The Lesser Yellowlegs that has been wintering at East Tilbury since January, failed to perform in the early morning drizzle. A little consolation came in the form of some displaying Kingfishers.
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After poor luck at East Tilbury, we headed south to Kent and to Grove Ferry. Philip Precey and me were lifted by the sound of a Cetti's Warbler, our first of the year, singing as we walked along the two path. We soon found our quarry, an immaculate drake Blue-winged Teal, dabbling in a pool in the marshes. The bird was quite drab rufous-grey brown, but with a spectacular blue head marked with a dazzling white crescent before the eye. The duck's bill was surprisingly long and quite Shoveler-like. After filling our boots, we carried on, enjoying a number of Green Woodpeckers, adding as ever, a touch of the exotic. A Great Spotted Woodpecker drummed in the oaks on the other side of the river and a few Bearded Tits 'pinged' unseen in the reedbed.
At the other end of the marshes, we were shown the wintering Long-billed Dowitcher, feeding in the characteristic sewing-machine manner, belly deep in floodwater. Plenty of common waders were around too and one Grey Wagtail was watched feeding in a drainage ditch next to the road.
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Continuing our successful day, we popped in to see the confiding and displaying male Pied-billed Grebe at Singleton Lake, near Ashford. It appeared very much at home on this small suburban fishing lake. The bird, presumably a male was seen displaying to a rather bewildered-looking Little Grebe!
We headed south to Dungeness, my first visit to this famous and extraordinary nature reserve. A walk round Dunge priduced a smart first-winter drake Long-tailed Duck, approximately 20 Smew, including at least two males and two superb singing Firecrests , which, as usual were a delight. At the 'patch' just offshore from the power station where the water is heated by the outflow, Dunc picked up the wintering Grey Phalarope, which was watched feeding among the gulls. We then drove round to another large pit which held two Slavonian Grebes, three Red-throated Divers, 35+ Scaup an a large flock of waders which contained one Purple Sandpiper and at least two Little Stints.
A truly memorable day in Kent!
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