Local Birding Sunday 14th April

This morning on the dogs walk the first Swallow  for me along Rosemary Lane, plenty of Chiff Chaffs calling plus the usual  Jays, G.S Woodpeckers but no sign of the Nuthatch and Grey Wagtail seen regularly in the last few days.

A couple of hours spare so went around the sewage works down the road 10 Swallows were hawking over the settling beds. In a row a five trees there must have been 40 Chiff Chaffs with a few Willow Warblers aswell.

 I thought I heard the call of a crest, and eventually through the bins I found a Firecrest only to be joined by another, despite spending half an hour this was the best pic I could get.

Although it was still raining I decided to take a walk along the canal in deep mud to Carters Flood.
5 Avocet, a few Shoveler, a few Teal, a Kestrel and 6 more Swallows were the highlights. I went back to get a better pic of the Firecrest, then the farmer turned up asking me to "leave quietly when done as the Yews were lambing" He frightened off most of the birds including the crests so I headed for home.

This evening took the dogs over Rye Harbour - loads of people on bikes and with dogs - they weren't there yesterday when it was raining. 44 Avocets on the Harbour Pools but couldn't find the Little Ringed Plover.

Stopping off at Pett Pools, almost birdless but the tide was going out - still 4 Wigeon left out the hundreds from earlier in the year. Pics taken a couple of days ago when very windy.