Quality Kent

Another Survey day for me and Mo, but once again a brief stop a Cliffe produces the goods, this time we tried the Alpha pools where we found no fewer than seven Scaup ( 2drk 2 1w drk & 3f ) and also a drake Lesser Scaup hybrid type that apparently been doing the rounds, all these were in a mixed flock of both  Tufted and Pochard.

Two adult Little Stint were a bonus, as were a superb male Merlin sitting on the defence wall.

Several Goldeneye were noteworthy as were Cettis Warbler and Marsh Harrier.


Onto our Survey site for a High Tide count and already lots of waders are moving onto there roost sites, mainly Lapwing, Dunlin, and both Grey and Golden Plover in good numbers.

dunlin

dunlin & grey plover

No fewer than Eight Marsh Harrier's noted was by far the most birds we have seen on this site and two fem Merlin seen,  including one which took a Meadow Pipit clean out of the air.

Several pinging Beardies and a Green Sandpiper were seen just before the seawall.


On the river the cold east wind produced a single Razorbill, at least a dozen Red-throated divers and a surprise Bonxie moving out the estuary.

great skua