Dungeness - cold and wet morning, warm and dry afternoon, E2 - A day of two halves weather wise whilst guiding for Mark from Lexington. We kicked off in the seawatch hide for an hour from 0900hrs where it was very quiet to start with, then a pulse of Sandwich and Commic Terns moved through, plus two Fulmars, four Whimbrels, ten Common Scoters, a Red-throated Diver and 20 Gannets down-Channel. There wasn`t much on the land apart from the usual Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Linnets and a Wheatear.
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By the time we reached the bird reserve just before midday the rain ceased and out came the sunshine and the birds, particularly the waders. A flock of 15 Bar-tailed Godwits circled Burrowes, while two cracking adult males showed well on the small island in front of the visitor centre; Whimbrel, Greenshank, Ringed and Grey Plovers all went over calling, plus ten Mediterranean Gulls. On the hayfields five Black-tailed and four Bar-tailed Godwits made for an interesting flock to compare the two species of godwits. along with the usual breeding waders and wildfowl including a pair of Wigeon. All the expected warblers were noted around the trail along with several Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards, four Ravens, a Sparrowhawk and a Little Egret. This afternoon we visited Scotney where 45 Whimbrels and three Curlews were on the front sward, while a flock of 12 Greenshanks flew over the back pit. Up to ten Yellow Wagtails were present on the track down to and through the farm. We ended the day at the ARC with 79 species for our guest with, once again, the waders stealing the show.
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