Little Gull

Dungeness RSPB - wet start, dry and sunny later SW 5 - A guided walk on the bird reserve for three guests this morning commenced in heavy rain; mercifully though it soon cleared enabling a thorough grilling of Burrowes where the highlight was an adult Little Gull blown in off the sea. Nine Pintails was the best of the ducks alongside c500 Teals and c200 Shovelers. As the sun broke through at least four different Marsh Harriers were soon on the wing over the Oppen Pits, with a smart juvenile flying overhead at the Scott Lookout where Chiffchaff and Cetti`s Warbler also noted. In the shelter of the bund in front of Firth further warblers and tits were present and a Kingfisher flashed by. Two Kestrels were quick off the mark after the rain with a male seen to take large worm by the pond and a female a bird from a mixed tit flock near the feeders containing mostly Long-tailed Tits. We paused at Boulderwall checking the wet fields for Lapwings, Grey Herons, Gadwalls, Little and Great White Egrets. From Hanson hide the roosting Wigeons on the near islands showed well in the bright sunshine along with two Black-tailed Godwits, from where the guests enjoyed further good views of Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret, while a Red Admiral and a Common Darter were still active in the sun-traps from the Willow Trail.