Six Chiffchaff and 2 Kingfisher around the golf course this morning. (RP)
20/3 - Another visit to the local patch at Elmer Rocks finally produced my first Wheatear of the spring, always a joy, whilst two Slavonian Grebes offshore on a calm sea were also present, one deciding to fly off east to Climping. A flock of 11 Brent Geese and a single drake Shoveler also went east and a Shelduck west, before a pod of 6 or more Dolphins appeared offshore at some distance (scope views) - presumably Bottle-nosed? Red-breasted Mergansers were also much in evidence again with c.45 present, many of which were displaying, whilst a single Gannet and a diver sp were also logged.
21/3 - Slow-going again offshore this morning, though there were a couple of odds and ends, with a drake Tufted Duck that flew inshore from well out and briefly dropped onto the sea behind the rock islands before moving on E, a Kestrel that went E offshore and 4 Common Scoter W. A distant diver E was too distant to safely ID and a shoreline Little Egret later flew off inland.On my way back a newly-arrived female Wheatear was on top of a rock island, whilst c.30 R/b Mergansers and 3 Great Crested Grebes were offshore.
22/3 - I watched the flat calm sea for a couple of hours (0800-1000), although visibility was not great, but there was nothing happening apart from several decent flocks of Brent Geese moving through – my total being 270E – and 2 Med Gulls. A single Slavonian Grebe was offshore together with c.30 R/b Mergansers and 3 Great Crested Grebes, whilst 10 Turnstones were on Poole Place rock groyne. At hotspot corner a single Chiffchaff, a noisy Jay and a Green Woodpecker were the only species of note, with a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker nearby.