Cetti`s Warblers

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, S 3 - I spent some time this morning on the local patch counting singing Cetti`s Warblers as a prelude to this years breeding survey for RSPB. They can be tricky little devils to survey accurately as once the male delivers its familiar and explosive song it has a habit of hopping it sharpish to the next singing position (often unseen) which may be some way off. For the unwary its easy to fall into the trap that it may be a different territory, so a cautious approach is required. Anyhow, I managed to negotiate around the margins of both lakes (with a bit of ditch jumping behind the `mirrors`!) and reckoned there to be at least eight singing males present. I`ll try again next month to see if the tally is about the same. Also noted, four Goldeneyes on north, four pairs of Great Crested Grebes across both waters, 50 Teals, 30 Shovelers, an adult female Marsh Harrier, two Chiffchaffs and a cracking Firecrest along the causeway. A final scan from the aerial ramp revealed 150 Curlews flying in off the bay heading to roost on the Desert.

                                 Stonechat, Dungeness 

A drive out onto the Estate to check the beach for an early Wheatear failed on that front but did deliver at least eight Stonechats (something of a fall) plus four Meadow Pipits and two Skylarks. The four Cattle Egrets were on either side of the Lydd Road between the horse paddocks and Cockles Bridge.