to say such a meal took some digesting and the Heron was still sat motionless when I left after 30 minutes.

                                Gotcha!

                                Down the hatch

                                Burp!

  Whilst there news came through of a Wheatear found by JTM opposite the Lifeboat station. We were soon on site and welcoming a proper harbinger of spring to a very windy Dungeness.

                                          First Wheatear of spring