Kent Ornithological Society 
We had a record breaking total number of birds for our Kent Ornithological Society March Field Outing with 92 species recorded.
In fact we were only 6 short of our best ever total. Although it was a cold start to the day as we met in the Rye Harbour NR Car Park. We walked up to Flat Beach where the tide was ebbing, the air resounded with Skylark song and Meadow Pipits were display flighting. The scrape was full of waders, ducks and gulls including several Pintail, Mediterranean Gulls, 44 Golden Plover many of which were in fine plumage with black-bellies and a single Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot.
We walked out on the boardwalk across the shingle and did a short seawatch 46 distant Common Scoter and a couple of Gannets were about the best. We visited the hides finding a White-fronted Goose, 10 Common Snipe and a couple of Ruff. Our walk back to the Car Park for coffee gave us a pair of Stonechats.
Mid-morning we headed out to Castle Water finding a pair of Cattle Egrets and even rarer a fine Mistle Thrush. On Camber Castle itself we had a pair of Peregrines and a huge, glossy Raven.
The nearby Halpin Hide gave us a superb Black-necked Grebe in full breeding plumage. A pair of Water Rails showed intermittently.
We headed off to Dungeness for lunch and walked onto the reserve seeing 5 Glossy Ibis and 5 more Cattle Egrets. A flock of 4 Garganey was followed by another 3 later from the Denge Marsh Hide. A male Bearded Tit really put on a show, a Bittern was heard booming, a Goldeneye and another White-fronted Goose. 3 Barn Swallows were a year tick for all of us and 5 White Wagtails in with 30 Pieds was a real bonus.
The day finished on Walland Marsh where we added 3 Yellowhammers and a Song Thrush before driving home. It was a very enjoyable day. (Ray O'Reilly)
February Field Meeting
We had a beautiful day out yesterday for our February 2022, KOS Outdoor Meeting. We met at Brookland Lake Car Park admiring Greenfinches around the area and a Chiffchaff was noted. Song Thrushes were still fairly numerous and we were serenaded by them during the early part of the walk, a single Redwing was also noted with them. The pits contained the usual commoner species as well as a drake Scaup, a Mediterranean Gull acquiring its black hood and a duck Goosander. Grey Wagtails now seem to be seen more regular as do queen Buff-tailed Bumble-Bees busying throughout the Winter.
After a coffee break we all went to Milton Creek/Little Murston NR and spent the rest of the day there having lunch in the field.
A drake Red-breasted Merganser that followed us along for around half an hour during the ebbing tide was a real bonus. Two Spotted Redshank and three Greenshank were among the more numerous waders that included many Avocets. A Kingfisher was seen on the gravel pits and a very dark Buzzard that like to hover a lot was interesting.
We found a flock of eleven Yellowhammers feeding in the horse fields and the cock birds were as bright as any spring male Yellow Wagtails. A Peregrine towards the end of the day was spotted at huge distance by Dave Perrin only to be seen much closer on our walk back. A fun day out with lots of laughs and great company.