Dungeness, Kent, 9th October, 2011

Overcast, light rain until about early lunch time, brightened up a bit in the afternoon. Wind freshened in late afternoon.

07.30 hours, M.S., Kevin and myself arrived at the 'patch' to do a 2 hour and a half hour sea-watch.

Gannet, all the time, adults, juv, sometimes very close, some even in the patch area.
Kittiwake, 15 +
Common Scoter, 10 flying W 08.27
Great Skua, 20 +, one circled the patch, others very close, all flying W
Artic Skua, 2 came in close to the patch area, 08.30 and 09.30 flying W
Brent Geese, 28 flying E 08.30, 20 flying E 09.17, 86 flying W 10.30
Little Gull, 2 adults,
Artic Tern, 1
Common Tern, lots
Sandwich Terns, lots
Shearwater, distant, Manx ?
Cormorants.
Black-headed Gull,
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull


10.30 hours, extended breakfast which included a computer lesson on 'image processing' !
Wait for the results !

Then to the Arc Pits, weather brightening up a bit now.

Everything a bit distant

Golden Plover, 80 +
Avocets, 10
Dunlin, 4
Ringed Plover, 1
Marsh Harrier
Great Spotted Woodpecker

 Golden Plover

Little Egret,   (courtesy M.S.)


Then over onto the RSPB Reserve

Sparrowhawk
Grey Heron, (white, lucistic)
Great White Egret, distant but out in good full view

Sparrowhawk

On the return walk from the Denge Marsh Hide just before dusk, lots of these NEWT ? on the grass paths.

Got to check out this one.


Another 'not good for photos' day, but still enjoyed every minute !