Fulmars and Red-Necked Grebes

Mon. 21st March

Visiting Seasalter again I saw; 4 com. gulls, 105 brents, 16 redshank, 29 turnstones, 2 sanderling 19 ringed plover, c.25 dunlin, 1 drake shoveler landed briefly on the sea and a dead hedgehog on the beach! Over on the plots 2 stonechats, 2 cetti's, skylark, reed bunting, mallard plus 1 short-eared owl.

23rd.

Along SS Lane, 1 cetti's, c.30 teal, 7 lapwings, 6 coots and a few mallard. At the seafront, c.250 dunlin, 1 grey plover, 20 redshank, 4 gc grebes, 1 egret, c.40 brents, 3 marsh harriers, 7 redwings, 2 l.t. tits, 1 snipe and 1 stonechat etc..

25th

I traveled east to North Foreland to see the fulmars and any migrants, the only one found being a chiffchaff on the cliff edge plus a tortoiseshell and mipits.  However, plenty of fulmars to photograph.

pm

An evening visit to SS produced c.250 fieldfares next to the sub station entrance and 1 SAND MARTIN.

29th

A short, uninteresting visit to SS finding 15 shelduck, 1 cetti's, 8 grey plovers and a handfull of other waders. The plots looked quiet with just one chiffchaff in song, afterwards I left for Bossenden Wood to do a spot of photography.

1st April

I left home at 5.00am on a photo jolly with 'Ashtours', the four of us heading for Farmoor Reservoir near Oxford to see a red-necked grebe in breeding plumage. We made good time, the early start missing the heavy traffic around Heathrow which enabled us to have a relaxing breakfast stop along the M40,  Arriving at a large car park next to the sailing club we did a twenty minute walk to the allotted area to where this long staying grebe had made home. On route, several great crested grebes and coots were on show but little else although a red kite did fly over mid morning. The grebe seemed drawn to the particular spot due to the abundant fish it was catching all morning, no wonder it didn't want to leave.

After filling our boots with photos we drove back to Watlington for lunch at a pub overlooking Christmas Common and later spent the rest of the day photographing the 30-40 red kites that performed overhead.

A slow journey back home crawling through the Friday afternoon traffic we arrived home at 6.00pm., A great day out and many thanks to Steve for organizing and doing all the driving.