A Snow Bunting found by OM in Cudlow field north of Climping Beach this morning, also c800 Brent Geese near the Mill, a Jack Snipe in the setaside, 60 Skylark and 25 Meadow Pipit in the area BF & DM.

A pleasant morning with just a light breeze and a calm sea, although the tide was falling and most of the birds offshore were well out. A flock of 6 Diver sp went W, followed by 7 more which were surely Red-throated, whilst c.20 each of Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser were also distant. Waders were few with just half a dozen Grey Plover and just small numbers of Turnstone and Sanderling.  Fifty Brent Geese went E to join the distant feeding flock at Climping whilst a few more were to and fro over the sea. A look around the flooded set-aside produced nothing noteworthy.

I decided to check out Cudlow’s field, where there were another 7 Brent Geese, up to 50 Common Gulls and 30 Ringed Plovers, plus several Pied Wagtails and several Skylarks near the large puddles that have formed on the south side behind the beach. As I scanned, I noticed something more interesting feeding along the edge – and blow me, it was a Snow Bunting! (OM)

Snow Bunting Climping Beach (OM)

 A quiet mild grey morning with light rain and wind from the south, didn't produce any unexpected highlights, but good numbers of Brent Geese north of long wood, best viewed from Ferry Road, a mobile Starling flock around the yacht club, and Ringed Plover in the field west of the Mill Cottage.

Brent Geese - c300+

Sanderling - 35

Ringed Plover - 64

Oystercatcher - 5

Dunlin - 2

Grey Plover - 1

Snipe - 1

Starling - c150

Song Thrush - 6

Fieldfare - 1

Stonechat - 5

Goldcrest - 1

Linnet - 40

Skylark - 37

Meadow Pipit - 1

Reed Bunting - 1

Kestrel -1

Buzzard - 2

Med Gull - 25

Brent Geese

Climping – Atherington: Visibility offshore was very poor with a flock of 7E Shoveler close in being the best and a few Med Gulls and Common Gulls around. The most productive spot was the first area of set-aside, where a close Jack Snipe flushed, whilst passerines included 2 Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, 20 Skylark and c.50 Linnets. Two Buzzards, 2 Green Woodpeckers and a Little Egret were the best of the rest. (OM)