Shore Lark, Reculver, 28/10/2012

M.S., Kevin and I arrive at Reculver around 07.45 hours, there is no wind today, the sky looks good !

All ready in the car park, the East Kent boys, they are out in force, even Mr. SA has travelled all the way from his hide at Stodmarsh !

I am out of my depth with all these 'top lot' !
You never know, i will tag along and hopefully I may pick up a few tips ! !

I lag a bit behind, the light is perfect, I can't resist a Turnstone, then Brent Geese over, super start ! !

I kept an eye on Mr. SA's activities, I can see that he has located the Shore Lark with two Snow Bunting.

a few images (from several)

Snow Bunting

I break away and walk up to the lagoons hoping to find a Lapland Bunting, no show, lots of Brent Geese both at sea and on the fields.

Returning to the Shore Lark, M.S. and Kevin have gone to the cafe ! They are crazy.

time for a few more photo's of the ''Horned Lark''.

Returning to the towers, a pair of Northern Wheatear

the morning finished, now its time for breakfast

A superb day out ! !


Gulls and Common Scoter, Dungeness, Kent, 27/10/2012

Our day started at Reculver, arriving at first light about 07.30 hours.

I was having hopes of catching up with the Shore Lark, the Lapland or Snow Buntings ! !

No chance, the wind was very strong, straight from the north, cold, sea spray was being carried hard on the wind, the light was very dull !

No chance of me getting out of the car in these conditions (worse than Shetland)

Kevin had a couple of hours sea watching from the towers, he was not overjoyed when he returned to the car !

M.S. went out for a half hour, with camera ! and then came back 'moaning' !

I sat in the car until the Cafe opened, (and i drove from the car park to the cafe), very nice breakfast in Reculver !

Breakfast over, the conditions here at Reculver are not going to improve !

We head off for Dungeness, 12.00 hours, we are at the fishing boats on the point at Dungeness.
The wind is still blowing hard, intermittent rain and generally dull !  I was again slow getting out of the car but at least here at Dungeness you can take photo's of the Gulls !


Glaucous Gull, 3rd winter

Yellow-legged Gull

Black-headed Gull



Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

As the afternoon has gone on, the light has got better, M.S. tells me a Common Scoter is further up the beach !

A Common Scoter is drifting from east to west, close to shore, feeding. At 'the point', the Scoter would then fly back east 200 metres, then drift back to 'the point' on the tide, occasional feeding. As we were watching, 3 more Common Scoters joined in, they continued this feeding habit, enabling a few photo's.

Common Scoter

16.30 hours, a full rainbow formed towards the east, the clouds came over, the wind strengthened, driving rain and 'run back to the car'.

***   Star bird today    'Common Scoter'

Smashing day out ! ! !