HAPPY NEW YEAR

My years birding started with my now annual walk from home to the harbour following the river as closely as possible,a bit like" Walking the Nile"without the crocodiles.A reasonable 43 species were seen notably kingfisher,firecrest,goldcrest,chiff chaff,grey wagtail and little egret.The harbour is still very quiet no auks,no divers,no rare gulls, and just the odd great crested grebe,a single purple sandpiper is seen occasionally on the hoverpad and a few turnstones.
The highlight so far is definitely the LESSER YELLOWLEGS,(try saying that on a friday night) on the Pett Levels ,Winchelsea Beach,my first attempt ended in failure but yesterday after the deluge eased I tried again and was in luck.

                                                   LITTLE EGRET -RIVER DOUR

                                             GREY WAGTAIL- PENCESTER GARDENS

     A FIERY END TO A GREY TUESDAY AT SAMPHIRE HOE

Having heard through the grapevine that Oare was open for business again,i paid a quick morning visit on wednesday:-

                                REDSHANK IN THE OOZE

                                DUNLIN

                                 SNIPE" AVIN A BARF"

PINTAILS ARE PRESENT IN GOOD NUMBERS AT OARE.
After the deluge cleared on Thursday I set off for Pett Levels--

 LESSER YELLOWLEGS -The American wader very similar to our own redshank.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS - showed well in the roadside pools.

TAKE THAT  PECK YOU ON THE HEAD

 OH BLIMEY I,VE TAKEN IS EAD ORF

 NOT REALLY

 CURLEW

 BEST BUDDIES REALLY.

CURLEW AND LAPWING -
From here I checked out the Cattle egrets and the Great White egrets.

 CATTLE EGRET

GREAT WHITE EGRET.

Between my last post and the new year a couple of things to update...

44871 &45407 THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS STEAMING THROUGH SAMPHIRE HOE.

GOLDFINCHES ON TEAZLE AT THE HOE

 TEAL & SHOVELLER AT REST HARROW SCRAPE.

Thats all for now at 1145pm on 9th january a bit worse for wear Timothy Taylor has a lot to answer for.