** Dungeness RSPB Reserve. **

Not the best of days to go to Dungeness RSPB Reserve, on a weekend, But I took a chance guessing  that quite a few  birders and photographers would be at Cliffe looking for the Black Winged Stilts, Spoonbill etc. It was lovely weather when Pam and I left and when we arrived. I went into the centre to see if  a particular bird was still there and it was Pam and I sat down by the coffee machine and I set my scope up because the bird I wanted to see was on one of the long islands at the far side, the bird in question is a PECTORAL SANDPIPER, It was with a COMMON SANDPIPER.
There was a few other waders about, Little Ringed Plover(3) Black Tailed Godwit(4), Lapwing(2) and Dunlin(2). There was not much else about, the usual gulls: G/B/B. L/B/B. Herring. B/H, and Common. Other birds seen was as follows: Egyptian Goose, G/C/Grebe, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Shoveller, Shelduck, Teal, Cormorant, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Sand Martin.
From here we went around to the Denge Marsh Hide. I was hoping to add a few more species to the days list because there wasn't much on it so far. I was surprised that there was a lack of people around, I had the hide to myself for about 40 minutes. I did pick up some of the usual species of birds, Grey Heron, Gadwall, Mute Swan,  Marsh Harrier. Then not long after I got there a GREAT WHITE EGRET dropped in. I was able to scope up to the full 60x magnification  giving great views right up to the pale green at the base of it's bill and into it's eye. There is enough mud showing for waders to use, and those which was were: Ruff, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit, Golden Plover, and among many of the Sand Martin was a couple of House Martin. The Last species I saw was 4 Common Tern's and a Little Egret  which shortly after the Egret  landed the heavens opened up, and it through it down for ages, and at this point, as expected most of the birds just hid up or sat it out, heads under their wing. So this was the point when I had to decide whether to wait until it stops, which could have been ages, or go for it, I chose the latter, and yes I got pretty wet.
Others from around the reserve was: Greylag Geese,C/Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, W/Pigeon, C/Dove, Stock Dove(2)
So all in all for the short period that I was there I has happy with the 44 species seen, and there is only one bird in the running for my "Bird Of The Day" and that is the ** PECTORAL SANDPIPER.**