A weekend of wind and Divers

A bitter northerly wind on Saturday with a strengthening westerly blast on Sunday meant the the birding was tough going, but did ultimately result in some quality and a couple of photo opportunities.

Saturday 2nd February
Ramsgate,
10:00 - Angela and myself met up with the parents - nice to catch up with several East Kent birders.
1 Great Northern Diver (adult still in the Harbour), 1 Fulmar (flying over), 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Turnstone.

Great Northern Diver in Ramsgate Harbour.

Foreness, 11:00 to 12:00, Foreness Point
23 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3+ Fulmars, 1 Purple Sandpiper (along with Sanderlings, Turnstones, Oystercatchers and Curlew), 5+ Ring-necked Parakeets (Northdown Park), 1 Goldcrest (heard in Northdown Park).

Ring-necked Parakeet in Northdown Park.



Fulmars at Foreness Point.

Back to Canterbury for a quick spot of shopping, seeing 2 Little Egrets (Nargate Street and Bekesbourne watercress beds) and a Common Buzzard on route.

Back down south on Sunday 3rd with Angela hoping to catch up with the wintering specialities. No luck with the Glaucous Gull at Dungeness but still lots of Auks, Cormorants and Gulls offshore - a few Gannets and Kittiwakes of note too.

Fagg's Wood, 10:00
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Jay.

Fairfield held 1000+ Fieldfare plus a few Redwing.

Walland Marsh, 11:00 to 16:00
233 Bewick's Swans (Hawthorn Corner), 10+ White-fronted Geese (Old Cheyne Court Farm - distantly with Greylags.), 1 Common Buzzard (near Woolpack Inn).

Lade Pits, 13:00
3 Goldeneyes (including 1 drake), 1 Black-throated Diver (adult on northern pit),
Littlestone - 2 Snow Buntings (nearby on beach by the Varne sailing club).

Dungeness RSPB Reserve, 14:00 to 15:00
3 Barnacle Geese (Boulderwall Farm), 1 Red-crested Pochard (female type on ARC), 3 Goldeneye (1 drake), 10+ Smew (2 drakes), 1 Bittern (showed well from ARC Hanson hide), 2 Great White Egrets (New Diggings & Boulderwall Farm), 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Dunnock, 1 Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest (heard in main car park), 3 Great Tits.