A great turn out today for this month’s KOS Field Outing to Dungeness area. A hovering Barn Owl en route next to the road was a good omen. Four Cattle Egrets were feeding in a pasture near Cook’s Pool and we watched them going to roost early evening from the Hanson Hide.

Part of the group came with me to Pett Levels and the others walked around the reserve with Lyn. At Pett we saw many freshwater birds including 4 Ruff, on the sea a flock of around 120 Common Scoter contained two Velvets, Fulmars were flying to and fro and were already on the cliffs, Red-throated Divers, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots were also present. A visit to Jury’s Gap, Scotney Gravel Pits, Horsebones’ and Cockles’ Bridge gave us Bewicks and Whooper Swans and no less than three perched Peregrines were admired this morning. Meanwhile on the reserve Tree Sparrows, a drake Smew, Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler (seen well) were all added. We had lunch at the Bird Observatory before visiting Lydd Gravel Pits, a seawatch by the fishing boats and early evening at the ARC Pit, Mediterranean Gull and Black-necked Grebe were the pick of the birds there. 88 Species recorded.

Our next outing will be March 31st, followed by April 28th, May 12th and June 2nd. Contact me closer to the time for venue details.