Scrub-bashing

Lade - mild, sunny, nw 3 - The past few days have been much of a muchness across the local patch and around Dungeness. The wintering Smew on Dengemarsh/Boulderwall pools is still present along with a highly mobile Water Pipit, plus  40 Bewick`s and two Whooper Swans on Walland Marsh at Midley, while at least two Long-tailed Ducks are at Scotney, often on the back lakes. Plenty of feral geese, Golden Plovers, Lapwings,  Curlews and Wigeon are also at Scotney and the fields at Boulderwall.
  I noticed down at the point this morning that where the diggers had been shifting shingle from in front of the seawall more of the old mooring quay has been exposed. On A station a Peregrine and Kestrel were perched on the sheltered east facing structure enjoying the sun

  Winter is the season for cutting back invasive willow scrub and across the Dungeness NNR operations are underway to control this fast growing plant before it takes over. On the bird reserve extensive areas have recently been cleared beside New Excavations and the ARC. Today, volunteers cut out some of the scrub-chocking growth from Lade ponds, a job well done.