The four members who met at the seawall in Leysdown in a cold wind and unsettled weather might, in the face of their collective belief that Sheppey always delivers, have done better to reflect that it was All Fools Day – but in the end were glad that they had not. Early seawatching produced sparse but good quality sightings. Two distant Great Northern Divers bobbed up on the surface, a Red-breasted Merganser flew by and a Gannet soared among the misty wind turbines. Further along a Red-throated diver streaked north on its spring migration while a Great Skua wove to and fro over the water. By the blockhouse the high tide roost consisted almost exclusively of Oystercatchers while small numbers of Turnstones and Ringed Plovers roamed the sand in the company of a few Sanderlings. Distantly small flocks of Dunlins and Grey Plovers occasionally took to the air while a group of perhaps eighty Curlews and four Avocets could be picked out on the edge of a reedbed. Marsh Harriers patrolled distantly until a male initiated a spectacular dispute with a Peregrine. The latter went on to play havoc with the waders before snatching a Meadow Pipit from the air for its elevenses. From there the group headed for Harty Ferry, birding en route. The streams held a variety of waterfowl including Teal, Shovelers, Shelducks and a couple of Tufted ducks. A Little Grebe was observed as was a Reed Bunting perched on a fence. At the raptor point a Barn Swallow was a surprise flyover while scanning identified two Red-legged Partridges, four Corn Buntings, three Snipe and a Wheatear. Raptors were in short supply apart from Marsh Harriers until the occupants of the last car to leave the location were fortunate in spotting a ringtail Hen Harrier. Three of the group then headed for Elmley NR following reports of a White-tailed Eagle. Sadly that bird had earlier left the reserve but consolation was soon found in sightings of a Short-eared Owl, a Kingfisher and two Penduline Tits, the latter allowing close views as they fed on seed heads near the reedbeds on the track past the old schoolhouse. The final treat was a confiding Brown Hare feeding just twenty yards from the track and quite indifferent to the presence of humans. Despite the conditions an outstanding day had been enjoyed with some spectacular sightings on a list of 64 species.