** Dungeness RSPB Reserve And Some Good Birds Seen **

Took another trip to Dungeness RSPB reserve today because apart from the birds, I promised Pam a meal at The Pilot Inn. We didn't leave home that early so by the time we got to the reserve it was about 2pm. I didn't do many hides today, I started off at the Firth Hide, but after a good look around I didn't see anything out of the ordinary apart from a couple of Dunlin, and 3 Oystercatcher, so my next was to be the Denge Marsh Hide, but not before stopping off at the dipping pool. I stopped of to see if the LONG EARED OWLS was still about, I did see one, along with 3 other people, but there was no sign of the other owl.

At the Denge Marsh Hide I stayed quite a while because I was looking for 1 particular bird and it didn't take long to find it, because it was grazing with the Greylags, the bird in question is a WHITE FRONTED GOOSE. There was a few Marsh Harriers about, doing what they do best, and some really nice Great Crested Grebes in their breeding plumage, but that was about all.

There was 2 stop off points I was going to go, the first was the pool on the right when you come passed the farm house, I cannot remember the name of it, but after parking up for a while and looking all over with the bins I found it, the RING NECKED DUCK. It was a lot easier this time because it was hanging around with the Tufties. 

So, so far so good, there was one to look for and this one was going to be a bit harder, I knew it was about and where it was hanging out. It wasn't the looking that was going to be the hardest, it was where to park, it was on the new diggings and only really visible from the road, well I say road it is more like a race track, I am sure a lot of you know what I mean. Anyway we parked up at the very end on the left in a nice pull of place where one can get good views of the pit. I did get out of the car, but it was so blowy it was not easy standing there, so I asked Pam to turn the car side ways on so that I could check it out from inside. I looked up and down as best I could, half of the pit was in a direct sun so I had to forget that bit, but after a short while I saw this small bird on the left side not far out from the bank. It spent equal amount of time on the surface as it did diving, but when it was up and showing well it looked really resplendent in it's breeding plumage, oh the bird I am talking about is a BLACK NECKED GREBE. It was close enough to see it's yellow/gold ear tufts against it's black head and neck. Why it is still here I have no idea, but I am glad it is.

The next bit is very easy, my "Bird Of The Day" It can only be the  ** BLACK NECKED GREBE **