'Cattle' Do Nicely!

It was almost predictable that as I couldn't get out yesterday due to my wife being on a course all day that it would be sunny all day. Just as predictable that today was going to be dull when I could go out and yes it was, not a sign of the sun at all, I suppose it didn't rain at least! I had a drive around the Reculver area early on looking for Owls in the headlights but drew a blank on this so as the light picked up I parked up in Chambers Wall car park and listened for the day to wake up. I could hear a few Thrushes calling in the bushes, 1 Grey Partridge were heard as well as 2 Snipe flying over in the darkness, Lapwing and Golden Plover called out and behind me a Firecrest called. As it got lighter I got ready and started the walk, meeting the Firecrest again which after a while posed very nicely indeed.

Firecrest

I walked on down to Coldharbour and west along the seawall towards the towers. Along with the dull day, there was not a lot to be seen but a few birds made the notebook including 19 Redshank, c50 Linnet, 6 Meadow Pipit, 5 Mute Swan, 62 Brent Geese east, 3 Oystercatcher, 118 Cormorant, 47 Mallard, 3 Curlew, 3 Little Egret, 11 Ringed Plover and 2 Grey Plover. There were 7 Eider offshore including a smart male, 7 Turnstone, 2 Stonechat, 2 Shelduck, 1 Shoveler, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Red breasted Merganser, 2 Wigeon, 7 Common Scoter and 10 Gannet. After speaking to Chris and Anne Hindle I made my way along the shingle ridge where there were 5 Snow Bunting but they remained very flighty indeed. As I made my way back to the car I saw a tweet about a Cattle Egret at Grove Ferry. A quick text to Martyn Wilson who told me where it was and I was on my way. No long after I arrived at Grove Ferry and made my way to middle drove where I met Martyn, Alan Ashdown, Sue Morton and another birder. The Cattle Egret was easily picked out in a field with cows behind Harrisons hide in the company of 1 Grey Heron and 1 Little Egret. Although the weather was still dull, I managed a few distant shots as It wandered around the field.

Cattle Egret

As I left I noted 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk and a few Redwing and Fieldfare in the bushes. Not a bad ending to a session and always good to get a Cattle Egret in the valley.