** Successful Trip To Dungeness RSPB Reserve.**

I went to Dungeness RSPB reserve a short while ago looking for 2 particular birds, but I dipped out so I thought I would give it another go. It was a Lovely day apart from the strong wind. When I got there I called in the centre to see if they had been seen today and I was told yes, brilliant all I had to do was find them, but that was easier than I thought because other had found them before me, so all I had to do was ask them where to look. If I say that the first was at the back of the dipping pond then that should be a big clue, the bird or should I saw birds was sitting in the trees  at the back, it was just my luck, there was branches in front of them which ruined the chance of any decent pictures of them, plus the sun was in front of me, the birds in question are the 2 LONG EARED OWLS. Picture below is crap but hey it's a record shot.

So 1 down 1 to go, and this one is one of my top 3 birds. I was told that it was at either at Christmas Dell Hide, or Firth Hide so we drove around to Scott Hide and I then took a very slow walk. I scanned from here for about 20 minutes but nothing so I headed back. Now when I got back to the car for some reason I decided to pop into Scott Hide, call it a omen but when I entered and saw about 6 birders all looking in one direction I asked them what they was looking at and when they told me I thought "Yesss", and there it was out in front close to the Cormorant island the fragile looking drake SMEW. What a bird! So now I could relax and enjoy the other birds that was around. Apart from male and female GOLDENEYE I saw nothing unusual. The Marsh Harriers was have a tough time battling in the wind. I didn't go to the ARC Pit today I called it a day. The full list of species I saw was as follows:
G/B/B/GULL, L/B/B/GULL, HERRING GULL, COMMON GULL, B/H/GULL, CORMORANT,  MARSH HARRIER, L/E/OWL, COOT, DABCHICK, G/C/GREBE, MUTE SWAN, CANADA GEESE, GREYLAG GEESE, MALLARD, POCHARD, TUFTED DUCK, GADWALL, TEAL, SMEW, GOLDENEYE, SHOVELLER, WIGEON, SHELDUCK, LAPWING, C/CROW, MAGPIE, JACKDAW, W/PIGEON, C/DOVE, STARLING, REED BUNTING, GREAT TIT, L/T/TIT, BLUE TIT, H/SPARROW, CHAFFINCH.
We went home via Walland Marsh because I had read that there was some new born lambs about, I love seeing them they are amusing, I think watching them cheer up anyone. We did see the, there are quite a few, including about 5-6 black ones, normally we only see 1 or 2.

As we drove slowly up the road there was a sheep with 2 little ones right close to the fence, and she did not like us being there one bit, she lowered her head and stared at us with the look of protection for her young.

We then went on our way, and between there and the main road we saw a Marsh Harrier and good views of 2 Common Buzzards.
So, my ** Bird of the Day** has got to be the one and only ** DRAKE SMEW.**