A grand day out

I had some errands to do in town and then decided to hit the motorway to the coast. I stopped to grab a Tesco picnic and then pulled up here.

Dungeness is a special place and this reserve is an important part of it. The visitor centre has floor to ceiling windows so it's possible to stay in there and watch birds on Burrowes Pit but I was there for a walk. It's a 2 mile circuit taking in the hides so I hit the first one, Firth hide, and it was wall-to-wall birds. Little beauties like the ringed plover and a curlew and my first ruff. It was wonderful. From there I wandered round and visited Makepeace but skipped Scott and Christmas Dell as I headed for Denge Marsh. That faces a different body of water and a different direction; it often has birds that aren't seen in other parts of the reserve. Today there were swans and a great white egret and the wonderful common terns - they are fantastic to watch. Then to the benches overlooking Hookers Pits and while I was there the marsh harriers came out to play.

I would normally have gone round to the café for a cup of tea but it was past five when I left and I had to get some shopping so I owe myself a trip to the Little Railway café.