17/10/10

Hi, having looked at the species board when I first arrived, I went over to Crystal Conoco straight away but failed to spot the BNG, in amongst the plentiful Dabchick and Coot, that had been there an hour previously at 10:00. There was however a common Sand on the far bank.  Undeterred , I started off and was soon greeted by a party of various tits in the Hawthorns including 12 Long tails, such a pretty bird. Then up the middle track hoping to see some Fieldfare, but no. Neither Radar or Ski Pontoon produced anything of note. Continuing onto Flamingo the large flock of Shelduck of Tuesday had gone, to be replaced with about 100 Avocet on the northern bank, with 45 variously aged GBB Gulls in almost the same spot as Tuesday last. I hung around at the top end of Flamingo still lusting after the return of last Januarys Shore lark. Nothing, even though they are at North Foreland it may be a while before they come back or not. Content however with the Redshank and various duck and a beautiful Greenshank, oh and a fly past by a Green Sand I pressed on along the seawall, with nothing more than a few B H Gulls to keep me company. I bumped into an RSPB patroller, Richard Sinclair, always nice to meet a new face  Two dragons and a forlorn Small White took my eye as I turned right at The Mead and down to Magwitch view point. In a Hawthorn landed a superbly marked female Southern Hawker, I crept up closer and closer to photograph it in the end being able to actually touch it. So I imagine I had just witnessed it's swansong. Then round to BBs,. a lot of Lapwing, indeed there were a lot over the whole site today, a fair number of teal. A sole Dunlin and L Stint completed the count for the Black Barns.Onto Radar and a goodly amount of Pochard ,Tufted and two beautifully marked Drake Pintail. Weather wise it was cloudy with intermittent sunny patches and a light NE breeze. Back at the car park I noted that the following had been added on to the board in the 6 hours since I left it. Stonechat, Cettis, Wheatear, Golden Plover, 4 Bearded Tits at BBs, and 8 Fieldfare over the car park at 13:10. That's what I love about birding! .........There's always another day.Many thanks, once again, to Dave Saunders for this account of his experience at Cliffe Pools.