Seduced by the official forecast of `brightening later` I unwisely walked W to FSB in descending gloom and rain. Save for the circa 1500 Wigeon  flighting W off Mocketts and a bedraggled Buzzard plus five Great Crested Grebes, there was not too much to lift the spirits. Green Woodpecker and a `charm` of Goldfinches were coloured forms against a predominately drab grey backcloth at Uplees, where a Fox paused to assess my  intrusion. A low tide visible wildfowl count from the hide`s comfort on the E flood produced 52 Pintail; 19 Tufted Duck; 44 Shoveler; circa 250 Teal ; a few Wigeon; 40+ Mallards; a single Gadwall and the ubiquitous Coot. 3 Ruff were the bonus wader. Sheltering with Keith Witham in the seawall hide, produced 3 Long-tailed Ducks bombing westward at 1155 am—-no doubt the Milton Creek birds of same number and gender, two drakes  and a duck. The prominence of the drakes` head plumage emerging through the gloom was very evident. together with their streamlined `black and white` profiles.

Undoubtedly the bonus duck sp of the morning!

Outside Oare radar, Whitstable`s two Waxwings continue to demolish ornamental malus—the birds` number totally un-competitive with the Ramsgate and Malling flocks!!