Scotney raptors

Scotney - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - After a frosty night it soon warmed up by mid-morning. Passing the Kerton Road pit I noticed two foxes close to the road that had just `uncoupled`, so I slowed down as the dog fox crept atop a bund, sat down and `got himself together` to recuperate in the warm sunshine.

  At Scotney we walked the cycle track from Pigwell to the double bends checking the roadside pools where three of the five Long-tailed Ducks were on the water at the Sussex end, though keeping to the far side of the lake. The stockman had been through to the sheep feeders on the main field so there were few birds present apart from several Redshanks and two Ruffs, plus small numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler. As usual few passerines were noted.
  However, there was a good showing of raptors with five Marsh Harriers on the hunt, including a cracking adult male and an immature female eating prey on the edge of a reedbed. A Peregrine flashed over and settled atop a pylon, a Kestrel hovered outback and a male Merlin sat on a concrete block on the far side of the main lake.
  On the Boulderwall fields at Dungeness around midday there was the usual assemblage of Wigeon, Golden Plovers, Curlews, Coots and egrets, while a magnificent looking fox burst from cover to chase (unsuccessfully) a Coot that had strayed too far from the safety of Cook`s pool.

                                Yesterdays dramatic cloud formation over Lade at sunset