A birding day!!

A birding day!!

Been Birding today...went to Kent to hunt a Serin. I've only ever seen one (well more but that's another story!!) in Hungary.
Down to Broadstairs...to a place called North Foreland and a bay called Joss...thanks to a map and clear directions I found it. Well I had to look for a cleared cauliflower field....in there was the object of my attention...except it wasn't . I asked a local dog walker, who pointed out that I was looking into the wrong field. How was I supposed to know one cleared field from another? So looked into the field.I had been directed to..and looked and looked...nowt!! So what was next? Have a cup of coffee.
Well I was standing with coffee cup in one hand and a cheese sarnie in the other and there was movement,so the coffee went flying in my attempt to get bins to face!! There was a bird...couldn't see what!! Scope on to the place....no bird...drat!! (well a few other things too!!!)
So I left the scope ready, poured another cup (well a half cup) and found the cheese sarnie in my pocket...still in its cling film!! Just as I'm about to drink...back came the movement...coffee flying ......into scope...bird yes....but in shadow...(wasn't a very nice day today and it was cold...biting wind.)...then "Yes" Serin..(Yr tic)............spent ages the other week looking for one in Lincs with 3 other birders...dipped..but today....hurrah!!
2 half cups of coffee gone...and the cheese sarnie was now outside its wrapper and only good for feeding to the birds!!
So flushed with sucess I was able to watch the little bird for about 5 mins and it flew away!!

Now where? Dismal viewing to the sea....I’m not that good at seawatching anyway so unless I have another birder with me and the views are good I shy away!! I knew there had been a Swinger or two seen at Stodmarsh and I thought a better place for birding anyway...so after a celebratory cup of coffee and the other half Cheese sandwich oft I went!!( Lets collect Swinger’s!!)

Well ....I was expecting to have to search diligently for Swingers ....well none to be seen where I thought at first!!

After spying a moving reed…(hahaha) I scoped it and yes a Bittern!! It moved twice in about 10 mins and then I looked at a duck (with my bins) and when I looked back it(Bittern) had gone or at least I couldn't find it!!

I went to the Tower hide...and on the Lampen Wall showing well was a male swinger
( Penduline Tit) which I watched for a while!! Attractive bird.
I then spotted a male and female Gargeney (yr tic!!) on the flood beyond some burnt reedbeds near the Lampen Wall and there were also several Water Pipits. This was getting better and better!!

I was walking away from the hide when I saw a Tern...first this year
a Sandwich Tern....this is a bird I always remember from my childhood birding at Shellness on the Isle of Sheppey!!

So apart from the Marsh Harrier (always mention a MH!!) and a Kestrel I didn't see any other BoP....still love to see Kes hovering!!

A happy birder if a very cold one, had another cup of coffee....and whizzed to the nearest loos!!