In Between the Showers

Of the 3 Great White Egrets on ARC this afternoon, this one was getting too close to the well developed Avocet chicks.

Also on the RSPB Reserve, over 20 Common Sandpipers, Green and Wood Sandpipers. A few Whimbrel are also starting to appear on their return migration, this one on Burrowes Pit.

On ARC this drake Pochard has a beak tag which is so old that any remnant of an ID or colour has disappeared. We've recorded Pochard marked in this way before but have not been able to find any recent tagging operation to inform of the controls.

Three Good Ducks and a Diver

On the 22nd February, Brenda found a female Scaup on the Sussex side of Scotney at the double bends and I managed to see it today the 23rd.

Scaup female asleep with two Pochard

Scaup female

Scaup female

Scaup female

On the Dungeness RSPB reserve the female Smew remained on ARC and the Long-tailed Duck remained on New Diggings. On Burrowes this 'Scaup type' female Tufted Duck has recently been causing some visitors to think they might have seen a Scaup on the reserve.

'Scaup type' Tufted Duck female

'Scaup type' Tufted Duck female

'Scaup type' Tufted Duck female

Due to the overnight rain and temperatures in excess of 10°C, large numbers of Smooth Newts were starting to make their way to the complex of ponds to the west of the track between the ARC Screen and the level crossing at the Affinity Water Works. You had to be careful not to tread on them and I must have moved over 30 from the track to, hopefully a safer location.

Smooth Newt

The Great Northern Diver that was seen yesterday on Burrowes had remained being seen, albeit distantly, from the replacement Makepeace hide. With big gaps between sightings this year, it makes you wonder how many have been recorded on the reserve.

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Drake Pochard are scattered across the reserve and looked great in the early morning sunshine at ARC.

Pochard