HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN

I'm sure Martyn Wilson will appreciate the headline and will probably be able to tell me the year of Dave Stewart's and Annie Lennox's hit.  It's the weekend so it's bound to be wet, grey and miserable.  Starting at the Towers at 7.00 a.m. about 100 Brent Geese were congregating on the sea and 21 Mute Swan were grazing in the fields.  Gangs of Oystecatcher were whizzing past and we gave up counting after reaching 82 birds.  A Little Egret was noted by the Oyster farm and the perennial Little Grebe was seen in one of the channels.  Four Meadow Pipit were playing parachutes with each other and we reached Cold Harbour in fairly steady rain.  The 3 SHORELARKS were sighted in the usual spot looking fairly bedraggled and Marc managed to relocate the SCANDINAVIAN ROCK PIPIT which alongside three other Rock Pipits is fairly striking.

We had almost given up hope of ever spotting the GOOSANDERS when Heathy looked out to sea and they were very close to shore. We were both delighted to finally connect and the SPOTTED REDSHANK showing well in the Lagoon had to wait while we enjoyed the male and 3 female GOOSANDERS.  Chris Hindle joined us in the torrential rain and we soon headed back to the Towers.  We recorded 2 Stonechats and 10 Reed Buntings on our return and as we reached the Oyster Farm a very smart adult MEDITERRANEAN GULL flew past to complete another successful morning despite the predictable conditions.  By the way, Martyn, I'm sure you know it comes from the Eurythmics 'Touch' album of 1984.