March 31st

The weather had changed over night and although it was sunny this morning it was cold and there was a strong NE wind blowing so more in hope than expectation I spent an hour and a half seawatching at Reculver. My reward was a stunning summer plumage Black-necked Grebe (134th) that landed about 50 metres offshore at the car park for a couple of minutes, glowing in the sun, before it flew E at 0915. Other birds I counted were 2 Gannets, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers E, 500 Herring Gulls W, 62 Black-headed Gulls E, 19 Common Gulls W, 2 Shelduck E, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese E and 1 immature Kittiwake E.