One of those rare days with almost flat calm conditions and complete cloud cover – still very cold though, there was even a light frost; a nice selection of birds were seen through the day, perhaps hinting that we have turned the corner into some semblance of spring! Over the sea birds included a northerly passage of 133+ Black-headed Gulls, 72 Brent Geese, a Great-crested Grebe, a Fulmar, 13 Gannets, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and at least 118 Red-throated Divers (most of them flying north together, presumably just shifting feeding grounds rather than an actual movement).
On or over the land birds comprised 2 Firecrests caught, a Chiffchaff, 3 Chaffinches, a Goldcrest, 2 Meadow Pipits, 2 Robins, 4 Rook, a Stock Dove and a Yellowhammer while up the river there was a Slavonian Grebe just off the River Stour mouth and a drake Goosander which appeared to follow the Stena Ferry down the river, it seemed to be actively following the boat, flying in big zig-zags in the wake – tempting to think that it was looking for fish disturbed by the boat like a Gull but seems a bit far-fetched!
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