Night Heron

Dungeness - cool, dry and sunny, SE3 - Guiding this morning for a couple from Ashford commenced at the seawatch hide where a 30 minute watch produced a cracking Black-throated Diver, 25 Bar-tailed Godwits, two Teal and several Common Scoters. On the land we picked up the usual passerines such as Stonechat, Common Whitethroat, Black Redstart and Meadow Pipit.

                                 Turnstone, Burrowes

                                 Night Heron, Dengemarsh

Moving onto the bird reserve where the highlight was a Night Heron that had just been relocated perched within willow scrub on the pit to the east of Dengemarsh hide. Through the scope we had obscured views of it moving about the canopy and a brief flight view whilst at the ramp; presumably Tuesday`s bird. Waders noted around the trail included Turnstone and Ringed Plover on Burrowes, several Greenshanks and Whimbrels over calling and three Black-tailed Godwits on the hayfields. Also noted: a pair of Glossy Ibis, Redshanks and Lapwings, Mediterranean Gulls, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Sedge, Reed and Cetti`s Warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats. A tidy morning, during which time we notched up 74 species of birds.