Sunday 27 May 2012

Dungeness and the Patch with RSPB Hemel group (26/11/11)

I just found this in my draft and I can see its not finished but I don't remember any more so I hope you enjoy it.
DUNGENESS

We started off our trip at 7 o'clock when we went to the usual spot to meet up. To get to Dungeness me and my brother had to go in a car with someone. We were put in a car with Stuart. Our first stop was at Ashford for a nice breakfast at Tesco's. We carried on after a filling breakfast to Dungeness. About five miles before we reached Dungeness we passed a bird which looked to me like a Common Crane when we had passed it me and my brother said at the same time "was that a Crane" unfortunately we were unable to tell.
This trip to Dungeness and the Patch was a very good trip for me because it allowed me to catch up on two species that keep slipping through my fingers the Merlin and the Mediterranean Gull.
At first we went to a screen which was the closest thing to us, on the way a Marsh Harrier flow over the path and hedges. when we arrived at the screen we all set up our scopes and began to scan. The first thing that I noticed was the gulls which were Great Black-backed Gulls with a few Herring Gulls and Common Gulls beside them in the water I saw up to about 100+ Wigeon. With the Wigeon were a few Shelducks feeding. Behind the Wigeon there were some Goldeneye diving I saw three but I believe there were a lot more. Whilst the group were scanning across the lake we managed to see many Little Egrets and even a Great White Egret which was a bird which I had wanted to get one my life list for a long time along with the Merlin and Mediterranean Gull. After having a good look at it me and my brother decided to go to a hide which was closer to the Egret. 

This is a diggy scope taken with my iPod Touch.
Over the lake I could see many ducks most were Gadwalls but there were a few Pintails around. When the group caught up with me and my brother they told us that there were a pair of Red Headed Smews. We found them in the scope very quickly and had a small glimpse of them before they went behind some reeds. Then we all saw a bit of a bush move which was next to the hide and a Chiffchaff popped out. After having a good look around to see if there was anything else out there we went back to the car. On the way we saw a pair of Peregrines chasing a flock of c.100 Lapwings. Whilst walking along we came to a place were we could see through the reeds which allowed us to see the Smews again. There was also a pair of Meadow Pipits that flow over the path. When we got to the car we set off for Denge Marsh (also a part of  Dungeness).
DENGE MARSH

We arrived at Denge Marsh and went straight into the visitors center. At the visitors center we were given a sticker which allowed us to go onto the RSPB reserve. One of the first things I saw on the lakes was a flock of about 100 Shoveler. With the Shoveler was a pair of Pintails

No comments:

Post a Comment