A sleet storm reduced visibility, sleet and slush on the road, 30mph, 8 police cars dealing with all the problems on the opposite carriageway. Perhaps we should have gone home at this point !
However, M.S. and myself arrived at Rye Harbour at 08.00 hours, it is grey, but not quite as cold as yesterday ! !
In the car park,
Herring Gull, at his best, easy to 'not blow your whites' in this dull light and i love photographing Gulls !
We did not break our leisurely stroll as we passed the half dozen telescopes sheltering by the Lime Kiln Cottage from the cool wind, scanning the acres of birdless mud looking for the Kentish Plover. (not there).
Very little activity, nothing flying over
Wheatear, 1 male, only briefly seen
from the Ternery Hide
Mediterranean Gull, 4+
Sandwich Tern, c30
Oystercatcher, c12
Black-headed Gull, relatively few !
Grey Partridge, 2 very distant, in grass, poked there heads up briefly
Tufted Duck
probably no more than 6 pairs of Black-headed Gulls on the near island setting up their nest sites
including this one of a pair of ''odd coloured BhG's'', it's partner also had only a very slight tinge to the upper white neck. ? ? ?
Any explanation welcomed, i have no ideas ?
We moved on to Dungeness, here the light was better but still dull, still equally cold !
In the gorse scrub by the lighthouse
Wheatear, 1 m, very illusive
Black Redstart, a pair,
Dunnock, 1
I did have a wander around the fishing boats at the point, lots of GCG close in, cormorants 'to and thowing', no Gull activity, no Glaucous Gull, just cold wind and a very grey sky !
No moaning ! It was a cracking day out ! Hour later start tomorrow ! Hope the weather gets better !
They say that Flamingos get the pink colour by eating crustaceans. Maybe the BHGs had had too many shrimps/prawns ?
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