SALTY TOWERS

Yesterday  did an early morning visit to Stodmarsh,the car park was alive with song when Igot there, a garden warbler to the fore.Down the reed bed track a nightingale was in full song,I managed to see it as well peering through a small gap in the blackthorn blossom,it was singing from a low perch.Moving on towards the marsh hide the mist came down quite quickly giving an eerie feel to the day, a single drake garganey was feeding in one of the cleared areas and plenty of reed and sedge warblers were proclaiming their territories.
Couldn`t see much at all by the time I reached the hide,but eventually as I went round the circuit the mist cleared and sunshine poured through.More nightingales sang along by the river,and a cuckoo called in the distance.On the main lake two common terns were esconced on one of the rafts,the other seems to have been taken by the ever burgeoning cormorant population,five pairs of great crested grebes were also present.Back at the reed bed hide the nightingale was still singing and a snipe was showing well out of the side window.

COMMON SNIPE AT STODMARSH

From Stodmarsh went across country to Reculver where I walked to Coldharbour and back,highlights included a flock of sanderling on the beach, a pair of  sandwich terns, several ringed plover,and another superb male wheatear.

IF I GET ON YOUR BACK I CAN ALMOST SEE SANDWICH.

KEEP STILL WOMAN I`LL FALL OFF

WHOA I`M GOING

THATS BETTER

RINGED PLOVER

SINGLE SANDERLING ON THE ROCKS

THE WHOLE FLOCK TAKES TO THE AIR, DISTURBED BY A DOGGER,CAN ANYONE COUNT?

SHELDUCK AT COLDHARBOUR.