ONE GOOD TERN.

Arrivind at Reculver just after 5.30 a.m. this morning, I just about managed to beat Marc but only by a few seconds.  With torrential overnight rain we both hoped for a few birds to be around, especially a Wader or a Roseate or Little Tern.  As soon as we reached the sea wall the first of 41 Sandwich Tern flew west and we soon added the first of 11 Common Tern.  Meadow Pipit and 3 Pied Wagtail were recorded by the Oyster Farm and we soon added 5 Black Tailed Godwit and a year tick for me in the form of 6 Common Scoter.  The usual suspects of Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Linnet, Little Egret and Grey Heron were added to our note books.  We were pleased to add singles of Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper and made it down to Cold Harbour in bright sunshine.  A single Marsh Harrier was hunting over the marshes and Swallow and Swift were on the move. We met Matt and Chris HIndle who had recorded a Grasshopper Warbler but we were unable to locate it on our return.  A fairly uneventful return added only Whitethroat and Shelduck.  We were disappointed not to find any Mediterranean Gulls or Roseate or Little Tern.  Perhaps next week?  We decided to move on to Grove in the hope of adding Mandarin to our Grove year lists but were unsuccessful.  However, we did add GRASSHOPPER WARBLER who put in brief appearance.  With last week's SAVI'S WARBLER now departed, thanks to Martyn and Marc's very early texts I can now place on the record that it is now on my year lists, the first I think for three years and I did manage to see the whole of a NIGHT HERON as well.