February 25th (New Hythe)

A very short visit this afternoon to see if the Bittern was showing on the streamside lake resulted in no Bittern but I didn`t mind because I was more than compensated by some great action flying by two Sparrowhawks,both over and through the west scrub.I at first took them to be a pair but they appear to be two males (they look the same size) their underparts are bright and both look to have greyish heads.

February 24th (Cuxton,river and pools)

12.30-13.30 The rain which had been falling for most of the morning stopped about mid-day,so I made a dash for the river and pools at Cuxton.The river which was at low tide held at least 5o Redshank,3 Oystercatchers,2 Shelduck,2 Mallard,100 B h Gulls,4 Common Gulls and 1 Lapwing but still no Dunlin.On the pools which were rather quite bird noted were - 7 Teal,4 Mallard,4 B h Gulls,2 Little Grebe,1 Kinfisher,1 Green Woodpecker and the Greenshank.I look forward to the spring to see what might turn up here.Before I went home I called in at Halling Common.