Wednesday 30th January - Scotney and Dunge

A bright but windy afternoon and went to look for the Bean Goose at Scotney. No sign of it amoungst the sleeping Greylags, and no sign of any Whitefronts. The Barnacle was flock was back again.
Not stopping at the ARC as the carpark was nearly full I stopped at the eastern end  as a Great White Egret was close to the road.

 Which was flushed by a Grey Heron

 Which was flushed by a Marsh Harrier

 On the beach a search through the gull roost, the 3rd Winter Glaucous was amoungst 3 Great Black-backed Gulls.

 But took flight as I tried to get closer

Sunday 27th Jan. Bonaparte's Gull

A text from Paul James at 3.00pm this afternoon sent me off to Princes park Eastbourne to see this adult winter Bonaparte's Gull. Having missed out on the one last August this was a good one to get on my list for 2013

 

Afterwards a quick trip onto Pevensey Marshes as the light faded found a Barn Owl and a female Merlin

Frost Bittern in January 2013

 Sunday 20th January I started my annual search for a winter Bittern, at Castle water in the snow very little except this Snipe infront of the hide.

Monday with snow on the ground and all the pools frozen decided to head for the ARC pit at Dunge.

On Pett Level feeding on the thawed puddles was a Dunlin

 And  a very obliging cross-eyed Meadow Pipit

 No geese at Scotney!! so onto the ARC pit and on arriving at the screen hide I was pointed out a distant Bittern on the ice - which took flight over to the reed bed near the Hanson Hide. However  in front of the screen hide 6 Bearded Tits showed well. My first for Dungeness.

 Also a couple of Chiff Chaffs showed  well in the reeds

 A visit to the Hanson hide only turned up a Sparrow Hawk and no further sign of the Bittern. A walk round the flooded willow trail loads of Robins Blackbirds and Redwings

With light failing I went  to the Harrier roost at the Woolpack, only 2 Marsh Harriers came into roost but good views of a Barn Owl.

Saturday 5th January SWW Pett and Dungeness

12 of us plus Paul met up at Pett Level in drizzle and murke. A brief look at the Levels and sea produced the usual plus Red Throated Diver and a Med Gull. Still no sign of the White Fronts (but were seen by others later) At Scotney thousands of winter wildfowl, plus Lapwing and Golden Plover. No sign of the Slav or Whitefronts. Onto the ARC Longtailed Tits, 3 Redhead Smew, Cettis, displaying Goldeneye, Pintail and the all the usual ducks. At the screen hide no Bittern as reported so off to the reserve for lunch stopping to look at the Tree Sparrows at the entrance. On New Diggings 5 more Redhead and 1 Drake Smew plus more Goldeneye. Eating lunch in the truck a G.W. Egret flew distantly around Dengemarsh. Later Alan found another close to the car park. Heading off to the beach a brief stop on the causeway found another distant G.W.Egret on New Diggings.

On the sea loads of auks mainly Guillemot, Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebes Kittiwakes, a single Med Gull and no sign of the Glaucous.

On Walland Marsh 2 Whooper Swans and 40 plus Bewicks. At the Woolpack a walk out towards Old Cheyne found the Common Crane and at the reed bed a calling Water Rail, several Beardies pinging and 5 Marsh Harriers came into roost.

No Photos on this report as I have been unable to upload onto Blogger.