Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, SW2 - En-route to the bird reserve six Cattle Egrets and two Glossy Ibises were in the sheep fold at Cockles Bridge. It was a cracking morning of weather for the 16 souls on my monthly guided walk around the circular trail where all the usual wintering birds were noted, including good views of several each of Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Goldeneye, Shelduck and Great White Egret, plus 25 Curlews on the fields at Dengemarsh and Hayfield 2. Two Chiffchaffs and a Stonechat showed well by the hide, unlike the many Cetti`s Warblers we heard throughout the walk! Also seen or heard: Dabchick, Lapwing, Water Rail, Skylark, Long-tailed Tit, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting. Perhaps the highlight of the morning was a flock of Pied Wagtails near Tanners Pool that contained a smart White Wagtail, though distant. However, we eventually racked up 51 species, but the paucity of small passerines, in common with elsewhere across the Marsh, is worrying.
During the afternoon I checked out Lade, ARC and the ranges at Galloways without much success, although by late afternoon the Glossy Ibis pair had relocated to a wet flash in the fields beside the track to Hanson hide.
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