On the way to my house i spotted 4 WAXWINGS on the NE side of the Ouse Estuary Project.
Anyway started off at Pett Levels at 11.50am where 10 species of Geese were seen including a Sussex tick in the form of 5 PINK-FOOTED GEESE. Also 2 Tundra Bean Geese, 1 Black Brant, 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and lots of Brent, White-fronted, Barnacle, Greylag and Canada Geese all in one flock, an amazing spectacle. On the fields were plenty of Dunlin, Grey Plover and a single Bar-tailed Godwit. On the sea was a Slavonian Grebe and masses of Red-throated Divers.
Many thanks Chris Ball and Martin Casemore for the phonecall.
On the way home in poor light the RED-BREASTED GOOSE was seen alongside the Black Brant.
Pink-feet and Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Pett Levels.Next was Northpoint GP where 2 redhead Smew were present, thanks Jake for the message. Also a female Merlin flew through.
Dungeness point was really productive with a Glaucous Gull and a CASPIAN GULL (both 1st winters) near the fishing boats and offshore were Kittiwakes, Gannets and Guillemots. Yet another Merlin was seen, this time a spectacular male.
Glaucous Gull at Dungeness Point
This Caspo was picked out by Jake, and straight away it was obvious it was this species. The gleaming white pear shaped head; small dark beady eye; long lores; dark, long, straight bill; faint streaking on the nape; compared to the Herring Gull the mantle feathers are a shade darker; disjointed neck posture and long, slanted forehead. With two Caspian Gulls in a couple of days at Dunge they must be in Sussex somewhere.
