Wheatear

Rain, low cloud and mist SW 5 - A shocking day of weather for guiding with Clare and Peter; the only saving grace being that it was mild. We started with a seawatch from the hide that yielded a big sea running in from the Atlantic but precious little in the way of seabirds apart from two parties of Brent Geese, a Common Scoter, a Merganser and several Gannets. On the land a couple of displaying Meadow Pipits and a calling Firecrest was about it by West Beach, plus a Skylark and a male Wheatear opposite Jarman`s. Around the bird reserve it was a case of eyes-to-the-skies checking for an Alpine Swift reported earlier over ARC, but to no avail. A few Goldeneyes were noted on Burrowes and ARC, a singing Chiffchaff from the boardwalk, several Curlews on the Boulderwall fields but little else in the appalling weather conditions. During the afternoon we had a run down to Camber for the long-staying drake Scaup which is now in full breeding plumage. We finished the day back at Littlestone checking for shorebirds in the murk... 

                                 Wheatear, Dungeness

                                  Pochard, ARC