Kittiwakes

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, S3 - An early morning wander around the point in blustery conditions had a distinctly end of season feel to it. A few Goldfinches and Chaffinches drifted over along with a lone Skylark and a couple of Mipits, while in the lighthouse garden several Goldcrest called from cover and a flushed Blackbird fled inland. Lade was similarly quiet with no change from the weekend,
 

                                Kittiwakes off the fishing boats

  An hour at the fishing boats this afternoon produced a decent enough return with over 200 Kittiwakes up-Channel and on the water, 50 auks, 20 Gannets, 30 Sandwich Terns and three Mediterranean Gulls. A 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull was the only gull of note around the puddles.