A shift in the wind to a moderate Easterly on the 18th and attention was turned to the sea. Some wildfowl movement highlighted by 12 Pochard – followed by 5 Garganey (below) among a mixed group of Shoveler, Teal and Pintail.
Poor pics but they came past fairly close for the bay!
The following day the winds were lighter and from the South East, again I focused on the Sea at dawn and enjoyed c1400 Brent geese fly upchannel between 7.00 – 08.40. Only a small Portion of the vast numbers past Dungeness & Beachy head but still abit of a spectacle, with some very large flocks and varying distances and heights. The birds continued throughout the morning and I saw many more from the clifftop as I checked the head land.
A newly arrived Firecrest at fan bay and 3 Chiffchaff in the wood were the extent of birds in the bushes – clear skies and light SE winds are often poor for grounding migrants here but not bad for flyovers of which 2 White wagtails and my first Swallow of the year noted as well as some very high sounding and basically invisible Chaffinch and Siskins and a Woodlark in over the cliffs at the lighthouse on the 20th.
4 Red kite also moved South West along the cliffs on the 20th
PERDIX BIRDER 