Glorious morning at the patch although yet again very quiet.
Diver sp - 3w
Red-breasted Merganser - 2w
Brent Geese - 5w
Oystercatcher - 12
Turnstone - 13w
Pied Wagtail - 15
Rock Pipit - 1
Skylark - 9
Goldcrest - 5
Chiffchaff - 2
Stonechat - 1
Jay - 2
Kestrel - 2
Buzzard - 2
Lesser B B Gull - 2
Redshank - 1

Buzzard

Goldcrest

Lesser B B Gull

Long T Tit

This afternoon 2 Black Swan in field opposite the Ford market entrance with c.60 Mute Swan and c.1500 Brent Geese in fields east of Bread lane.

In glourious sunshine it  was pretty quiet around Marsh Farm this morning with just ;
Chiffchaff - 7  to 10

Still plenty of Chiffchaff  but none yet singing

Goldcrest - 3
Mistle Thrush - 2
Linnet - 27
Yellowhammer - 2
Jay - 2
Buzzard - 4
Gadwall - 30
Teal - 2
Tufted Duck - 4
Pochard - 3
Little Grebe - 2
Water Rail - 1
Grey Heron - 1
Green Woodpecker - 2
Cormorant - 2














Climping was even quieter with  just 10 Med Gull off West Beach, and singles of Redshank, Stonechat, and Lesser B B Gull being the only other birds of note.

Great & Lesser B B Gulls in the Marina

A stark contrast from yesterday, very cluody with a brisk south westerly making for grim totals.
Mediterranean Gull - 3w 2e 6os
Auk sp - 1w
Red-breasted Merganser - 2w
Sanderling - 72
Grey Plover - 52
Skylark - 3
Stonechat - 1
Grey Partridge - 2
Kestrel - 1
Buzzard - 1

A beautiful morning at Climping started with a sea watch at 08:15
Red-throated Diver - 12w

Stonechat

Red-breasted Merganser - 6e 10 os
Brent Geese - 42w 28e
Common Scoter - 4e
Great-crested Grebe - 1 os
Mediterranean Gull - 12
Redshank - 3
Curlew - 20
Mistle Thrush - 2
Chiffchaff - 1
Meadow Pipit - 5
Skylark - 10
Kestrel - 1
Buzzard - 2
Bullfinch - 1 Mill
Goldcrest - 1

Med Gull several offshore

Stonechat - 3
Jay - 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1
Grey Partridge - 2 horse paddock











Marsh Farm from 11:20

Good number of Gadwall 

Red Kite - 1
Buzzard - 4
Kestrel - 1
Gadwall - 60
Teal - 12
Tufted Duck - 4
Pochard - 3
Little Grebe - 2
Lapwing - 10
Cormorant - 5
Water Rail - 2
Little Egret - 1
Bullfinch - 5, 1 male
Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1

Goldcrest

Green Woodpecker - 1
Goldcrest - 3
Chiffchaff - 7
Mute Swan - 50 opp Ford market entrance

Bullfinch 1 of 5

Bright sunshine with some warmth in the air was a sign of spring and hopefully some better things to come .

Rock Pipit Climping Beach

Brent Geese - c.150

Oystercatcher - 24

Turnstone- - 77

Curlew - 18

Little Egret - 1

Sanderling - 1

Redshank - 2

Gannet - 1w

Great-crested Grebe - 2

Common Gull - 17

Mediteranean Gull - 5

Pied Wagtail - 27

Skylark - 10

Meadow Pipit- 2

Sparrowhawk Atherington

Rock Pipit - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Buzzard - 1

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Peregrine - 1 

Very quiet in the patch this morning in the absence of the Brent Geese flock, with only the following numbers recorded.
Curlew - 15
Brent Geese - 5w
Red-breasted Mergansers - 8e
Great-crested Grebe - 1e
Common Scoter - 1e
Turnstone - 31
Redshank - 1
Chiffchaff - 2
Goldcrest - 2
Kestrel - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Green Woodpecker - 1
Grey Partridge - 6

A quick visit to Marsh Farm fared just as poorly.
Gadwall - 50
Teal - 4
Tufted Duck - 3
Pochard - 4
Yellowhammer - 6

Another cold grey morning saw me trying a sea watch at Climping, in between the continued presence of the EA moving shingle along the beach.
Red-throated Diver - 2e
Diver spa - 7w 1e
Wigeon - 3 os
Red-breasted Merganser - 14 os 5e
Great-crested Grebe - 3 os
Gannet - 1w
Curlew - 18 cudlow field
Ringed Plover - 5
Grey Plover - 22 west beach
Redshank - 2
Sanderling - 12
Pied Wagtail - 10
Brent Geese - c. 1200 slight increase from yesterday
Little Egret - 1
Kestrel - 1

Circuit from rope walk covering the back of the golf course up to West Beach in a cold grey morning.
Brent Geese - Large flock west of mill c.1200
Grey Heron - 1
Little Egret - 2
Buzzard - 1
Kestrel - 1
Sparrowhawk - 1
Peregrine - 2 gas tower
Grey Partridge - 6
Sanderling - 17
Grey Plover - 11
Redshank - 2
Great-crested Grebe - 2 os
Reed Bunting - 1
Stonechat - 2
Goldcrest - 1

Firecrest showing well around Marsh Farm

Nice stroll around Marsh Farm in the sunshine produced
Gadwall - 48
Pochard - 3
Tufted Duck - 3
Grey Heron - 1
Kestrel - 1
Sparrowhawk - 2
Buzzard - 2
Chiffchaff - 7
Goldcrest - 4
Firecrest - 1
Water Rail - 1
Mistle Thrush - 1

Good number of Chiffchaff this Winter

Bitterly cold this morning on Climping beach where the Brent flock had increased up to c.800 at least and 10 Common Gull in the fields. 2 Grey Geese flew high east over Cudlow field and one was certainly a White-fronted Goose. Offshore, 2 Red-throated Diver on the sea with a further 5 moving west, along with 7 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Great-crested Grebe, and a few Auk sp. The Kumlien's Gull again viewable from the Look Sea Centre and singles of  Little Egret, Little Grebe and Kestrel in the area.

Quick check on the pools around theMarsh Farm this morning ended in disappointment with only 3 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck and 12 Gadwall on the main pool, with consolation of a Firecrest in the bushes on the way back.

Very quiet at Climping Beach apart from c. 450 Brent Geese and a Kestrel hovering over Cudlow field west of the car park and the Kumlien's Gull showing very well from the Lifeboat Station.

More shots of the Kumlien's Gull

A stroll up the river from the Tesco roundabout late afternoon produced 8 Teal, 2 Curlew, 2 Grey Heron 12 Redshank 6 Redwing and about 60 Meadow Pipit flushed up walking across one field.

The Kumlien's Gull still showing very well on the west arm of the river early afternoon, also 1 Little Grebe in the Marina, c. 350 Brent Geese on the sea at Climping, with small groups of distant Auks moving west. Also off Climping this morning 1w Knot, 4 Med Gull, 1w Wigeon, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and singles of both Great-crested Grebe and Little Egret. 

7 Redwing, 25 Gadwall and a Sparrowhawk around Marsh Farm.