Lesser Florican - August 2023

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Thursday 13 February 2014

Scotney GP 13/2/14

I really should have left the house early and got to Hythe for this Pond Heron as it is certainly a morning bird where it shows frequently, and then disappearing to the gardens for the rest of the day. Well I didn't make it there, so Scotney was my call of duty today.

On arrival it was very quiet, and after chatting to Martin who arrived soon after me, the Black-necked Grebe finally showed itself and drifted ever further into Sussex. A couple of hours later I returned and the Grebe was showing well on the Sussex side. During these two periods however, I set about trying to find the Great White Egret which normally associates itself on the pit behind Scotney. Martin kindly told me the best route to take, and thankfully it paid of.

The GW Egret was immediately on show just by Scotney Farm, however I really needed it to fly west for a few hundred metres, and as luck would have it, it done just that. Looking on google earth, the Egret was probably 20 metres into Sussex, but that was good enough for me. A male Merlin was also seen, although this was the same distance from the border, but in Kent.

Later in the afternoon, a Barn Owl and Slavonian Grebe were the only birds of note at the 'Bittern' viewpoint, Rye.

 Black-necked Grebe
 Great White Egret - this shot taken at Scotney Farm
1 - where the GW Egret initially was
2 - where it re-located to (Sussex side)
3 - where I viewed the bird from