TWO HEATHS IN ONE DAY.

Arriving at Reculver just after 5.30 a.m. this morning, I wondered why I had bothered to get up at silly o'clock again.  Rain was hammering down with no obvious signs of relenting.  Marc had already parked up and after a quick chat we decided to have a sort of sea-watch from the comfort of my car.  Amazingly a few birds were moving through East and West.   In about an hour and a half we recorded Gannet, Sandwich Tern and Common Tern.  A Grey Heron flew in off the sea and the Sand Martin colony roughly numbering a 100 birds soon became 99 when a rampaging HOBBY  took  one home for his breakfast.  The sighting of the Hobby was a very welcome year tick.  We decided to stroll to Cold Harbour and back in improving conditions. We recorded 3 Pied Wagtail, 26 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Oysterchatcher, 3 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 3 Shelduck, 20+ Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Redshank and 9 Lapwing.  We met Chris Hindle who had recorded very much the same.   Marc photographed a group of Sandwich Tern and as Chris made his way back to Shuart he turned and alerted us to two Mediterranean Gulls drifting along the coast.  On our return we encountered a 2nd Summer bird as well.  We then made our way to East Blean woods where Heathy gave me my first basic lesson in Butterflies.  We were very fortunate to find many Heath Fritilleries and also Ringlet, Meadow Brown and White Admiral.  What started out as disappointing became very enjoyable.  Once again a very big thanks to Heathy for his help with my photography.