February 2008
A day at the Dungeness R.S.P.B Reserve.
20/02/08
Goldeneye.
Along with Mike Gould, I had a day at the R.S.P.B reserve at Dungeness, to catch up on species usually found around the gravel pits on this reserve. We saw 2 Stonechats on the entrance track into the reserve, and 2 Goldcrest awaited our arrival in the car park. It was not long before we had Smew, Goldeneye and Goosander ticked off, along with all the common wildfowl species. We sat and watched a pair of Goldeneye going through there courtship ritual, the first time I have seen this display. Grebes consisted of Great Crested and Little, with 2 Slavonian Grebes also seen throughout the day. 2 Marsh harriers and 2 Kestrels were noted, and a distant Sparrow-hawk was seen sitting on a post. At least 14 Bearded Tits were seen feeding in the reed beds., and whilst watching these, a flock of Barnacle Geese dropped into a field to the back of the reserve, joining the Grey Geese already feeding there. We both enjoyed an excellent day, and as we departed along the track to the main road, we stopped to get a better look at a flock of birds in the hedges and gorse, and found 11 Tree Sparrows, the 1st Tree Sparrows I have seen for a good few years, and although distant, I managed a photograph, rounding off a great end to the day.