** Dungeness RSPB Reserve. Wednesday 20th October **

For certain reasons I have not been blogging for a while, and for those of you whose Blog I haven't been reading and commenting lately, I apologize.
For the first time in a few weeks Pam, and I went to Dungeness RSPB Reserve. It was a glorious day, albeit cold and windy, but at least the sun was shining bright all day. The first good bird of the day I saw was a Common Buzzard, and that was over the M20 motorway at junction 9. soaring in the big blue sky.
From there we headed towards Brooklands, and turned off at the Woolpack Inn, anf took the back lanes through to Lydd. Enroute,we did see was a flock of 27 Mute Swan's grazing, also before you get to the first right turn to Lydd there is a cottage on the right near the road with a big metal  farm gate, and behind the gate to the left is a row of about 5-6 feeders, and there was some birds feeding on those, they was Blue Tit's, Great Tit's, Greenfinch's, Goldfinch's, but the highlight was watching 7 Tree Sparrow's. I have seen them there before so it as always worth looking for them in that area.
Then about a mile further on we had a Rabbit run across the road in front of us going as fast as it's legs would carry it, then we found out why, there was a Stoat charging after it, the Stoat saw us at the last minute, and it actually skidded to a halt and did a one eighty, back to where it came from. Rabbit 1, Stoat 0.
As we aproached Lydd we stopped next to a field where there was 3 Green Woodpecker's having a good feed in the nice lush grass. Then in the tree's at the back of the field was a flock of 32 Fieldfare, and 11 Redwing.
Once at the RSPB Centre we went around to Scott Hide where it was fairly quiet, so I went back to the Firth Hide. There was more wildfowl here, and the increase of ducks was noticable, especially Wigeon and Pintail, but everything was greatly outnumbered by Coot's, they was everywhere. There was one bird that I picked out in the scope, and that was a Great White Egret. It wasn't actually on Burrows Pit, it was on the New Diggings Pit. It had been seen there for a few days, it seems to like it there. There has also been a Black Throated Diver there, but it wasn't seen today. I also checked from the road at the end of the day, but still I never found the Diver. A full list of species seen will be listed at the end.
Before going over the road to the ARC Pits I paid a visit to the Denge Marsh Hide. There wasn't anything outstanding seen apart from a Common Buzzard passing through, along with 3 Swallows.
Heading back down the track to leave this part of the reserve I did see 4 Marsh Harriers, 3 over the reeds near Hookers, and 1 in the direction on the centre. 2 Fieldfare , and 4 Ruddy Ducks( they should keep their heads down then maybe they will escape the next cull (after all they are a nice looking bird, also I personally don't agree with it)
Once in the Hanson Hide it started to get colder, and a slight increase in the wind(am I glad I had lots of layers on), but even so I did give the pit a good scan, and I picked out 2 Goldeneye, albeit females, plau a solitary Black Tailed Godwit. 10 Swallow went through along with 1 Green Woodpecker. Apart from the usual birds the only other birds I saw was 5 Little Egret  feeding together at one point.
So after a 3 hour visit, I was pleased to have seen what I did. but if I had  more I would like to have gone up the front to do a bit of sea watching but it wasn't to be. Anyway below is a list of birds seen.
Black Headed Gull
Blackbird
Black Tailed Godwit.
Blue Tit
Chaffinch
Common Buzzard
Collared Dove
Cormorant
Canada Geese
Coot
Common Gull
Carrion Crow
Dabchick
Fieldfare
Goldeneye
Gadwall
Great Crested Grebe
Grey Heron
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Greylag Geese
Great Black backed Gull
Great White Egret
Green Woodpecker
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Lesser Blacked Backed Gull
Lapwing
Little Egret
Mute Swan
Moorhen
Mallard
Magpie
Marsh Harrier
Pied Wagtail
Pintail
Pochard
Rook
Ruddy Duck
Redwing
Swallow
Starling
Shoveler
Teal
Tufted Duck
Tree Sparrow
Wigeon
Wood Pigeon

My 'Bird Of The Day is * Tree Sparrow.* (because of their scarcity.)