Birding at last!

After a very busy work period coupled with poor weather it has been just over two months since i had a proper day out birding.

After explaining my plight to Jono we arranged a trip to Dungeness.

A pick up at 5am and a quick coffee stop we arrived at Dungeness. As per normal we were greeted by dry but very windy weather and made our way to the beach for some sea watching. Notable birds included Little Gulls and Gannets along with a full array of the usual gulls around The Patch.

Reports of a Humes Leaf Warbler had been posted around Long Lake and the trapping area though advice was that to get to the area we would need wellies so we changed into these. After wading through water drenched paths we had seen very little and certainly no warblers so gave up and headed back to the car.

Stuart and Terese then joined us and we made our way to ARC Pit stopping on the causeway first. This proved to be an inspirational move. Goldeneye and Smew were duck highlights and we all got excellent views of a Black Throated Diver - the best I have seen. However, the highlight for me was a UK lifer in the form of Great White Egret which gave excellent if a little distant views.

At ARC pit there was a good selection of ducks but no waders and apart from Smew and Goldeneye, nothing particularly noteworthy.

By this time it was 10.30 ish so we made our way to the RSPB reserve for a much deserved coffee and headed out to see if we could find the elusive pair of Penduline Tits which had been seen on and off for a week or so.

No luck and not many new birds later we arrived at Dennis Hide. This did give excellent views of a Black Necked Grebe and a very approachable Reed Bunting appeared at the feeders in the car park.

On our way out we stopped at a field which had a number of horses and an Emu!

We were told by Stuart that a Glossy Ibis was giving good views and we were not disappointed.

By now the wind was really picking up so we headed off to Oare Marshes.

It was really quiet though an excellent head of Pintail was a highlight. Waders were sparse all day but a walk down to the mudflats did at least give us a few common species such as Redshank and Curlew.

After a very nice pint of Shepherd Neame in the Mariners Arms nearby we headed home.

72 species, a lifer and some excellent views of rarer birds was an excellent day and got my shortened birding year off to a good start!