KNOT MUCH MAKES THE NOTEBOOK.

Kumlien's Gull photograph. Big thanks to Neil Burt for sending me a copy of this.Hopefully this will enliven the drab reading underneath.Unfortunately the pictures of yesterday's Eider didn't come out  as successfully as Marc's!

Having promised myself for several weeks now to go Owling I met Marc just after 5.30 a.m. yesterday morning.  The session was very successful and several birds were seen and heard.  I also added Red-Legged Partridge to my year list in the form of five birds - (2, 2 and 1 in the fields around Shuart). We arrived at Reculver Towers just after 7.00 a.m. and after our usual coffee and chat we strolled in gathering gloom to Cold Harbour.  The sea was extremely calm and a single Great Crested Grebe and the resident two Eider were soon seen.  8 Curlew flew east and Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Reed Bunting and the flock of Linnet now around 35 birds were also seen.  The Oyster Farm held about 10 Redshank and a single Little Egret.  We didn't find the Bearded Tits today but a small group of Golden Plover were observed in the ploughed field.  At Cold Harbour a small gang of 9 Dunlin were feeding in the lagoon.  We strolled back along the shingle ridge where Heathy met his best friend with her extremely well behaved Labrador.  We met Anne and Chris who had seen very little in their walk along the embankment and Green Wall.  On our return 2 Knot added to my year list and I fortunately added to this with 2 flyover Siskin by the towers.  I returned home with the thrill of Dagenham and Bradford City to look forward to and Heathy went in search of Canada Geese (unsuccessfully). It must get better soon !