Friday 16 March 2012

A Fall of Migrants

Lade - 0900hrs - overcast, chilly, sw2 - Last night started clear and starry followed by low cloud which seemed to have done the trick as there was a decent arrival of migrants around the Peninsula this morning. From the Ariel mound I could hear Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in the willows, plus another singing Chiff in the garden; it was time to head up the Point...
Dungeness  - checked around the fishing boats where at least 10 Wheatears amongst the old sheds and winches, plus 2 Black Redstarts and a Chiff. Several Mipits and Pied Wagtails on the open ground and at least 10 Skylarks and 20 Linnets in off the sea. The garden and bushes around the Old Light had double figures of Chiffchaffs, single Blackcap, several Wrens and Blackbirds, and 4 more Black Redstarts, including 2 stunning adult males. There were more Chiffs in the gorse by the Light Railway Cafe, 2 Sand Martins overhead and up to 6 Firecrests and 4 Redwings around Lloyds. No doubt many more migrants were seen by others or lurked in unseen corners of the black hole that is the trapping area.
Two flocks of Brents numbering around 250 passed eastwards above the shingle bank, while over 3,000 had already been logged this morning.
This was the best fall of migrants of the spring so far and as there are now only a handful of such occasions each season its always good to be present when it happens.




                                          Wheatear & Black Redstarts, Dungeness


                                           Early Grey, Kerton Road Cafe

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