** Dungeness RSPB Reserve. **

I wasn't sure as to know where to go today but I chose Dungeness. Before going to the reserve Pam and I went for lunch at The Pilot Inn. After that we headed to the reserve when I saw a couple of birders at the roadside by the entrance to the power station. I stopped to ask what they was looking at and I was told that there was a Common Crane flying high over the power station, it was Dave Walker that told me, from the observatory. After being there for about 5 minutes or so a police motor pulled up and asked us what we was doing, apparently someone phoned them, but after Dave explained all was OK.
It never appeared, it had flown off towards Denge Marsh.
When we got to the reserve I went into the centre and asked about the crane and I was fold that a short while ago it flew over there, typical.
I went to the Makepeace Hide, not somewhere I normally stop at, but I am glad I did. There was a few wader species on various islands, those being, WHIMBREL, GREY PLOVER, RINGED PLOVER, OYSTERCATCHER, and LAPWING. There are still a couple of Pintails and Wigeon there along with all the usual birds those being: G/B/B/Gull, L/B/B/Gull, Herring Gull, B/H/Gull, G/C/Grebe, Dabchick, Coot, Moorhen, Cormorant, Mute Swan, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Shoveller, Shelduck. Quite a few of these was seen at the places I looked. There was also 7 COMMON TERNS putting on a good display feeding, but the highlight for me was was watching 4 HOBBY'S.
From here I went to Denge Marsh Hide which was quiet, but I did manage to add a few more species to the days list, Marsh Harrier, Grey Heron, Greylag Geese. When I got back to the car I realised that I had lost a lens cap off of my bins, so I walked back to the hide, but no luck,but just as I got back Pam said that there was a bird of prey bird sitting on a post not far from the car, I quickly got the bins on it and it was a Hobb, I have never seen a Hobby sitting on a before.
Final stop off was ARC Pit. I was the only one there which suited me. There was many SAND MARTIN and SWALLOWS about, on the way to the hide CETTI'S WARBLERand SEDGE WARBLER was in good voice, and on the way back to the car I added CHIFFCHAFF ,a Great Tit, and a Pied Wagtail.
While I was preparing to leave I heard a very distinctive call, that of the CUCKOO. It didn't sound too far away so I scanned the area and I found it sitting on the top of a tree to the right of the hide, I was even able to zoom the scope up to 60x, it looked terrific, it then flew low over the water into a tree to the left of the water tower.
My " Bird Of The Day" is the ** CUCKOO **