Ring Ouzels

 Warm, dry and sunny, NE 2-3 - A guiding day for Clare and Peter commenced at Scotney in fine autumn weather with hundreds of common wildfowl, Goldies and Lapwings on the front pits along with several Ruff, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin and two Green Sandpipers out back. Also noted: an overhead trickle of Skylarks, plus 30 on one of the back fields, Grey and Yellow Wagtail over, Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits, 180 Egyptian Geese, Raven, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier. At Galloways two Ring Ouzels showed briefly along with at least ten Stonechats and a Chiffchaff. Highlights around the bird reserve included a juvenile Long-tailed Duck, four Little Stints and two Glossy Ibis on ARC and six Cattle Egrets in the Boulderwall fields. At Dungeness we called in at the Obs to admire the Death`s-head Hawk-moth, while a seawatch from the boats produced a few Gannets and Razorbills and three Mediterranean Gulls rounding the point and a Caspo in the puddles. We finished the afternoon at the Tavern viewpoint on a rising tide for thousands of gulls, Curlews and Oystercatchers, pus 10 Sanderlings and two Little Egrets on the bay sands.

                                           Long-tailed Duck and Glossy Ibis, ARC