Back to Dungeness for Purple Heron.

Once again we set off to do the 99miles to Dungeness, we get there just as it's getting light and head to Dengemarsh rd and walk down to Springfield Bridge.

We are looking for a Purple Heron, we have seen it here for the last 3 year's, we are joined by a couple of more birders, after an hour or so  there is no sign.  Brian wants to try his luck up on the beach, so Jim & I go as well, it is really cold & the wind is biting, not to much about, a few common Terns, some Swifts, then Little Gulls drop onto the beach, so Brian sets off with his camera and gets some nice pictures, He keeps snapping but forgets to watch for the waves rolling in and a big one gets him a beauty,dripping wet he heads back to the car.
With wet socks hanging out of the car window, back to see any sign of target bird, the fellows we left there are just going, I say the usual words and they say it showed about 20 Min's after we left but has gone down behind the reeds on this side of lake and is not been seen for a while.

So we scan around for a couple of hours but no show.

We head off and go looking for a Turtle Dove down by the  military camp as it was here that we got one last year, it was worth a try but to no avail, it is not looking like a good trip, we drive on instead of going back and come out back at Dengemarsh rd a little bit further along the road and Brian says lets give it one more try from here, about 15mins of sitting here I feel myself nodding off when  up goes the cry there it is,  up I jump thinking the boys were just having a laugh at my expense as usual, but not this time the Purple Heron pops up and gives us a great view. To far away to get the camera out, but another year tick, I think this is the best view I have had of this bird so not a bad day after all.