Not run the moth trap for a few days due to the weather. Yesterday I drove down to Dungeness in pouring rain with no great expectations but it turned into a pretty good day. We started at Boulderwall Farmhouse, where the Ring-necked Duck was showing well but photography was difficult in the rain and poor light. After sitting in the RSPB visitor centre till the rain stopped we returned to Boulderwall where the Cattle Egret was close to the track but the RN Duck had moved further away and was mostly asleep. Next on the ARC pit we were lucky with 3 sightings of Bitterns (probably 2 birds) with 2 in flight and another on the edge of a reed bed from the Hanson Hide. A Great White Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk and Marsh Harrier were also noted there. After lunch we followed up reports of a Dartford Warbler along Kerton Road. The sky was darkening but my friend immediately picked up 2 Stonechats and we were pleased to find a Dartford Warbler with them. One of the Stonechats was the unusual one seen the previous day and considered to be possibly an "eastern" type. As the rain started we headed back to the RSPB reserve again where 2 or 3 Great White Egrets, 8 Little Egrets, a Goosander, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, Yellow-legged and Caspian Gulls were noted. Finally we drove round to the Dengemarsh Road where 2 Bewick's Swans were with a few Mutes opposite the Watersport Centre, and a Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harriers were at the Springfield Bridge. So Ring-necked Duck, Dartford Warbler and 5 "Heron" species made a very good day.

 Ring-necked Duck

 Cattle Egret

 Stonechat