A wet and windy Sunday

After having a wet and windy night the forcast for today was to be getting brighter and the winds easing, so set off for Pett Pools, the roads to Pett Level were heavily puddled we must have had at least an inch of rain overnight. On arrival the only thing moving were a few hundred Lapwing and the reeds against a fresh south eastery. The pools were deserted save for a few Mallard and a couple of Pied Wagtail by the roadside. I decided to head for Castle Water as water levels were on rise but with threatening clouds decided the half hour walk could prove to be a soaking and headed off for Dungeness. First stop was the ARC hide (protection from the wind and drizzle)

From the hide on the distant island every inch was taken with either Great Black Backed Gulls or Cormorants with Shovelers in the margins. On the nearer islands were Teal, Wigeon and Lapwing. A few Pintail were under the water tower and a couple of Golden Eye were riding the waves in the centre of the pit. A Gooseander was seen briefly and flew south, A Marsh Harrier sitting in the reeds took off but soon perched back into a willow.

With the rain coming straight through the windows of the hide I decided to head for the Dengemarsh Hide, on passing Hookers Pits 2 Little Grebes scurried across the water and I heard a call I couldn't recognise (a musical tridley dee dee dupe) or was it someones mobile phone!

At the Dengemarsh Hide there were Shoveler, Pintail, Gadwall, and Tufted Ducks a couple of Marsh Harriers put in a good appearance as did the Great White Egret. On the way out I stopped at Burrows Pit along with several others but the Glossy Ibis weren't showing.

This afternoon with the winds dropping I took Frank to Dog's Hill

a quick walk along the beach round to Harbour Farm Barns and back produced about 30 Curlews, 1 Stonechat and a Barn Owl on the electric pylon near to the barns, but flew when a car with Terry from East Enders stopped and asked the way!