The Big Day Arrives

With the annual big day all planned for the 1st January and the anticipated new start to the year, I was out of the house at 5am where I spent a while driving around the lanes at Reculver to see if any Owls were to be found. It wasn't long and at 5.19am I saw a Barn Owl in flight at Brook, a good start. I then drove over to Shuart where the plan was to meet up with Julian and Alex Perry for a whole days birding in the area. we spent 9 hours birding the whole area, covering quite a few miles on foot and seeing a very creditable 82 species, not bad considering it was dull, gloomy and rain from time to time. Birds of note seen included 3 Red legged Partridge, 2 Woodcock, c30 Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Pied Wagtail, c40 Skylark, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, c20 Mute Swan, 3 Common Buzzard, c250 Brent Geese, c10 Redshank, 7 Curlew, 2 Great crested Grebe, 10 Sanderling, 1 Black Redstart and 3 Kestrel. There were 10 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 10 Turnstone, c40 Grey Plover, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Marsh Harrier, c40 Oystercatcher, c30 Linnet, 16 Red throated Diver, c15 Reed Bunting, 5 Gannet, 2 Teal, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Shoveler, c50 Corn Bunting, 1 Little Egret, c5 Yellowhammer and c5 Tree Sparrow. Also noted today were 1 Fieldfare, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 2 Bearded Tit, 4 Lapwing, c40 Golden Plover, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Jay, 1 Pochard, 3 Goldcrest, 8 Long tailed Tit, 2 Ring necked Parakeet, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker and 2 Chiffchaff ended a long but thoroughly enjoyable day. The camera didn't make any sort of appearance today due to the weather so here is a female Reed Bunting I photographed last week in better weather. 

Reed Bunting (female)