March 17th
At last a reasonable morning!
Matt arrived at the Towers at 0630 and spent an hour seawatching and recorded the following flying west: 58 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 7 Red-throated Divers, 8 Gannets, 55 Black-headed Gulls, 62 Meadow Pipits, 5 alba Wagtails, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Great Skua (118th), 1 Avocet (119th), 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Rock Pipit.
He then met us at Shuart and we walked to Brooksend and Plumpudding before returning to Shuart. We counted 4 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 17 Mute Swans, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Corn Buntings, 1 Greylag Goose, 4 Red-legged Partridges, 36 Goldfinches, 20 Chaffinches, 4 Common Buzzards, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 37 Redwings W, 1 Brambling W (120th) and 5 Greenfinches. From Brooksend onwards we saw 5 Grey Herons, 21 Pied Wagtails, 2 White Wagtails, 3 Jays, 7 Mallard, 7 Tufted Duck, 1 Shoveler, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 9 Coot, 2 Marsh Harriers, 16 Skylarks, 28 Turnstone, 18 Redshank and 2 Peregrines hunting over the Marsh.

Redshank and Turnstone roosting on the beach at Plumpudding

Marc Heath was also out this morning and between 0600 and 1000 and recorded 155 Meadow Pipits W, 7 Shelduck, 1 Little Grebe, 4 Redshank, 5 adult Mediterranean Gulls W, 1 Gannet, 6 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail, 8 Reed Buntings, 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 17 Turnstone, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Golden Plovers, 1 singing Stonechat, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Great Skuas W, 1 Snow Bunting, 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Red-throated Diver, 35 Common Scoter, 4 Skylarks, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 red-headed Goosanders W, 1 Woodcock in off, 1 Peregrine and 30 Corn Buntings.

2 red-headed Goosanders - Marc Heath

Woodcock in off the sea - Marc Heath

Snow Bunting - Marc Heath