Nice start....
Sun does rise over Walland Marsh...
Arrived at Walland Marsh for the Bewick Swan fest....20+ individuals present and being quite feisty, plenty of vocal entertainment on offer as they pushed each other around. It seems they certainly like this venue as this is where some were last winter. Sadly my picture of the Bewicks wasn't even up to my normal poor standard so its not included...doh!
Having been given fine instructions and directions by JK I set off for Lade south pit. When I arrived I put up the scope, briefly saw a smaller water bird and there it was....Slavonian Grebe...the Long Tailed Duck was more elusive but eventually was seen over the far side and, as already noted by others, continually diving.
Highlight of the day for me....one of my UK bogey birds...having had the briefest glimpse of one in the UK over at Hastings Country Park some years ago....today I bumped in to the local expert PT and several of us set up camp to locate....
Dartford Warbler
It showed really well a few times but then became more elusive moving forward and back in the depths of the gorse.
I then had to choose...ARC pit or down to the front for a seawatch....ARC pit then....
....selection of waders....
The highlight here was a couple of Ruff and a...
Great White Egret
....that floated from the far side to near the hide. Excellent views. Plenty of birds present.
A couple of Marsh Harriers were floating around at the RSPB reserve....I managed to pick up a very distant Stonechat too....very nice....highlight here was the Long-eared Owl that wasn't showing, more...hiding....but could still be seen reasonably easily.
A bit pants, but it came on to rain....then just got harder.....plans went out the window and down the drain...no seawatch....no real stop to scour hard at Scotney....no visit to the Lifeboat station at Fairlight for various seabirds....still...theres always next time...
Full list...
Bewicks Swan, Mediterranean Gull, House Sparrow, Crow, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Jackdaw, Feral Pigeon, Slavonian Grebe, Teal, Goldeneye, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Dartford Warbler, Blackbird, Magpie, Cettis Warbler, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Shoveler, Gadwall, Long-tailed Duck, Water Rail, Great Black-backed Gull, Long Tail Tit, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Lapwing, Shelduck, Ruff, Wigeon, Golden Plover, Great White Egret, Back-tailed Godwit, Reed Bunting, Little Egret, Kestrel, Curlew, Greenfinch, Marsh Harrier, Green Woodpecker, Mute Swan, Rook, Stonechat, Long-eared Owl, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Buzzard...
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