Tuesday 8 August 2017

Quieter times

Lade  - warm, cloudy, light airs - 0700hrs - Perfect weather conditions you might think for a few grounded migrants, overcast with a hint of rain and no wind, but we struggled to even find a Whitethroat. The reed beds, however, were alive with acro warblers, and being as its August all were checked for that enigma (and my personal bogey bird) an Aquatic Warbler - well I can dream...
  Around the margins were up to 20 Little Egrets and Grey Herons, two Common Sandpipers, plus a single Great White Egret in the main reed bed and a hunting Marsh Harrier. On the beach the now expected parties of Sandwich and Common Terns present and five Whimbrels over with the Curlews to roost.

                                Completed islands near the Cormorant colony

                               Digger in action on the southern cluster of islands

  Back home around midday, sitting in the garden with a brew in warm sunshine (when it was supposed to be raining) two Willow Warblers worked their way through the fir trees, a smart Lesser Whitethroat popped up and a Hobby sped overhead causing the Starlings and House Sparrows to take cover.
Dungeness - It was predictably quiet around the bird reserve where good progress is being made on the Re-Tern project on Burrowes. The islands to the right side of Makepeace are now complete and the digger was working on the main cluster to the left of the hide. Despite the disruption seven Dunlins, two Blackwits, a Ringed Plover and several Common Sandpipers were scattered across the lake, while the Common Terns were still bringing in fish for juveniles, which is getting late in the season.
  An hour at the boats this afternoon with PB delivered a steady trickle of Sandwich and Common Terns fishing close to shore, plus a few Kittiwakes, Gannets and Common Scoters further out. A single dark phase Arctic Skua robbed a couple of terns as it moved down-Channel, while at least ten Porpoises and a Grey Seal were noted.
  An evening visit to Dengemarsh revealed two Green Sandpipers and a flock of 15 Yellow Wagtails along the sewer margin.

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