Crests

Dungeness - mild, overcast, e3 - A brief seawatch from the hide proved fruitful with a few passing Gannets, Kittiwakes, Med Gulls and Sandwich Terns, plus four Common Scoters, two Brents, two Wigeon, Red-throated Diver and a superb pale phase Arctic Skua that did a double pass. Plenty of auks came and went, mostly Razorbills, and some settled on the sea inside the buoy. Several Swallows went out and small flocks of Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits came in.
  On the land more Goldfinches and Mipits noted, plus Robins everywhere, five Black Redstarts around the power station perimeter, a few Blackbirds, Chiffchaffs and Stonechats and a Peregrine over. A scattering of crests included a flock of five feeding on the rim of the moat and a Firecrest in the hand at the Obs.

                               Firecrest, DBO

  We finished the Birdwatching Break for Clare and Peter in some style with thousands of birds on the bay, including ten species of waders from Littlestone on the outgoing tide - 410 Knots and three Black-tailed Godwits being highlights, plus a Little Egret a species rarely seen here on salt water.
  In summary across the three days 108 species were recorded with the highlights being a Merlin, closely followed by Hen Harrier, Long-tailed Duck, Ring Ouzels, Firecrest, Brambling and loads of waders on the beach.

                                Knots on the bay