Flock of Eiders

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, mizzle, WSW 3 - 0645 -0845hrs - A couple of hours with the regulars in the seawatch hide this morning produced a patchy up-Channel passage of Brent Geese and Common Scoters along with a few Gannets, some of which were feeding offshore. A handful of Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Terns, Fulmars and Mediterranean Gulls were also noted, plus the highlights, a mixed flock of 11 Eiders two Shovelers and a Garganey, and my first Arctic Skua of spring.

A late morning circuit of Lade pits revealed very little apart from a pair of Goldeneye on north lake, two redheads on south lake and a pair of Egyptian Geese sat atop the 30` mirror. About 50 Shovelers were still present and a few more pairs of Great Crested Grebes had taken up residence.

                                 Goldeneye, Lade north

                                  Woodpigeon on nest Lade ponds

                                 Sanderlings and Turnstone, Littlestone beach

Yesterday we had a walk along the seafront at Littlestone at high tide. A count of 210 Turnstones and 50 Sanderlings was of note roosting along the strandline, plus at least six Skylarks and two Meadow Pipits displaying over the golf links. Whilst there six American Airforce Chinook helicopters thundered low overhead heading to Lydd airfield for refuelling, apparently en-route from Ireland to Germany.

                                  Chinooks heading for Lydd airfield