Our first stop was at Scotney Gravel pit but unfortunately no sign of the Tundra Bean Geese. The usual flock of 50 feral Barnacle Geese were seen but only a few Grey-lags were present, and duck numbers were on the low side. We also stopped here on our way home but still no sign of any Tundra Bean Geese.
We then drove onto Dungeness and our first visit was to the patch. Huge numbers of gulls were flying over the patch and small numbers on the beach. Luckily the juvenile type Glaucous Gull came flying onto the beach just as we arrived, but only stayed about 2 minutes before flying around and then briefly landed on one of the buildings in the nuclear power station before dropping down and out of sight. We then visited Lade Gravel Pit where one of the Long-tailed Ducks was showing distantly also 2 Goldeneye, plus the usual ducks.
We then drove to the Visitors Centre, no sign of the Long-eared Owl but a drake Red-crested Pochard was on the dipping pool. We visited a number of the hides but again duck numbers were very low with Shoveler being the commonest duck, another 3 Goldeneyes seen although not a single Pintail. On the New Diggins, Terry located a very distant Slavonian Grebe and 2 Great White Egrets, but no sign of any Smew or the Black-throated Diver, we never had time to visit the ARC pit although nothing had been reported from there during our visit. On the drive out, we past good numbers of Golden Plovers feeding on two ploughed fields.
The famous Dungeness old lighthouse and garden.
Dungeness Bird Observatory, end house.
I first stayed here in 1956 and met Roger Charlwood.
Having no transport, I had to travel by train using the
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch mini railway.
When I arrived at Dungeness, met up with the late Bert
Axell and going past out to sea was a large old red sail-boat
which was the very last tea-clipper on its final sailing.
This was long before the power stations had been erected.
Part of the flock of gulls feeding over the patch.
Juvenile type Glaucous Gull
Long-tailed Duck on Lade Gravel Pits.
Terry and Doreen at Lade Gravel Pits with the war mirrors in the background.
Terry photographing at Lade.
The Coopers first selfie and probably their last, although
not sure who the old biddy is in the middle.
picture taken by Terry Cooper
Drake Red-crested Pochard on the dipping pond, fully
winged but origin not known.
Great White Egret on the New Diggins
Record shot of the distant Slavonian Grebe on the New Diggings.
