A break in the weather

Monday afternoon the rain stopped and the winds turned northerly so a trip to Rye Harbour was on. On route all the rivers were almost about to burst their banks, at Brede lock the environment agency had the lock gates open coinciding with low tide. A disappointing trip as all that was seen of note was a very handsome Male Pintail on the Quarry and a flock of 50 plus Ringed Plovers on the beach

At last a clear and settled day on Tuesday, In the afternoon Frank and I set off for a round trip of Pett Level. Parking at Toot Rock we set off along the very high canal, briefly stopping at Carters Flood there were a couple of Tufted Ducks Gadwall and half a dozen Mallard, moving on the canal seemed deserted except for a pair of Stonechat and lots of Wrens. Close to Pannel Valley a large white bird flew up and perched in Oak tree hoping for a Barn Owl on closer inspection turned out to be a Little Egret. In the Pannel Valley hide at last there was water in front of it and birds well 6 Shoveler, 4 Mallard (Its a start)

Setting off again along the canal towards Winchelsea a couple of Cetti's were calling, across the levels Black Headed Gulls were around the floods, hundreds of Lapwing were feeding and a good sized flock of Starlings were displaying. 7 Grey Herons flew up out of a ditch. Onto the beach the light was fading but Curlews and Oystercatchers were calling out from the sands and then a possible Great Skua that dwarfed the Gulls out at the water's edge, but it was really an imature Great Black Backed Gull how the light plays tricks with your mind!!