A Quiet Week

I've not been out that much this week, what with the weather and looking after the twins but managed a couple of local outings in the fog. Seasalter has been much the same with c.2000 and c.1000 knot on the 6th plus a few snipe on the plots and a visit to Wraik Hill produced my first bullfinches and a yellowhammer along Pye Alley Lane. Cetti's warblers have started to call with singles along SS Lane, 1 -2 on the plots and one in the reeds opposite the Sportsman. I've not seen the hoodie this week but the last sighting was on Saturday the 8th. 

Friday the 14th was foggy again at Whitstable so I thought I would make a dash for Dungeness as it was clear the other day when foggy here. As I approached Ashford the fog cleared to brilliant sunshine, hurray but as I neared the Ham Street by-pass, oh no, fog again. It remained like this all day but with brief periods of sun and limited vision which did not go down well. A look in the ARC hide produced a few goldeneye but all birds were distant as it was around the RSPB circuit. I did see two redheads plus a slav grege but all miles away from the hide as every bird was. Its strange, why is it that when in a hide all the birds are about as far away as they can get yet when I walked from one hide passing some open water several duck came quite close! Perhaps birds are frightened of hides! The only specie coming close was a great crested grebe which soon zoomed off realizing someone was watching it.

Also whilst walking around the circuit a great tit was impersonating a penduline tit but stayed long enough for a few photos, wouldn't get that in the hide.

Today, the 15th, another walk around Seasalter finding; 170 brents, 17 g.c.grebes, chiffchaffs at the NRA plus the Sportsman and at Wraik Hill. Also on the NRA dyke a male wigeon on the bank with a few mallard, teal, 1 coot and 2 gadwalls. Over the plots 2 marsh harriers were on patrol and along the wall a few turnstones, 1 grey plover a couple of mipits and skylarks but little else to excite.