Two Grey Plovers Dunster Beach this morning along with 6 Dunlin. The Plovers rarely stay long, the trend for the last few years is for them to appear mid winter only for a few weeks at most. The numbers of waders here have declined greatly over the years. Birds that used to be common such as Sanderling and Turnstone are now unusual. The Environment Agency have done a lot of work recently putting in new sea defences in the form of large boulders. Unfortunately this includes one of the places where the waders normally roost at high tide. The whole area has been opened up whereas previously the waders were able to roost out of sight of anybody walking past, and were not liable to disturbance. It remains to be seen what effect this will have on already low numbers.

310 Wigeon and 48 Teal on the flooded fields below Lower Marsh Farm. Also a Kingfisher in Butlins Ditch, first time I have see one here. This is the ditch opposite McDonalds. Nice to see at least 10 Greenfinches in a mixed flock in the area too.