Dungeness - mild, cloudy, SW3 - 0630-0830hrs - I`ve got mixed feelings regarding the black avian art of `seawatching` as more often than not it is just that - peering out over the sea and watching the waves, although sometimes it can be sensational, but that`s another story... Anyhow, I thought it was about time I went for an early morning watch from the hide and if nothing else there`s normally a bit of banter and its an opportunity to catch up on the latest gossip. Two hours of sitting down is about my limit, but to be fair there was a trickle of stuff moving up-Channel including a couple of year ticks (not that I keep a year list of course!) in the shape of Arctic Skua and Sandwich Tern: Gannet - 15, Red-throated Diver 23, Kittiwake 14, Oystercatcher 7, Arctic Skua 1, Brent Goose 80, Med Gull, 5, Common Scoter 18, Sandwich Tern 3, Black-headed Gull 8, auks 10.
After two hours of inertia in the seawatch hide, followed by breakfast, it was time for a brisk Ted walk over Romney Salts. Subtle changes since our last visit included a singing Corn Bunting and a few more pairs of Linnets settling in for spring, but precious little else on the farmland apart from a few Skylarks on high. The spinney produced a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Green Woodpecker.
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