Splash Point & Cuckmere Haven 4/2/17

A damp start but the weather improved by mid-morning. An early seawatch was pointless despite Selsey getting a good passage of birds, and despite predicting a Puffin for Splash Point today, it seems Selsey beat us to it. Afterwards I walked the east side of the Cuckmere where all the Geese were present, a Water Rail on the scrape and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls were also among the Common Gulls. Very few large Gulls on the western side, no doubt due to the low tide and calm conditions.

Splash Point 07.45-08.15:
Mediterranean Gull - 3
Red-throated Diver - 6
Razorbill - 3

Cuckmere Haven:
Cackling Geese - 4
White-fronted Geese - 21
Water Rail - 1
Snipe - 10
Mediterranean Gull - 2 adults

 for once in its life this Cackling is taller then the other Geese around it

 Of the back three birds, the left bird is Cackling showing no white on the forehead (all four Cacklings show no white on the forehead), little or no contrast between the flanks and breast and much smaller bill then the hybrid Geese situated to the right.

 fairly easy to pick out in flight with the Cackling Geese (two right hand birds) showing much darker upperwing coverts, and again no shap demarcation between the breast and flanks.

 Cackling Geese three in from the right, and the far right bird

 much better views of the Cackling Geese and also the hybrid Geese today, that are almost certainly from Dutch origin.

21 White-fronted Geese at Cuckmere Haven - these arrived late morning high from the north and went out to sea disappearing behind the cliffs, however they soon turned around and settled on the east side.