01/01/2015 New Year Birding - Cattle Egrets, Swans and Harriers

Thursday 1st January 2015
Dungeness, Walland Marsh, Scotney, Jevington and Pevensey Levels

I wanted a quiet start to the new year so I decided to stay away from the major reserves and concentrate on the peripheral sites. 

Weather conditions were dull and overcast with quite a strong breeze.  Thankfully, the icy situation of the last couple of days had gone and by mid-day temperatures were into double figures.   

• First stop was Dengemarsh Road, Lydd, where the 2 Cattle Egrets provided excellent views and a valuable addition to my 2015 UK Bird List.  They were among the cattle in the field opposite Wraxalls Aggregates.

• Next stop was Walland Marsh to see 75+ Bewick Swans and the single Whooper Swan. They were showing  in the fields close to Horses Bones Farm.  In the excitement of the moment I overlooked the 4 Tundra Bean Geese that were also present.

• On Scotney GP the highlights included 2 Black-necked Grebes and a drake Scaup on the Sussex side and Barnacle Geese on the Kent side.

• Jevington was my final stop before returning home to have lunch with Sue.  I left this till last as it was my banker for the day; the Rough-legged Buzzard had been seen here frequently for the past couple of months so I thought it would be a formality to "twitch" it.  Of course, I should have known better - the bird was not there or if it was I and another couple of birders couldn't find it.  There was, however, a super show by a Peregrine and the largest flock of Stock Doves that I have ever seen.

• The late afternoon session was at Pevensey Levels where I had excellent views of at least 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Ring-tailed Hen Harriers but no sightings of Long-eared Owls or the Richard's Pipit.

Today's species list:
Blackbird
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Starling
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
House Sparrow
Cattle Egret
Bewick's Swan
Whooper Swan   (10)
Mute Swan
Mallard
Coot
Lapwing
Teal
Wigeon
Tufted Duck
Barnacle Goose
Greylag Goose  
Shoveler   (20)
Shelduck
Curlew
Pied Wagtail
Scaup
Pochard
Black-necked Grebe
Great-crested Grebe
Herring Gull
Cormorant   
Stock Dove  (30)
Peregrine
Pheasant
Jackdaw
Rook
Goldfinch
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel  
Grey Heron   (40)
Hen Harrier  
Meadow Pipit
Cetti's Warbler (heard)
Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon   (134)

Not a bad start, considering the weather conditions, with some scarce birds seen again early, just in case they decide to leave.