Little Gulls

 Cool, sunny, light airs - Started the day checking out the Lydd heronry where at least 17 occupied Grey Heron and four Little Egret nests were located, and where a single Cattle Egret was also present. Moving on to Scotney and the four Little Gulls were still on the main lake along with hundreds of Black-headed Gulls and at least 20 Mediterranean Gulls. Singles of Brent Goose and Black Swan were on the front sward and east lake respectively. Waders noted included 12 Avocets outback and a cracking summer plum Turnstone. Still no sign of any Yellow Wagtails though, infact hardly any passerines apart from a few Skylarks and Linnets, plus Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk and a distant soaring Common Buzzard. Next stop Dengemarsh where a flock of 30 Corn Buntings and 50 Linnets were on the fields by Springfield Bridge, while a Bittern boomed from the reedbed along with plenty of Marsh Harrier activity; I saw a male snatch a Reed Bunting from atop a willow and deliver it to a female! On the hayfields three Ringed Plovers, six Redshanks, 50 Teal, 10 Shelduck and 10 Lapwings, plus Great White Egret and Garganey on the lake and a White-fronted Goose on the back fields. A check of Cooks Poole and ARC revealed little else of note. A brief seawatch from the hide with MC this afternoon delivered a trickle of Gannets, Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Terns and two Velvet Scoters up-Channel. 

                                  Brent Goose, Scotney

                                  Black Swan, Scotney

                                  Spring lambs, Scotney