Made a regular visit to Dunge today and spent most of the morning in the Hanson Hide due to the weather. However, we enjoyed a close flypast by a Bittern  and a Smew also came fairly close. We had a look for the Brambling seen yesterday on the reserve feeders but no luck there. After lunch we saw a Sandwich Tern and several Gannets from the Fishing Boats area, where a few Dunlin were roosting near the tideline.  Furthermore, the sun came out and we had another good flight view of a Bittern from the Springfield Bridge along the Dengemarsh Road. The 2 Cattle Egrets were also still present there near the chicken sheds. Four Marsh Harriers kept the duck and Lapwings on their toes.

 Dunlin

 Smew

I made a short visit to my local (Bossenden) wood around lunchtime today and finally caught up with a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. I had to walk well into to wood to find it and after hearing it call I had a fairly brief view before it disappeared again. I was slightly surprised to find a Redwing but it was much more confiding.

Redwing

Just Hebrew Characters in the moth trap-so not much to report there. Had a good views of the Short-eared Owl at Seasalter the other day but missed the Garganey at Stodmarsh yesterday, where a couple of Grebes were beginning their mating ritual.

 Great Crested Grebes

Moth news: Yesterday-a Dotted Border and 8 Hebrew Characters and this morning an Early Grey and 2 Hebrew Characters. Picture below from Morocco-further pictues on my Flickr site.

 Alpine Choughs

Four moths of 3 species this morning: 2 Hebrew Characters, 1 March Moth, and 1Agonopterix alstromeriana. this was only my 4th March Moth in 16 years.

March Moth

Had a day at Dunge on Friday. March is generally the slowest month to look for birds and we struggled to find anything new. However, just before lunch my friend managed to pick out a 3rd winter Caspian Gull in the fishing boats gull roost. The drake Smew was still on the reserve, and the drake Scaup was still on Scotney. The first moth of the year arrived on Saturday morning: a Hebrew Character.

Caspian Gull

A few more Morocco birds:

Alpine Accentor

 Alpine Chough

 Crimson-winged Finch

Red-billed Choughs

I've recently returned from from a Birdfinders trip to Morocco which was excellent. My second visit there, but 26 years after the first one. I shall be pposting a few pictures over the next few weeks.

Bald Ibis

 Dupont's Lark