WET WILD AND WINDY

2012 started on a dull overcast note then got wet wild and windy through the first few days.As new years eve had taken on a gallon of beer I unlike the england scrum half walked. Starting from home my walk took in Bushy Ruff,a sad sight indeed with just a couple of puddles left,hopefully the recent rains will fill the aquifers and set the springs running again soon,Kearsney Abbey where thankfully there is still a reasonable flow,here I found KINGFISHER,LITTLE GREBE,TREECREEPER,GOLDCREST,GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER,REDWING and GREY WAGTAIL,moving on through the village of River following the Dour I found GREY HERON and WATER RAIL.In the town centre a LITTLE EGRET was perched in a conifer in the steadily falling drizzle ,it was decision time to go to the pier or call it a day?Iwent to the pier getting absolutely drenched in the process,there were still thirty or so GANNETS feeding in the harbour entrance and RAZORBILL AND GUILLEMOT numbers were increasing, I was not the only mad person as two other birders from London were perched in the lee of the cafe,luckily for me they offered me a lift home which was gratefully accepted ,if you read this thankyou once again.Sorry there are no pics but as it was so dull I didn`t even take the camera out.
However here are some taken yesterday wed 4th I think.

Juv KITTIWAKE walking on water.

Adult KITTIWAKE sinking in the water.

RAZORBILL

Razorbills are outnumbering guillemots about 4:1 which is amazing for Dover Harbour where you are lucky to see a couple a year,it is also a very unusual event to have gannets feeding inside the walls of the harbour,I can only assume that large sprat and /or herring shoals are present.

GUILLEMOT.
Yesterday also provided a rare bird in the form of a GREEN WINGED TEAL at Sandwich Bay

GREEN WINGED TEAL a visitor from America,very similar to our teal but with a vertical white stripe on the breast not horizontal on the wing.

American on the left Eurasian on the right.

CURLEWS on Rest Harrow Scrape.