Red Kite & Monty`s

Lade - 0800hrs - warm, dry, sunny, se 2 - A stunning morning to be out and about in the field with warm sunshine from the off. The undoubted highlights were two raptors, first a very smart Red Kite that flew low behind the `mirrors` and was seen again over farmland towards Romney Salts. Apparently there`s been something of an influx along the south coast recently, while birds have been noted around Brookland and Ivychurch of late, so no great surprise really.
However, the second one was a surprise, but to be fair if it was not for a phone call from OL warning me it was coming my way I doubt I would have seen it. A female Montagu`s Harrier passed along the coast at some height - even the Herring Gulls only gave it a cursory look - before heading inland over New Romney. Also noted from the aerial mound, three Buzzards, two Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel, while three Common Sandpipers were present on south lake.
A search for butterflies as the morning wore on resulted in several Common Blues, Small Heaths and Small Coppers. The display of Southern Marsh Orchids at Lade is very poor this year, probably as the area was under water until a month ago. However, the Foxgloves are looking most spectacular.

                                Common Blue & Foxgloves, Lade


Dungeness - 1500hrs - Following on from this mornings Pom sightings I gave it 30 minutes from the seawatch hide without any joy apart from a steady stream of Common and Sandwich Terns, two Med Gulls and a raft of 100 scoters on the sea.
NB: A Bee-eater flew over the Trapping Area mid-morning (DW et al).