Earlier in the week on a mild but very drizzly night I put the rap out more in hope that expectation, but next morning there were 5 species of moth in the trap or nearby: Hebrew Character, Pale Brindled Beauty, March Moth, Light Brown Apple Moth and a tortrix which I can narrow down only to one of two species, so has to be recorded as Acleris ferrugana/notana. However, this still is the 600th species recorded in the garden.
At Dungeness today in a very strong freezing North-Easterly it was a case of seeing the usual suspects, with a Glaucous Gull at the Patch, Drake and Redhead Smews, Slavonian Grebe, Black-throated Diver, Great White Egret, Little Egret and Buzzard on the RSPB reserve. On Walland Marsh there 40 Tree Sparrows at some feeders and another Buzzard or two.

Pale Brindled Beauty

 March Moth

 Acleris ferrugana/notana

First moth of the year in the garden trap-a Hebrew Character. At Bossenden Wood, Dunkirk,this morning, I did manage to see a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but still didn't manage to photograph this elusive species. However, a Treecreeper posed in the sunshine.

Treecreeper

 Hebrew Character

Spent another sunny day at Dungeness yesterday. At the ARC pit a Bittern and Great White Egret were on show but a long way away from the hide. At Scotney a walk behind the farm produced very little apart from a couple of Buzzards and a Hare. After lunch, and some searching, a Dartford Warbler showed along Kerton Road, and on the main part of the reserve the Glaucous Gull and Black-throated Diver showed well from the Dennis Hide. The Slavonian Grebe was stil present from the Christmas Dell hide but we failed to see any Smew. A 2nd Great White Egret was on Dengemarsh.

 Common Buzzard

 Dartford Warbler

 Black-throated Diver

Had a good at Dungeness yesterday on a generally sunny day. It started well at The Hanson Hide where my friend first heard movement in the reeds close to the hide, which proved to a very close Bittern. Initally obscured, we had to wait a while but eventually the bird emerged and posed for quite a while in the open. We then finally caught up with the Caspian Gull at the Fishing Boats. Around the RSPB Reserve in the afternoon, we also noted the regular Glaucous Gull, 2 Goosander, 2 Smew, Slavonian Gebe, 2 Little Egrets and a Great White Egret.

Bittern

Caspian Gull