Dungeness: Monday16th Feb

My first trip of the year down to Dungeness was well worth the visit. Arriving before 8.30 saw me in the sea watch hide. 41 red throated divers past in the hour and half I was there, along with 48 brents, + gannets, 2 pintails, several shelduck and oystercatchers and a more unusual species: 3 pink footed geese.Also, a black redstart showed on the power station wall.
Popped the key back to the bird obs and headed over to the ARC pit. Here, a red head smew and goldeneye, but too much water for waders. On the Reserve were 6 more smew and a great white egret near the entrance, a couple of marsh harriers and a kingfisher, but nothing else too noteworthy.
Off down Denge Marsh Lane where 2 cattle egrets were next to the cow shed. 1000's of starlings wheeling around along with lapwing, golden plover and Greylags. A quick check on Scotney gave views of barnacle geese, hundreds of wigeon and shoveler and a solitary scaup. Another check on the ARC pit before heading home added goldcrest and chiffchaff whilst the regular tree sparrows were at Boulder Wall Farm.
A great day out and timed well as the rain fell just as I was leaving about 3.00. Light not too good for photos, a few examples here.

female kestrel RSPB Dungeness

great white egret

gwe

In flight on a grey morning

great crested grebes

coot portrait

distant Denge Marsh cattle egrets

 gull, greater black baketufted duck

red head smew

Species list: year listers in bold.
red throated diver, little grebe, great crested grebe, gannet, cormorant, cattle egret, great white egret, little egret, grey heron, mute swan (10 sp) pink foot goose, greylag goose, brent goose, barnacle goose, canada goose, shelduck, mallard, gadwall, pintail, shoveler, (20 sp) wigeon, teal, pochard, scaup, tufted duck, goldeneye, smew, marsh harrier, common buzzard, kestrel (30 sp) red legged partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, golden plover, lapwing, curlew, black headed gull (40 sp) common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed gull, kittiwake, wood pigeon, stock dove, collared dove, kingfisher, green woodpecker,(50 sp) pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, skylark, black redstart, stonechat, song thrush, fieldfare, blackbird, (60 sp) chiffchaff, cettis warbler, goldcrest, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, (70 sp) raven, starling, house sparrow, tree sparrow,chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, linnet, reed bunting
79 species in total. Not too bad for a shortened, grey day in mid February.