Cold, overcast, N 1 - A miserable sort of morning with a fine mizzle throughout. Having been away for a few days I started on the local patch at Lade where the usual range of ducks included 240 Pochards. Around the willow swamp and reedbeds a few Cetti`s Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits vocalised, plus two Marsh Harriers quartering the airport fields. At Dungeness the sea was quiet, but the Patch delivered three Little Gulls over the boil amongst a dozen Black-headed and Common Gulls. Next stop the bird reserve and a scan for last weekends drake Green-winged Teal, which was eventually located lurking amongst some 200 Teal at the southern end of Burrowes, from where more Chiffchaffs and Cetti`s Warblers called in front of Makepeace lookout; two Goldeneyes were also noted from Dennis`s hide. On the Boulderwall fields and along the Lydd Road the now expected heron fest comprised four Cattle, two Great White and a Little Egret, two Grey Herons and a pair of Glossy Ibis. Over the road on ARC it was a case of `as you were` with the usual wildfowl, plus a Kingfisher from the Axle Lookout.
Last weekend whilst in West Sussex visiting family I sloped off for a day to explore the Arun Valley, mostly at Amberly Wild Brooks and also from the nearby Rackham viewpoint. Needless to say following the heavy rain throughout November the valley flood-plain was well and truly swollen with large parts completely flooded. Consequently, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and feral geese were numerous, along with hundreds of Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits plus a few Redshank, Snipe and Dunlin. From Rackham I had distant views of a White-tailed Eagle harrying a Greylag; apparently there have been two birds present of late in the valley, mostly seen from Pulborough Brooks. Also noted plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and a Sika Deer.
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