Lade - cool, cloudy, NE 4 - Having spent our weekend Ted walks trudging out from home and not seeing very much apart from a few Wheatears and numerous Chiffchaffs and Swallows, this morning we went to the local patch where a cool, northerly airflow gave a distinctly autumnal feel to proceedings. On the desert and outback of Mockmill there was a noticeable uptick in Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits with small parties grounded across the scrub and shingle ridges respectively, along with six Wheatears, four Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail overhead and a scattering of Chiffchaffs around the bushes. Scanning towards the airfield delivered two Marsh Harriers (an adult male and a juvenile) plus five Kestrels and a Buzzard. In the cool air it was no surprise to see plenty of hirundines over south lake including a few more House Martins than of late. There was no change to the wildfowl numbers, while a Great White and 10 Little Egrets were noted around the margins and in the willow swamp. With high tide just after noon we moved to Kerton quarry where the Oystercatcher and Cormorant roost contained two each of Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit.
Also reported this afternoon, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the stubble field opposite Jury`s Gap. In other news, on the RSPB reserve access to Hanson hide and the willow trail will be closed for repairs to the hide from Wednesday 24th September for at least two weeks (Craig Edwards, Site Manager).
PS: Today is the tenth anniversary of a classic day at Dungeness. Below is my blog post from that day...
Tuesday 22nd September, 2015
Dungeness - 0930hrs - cool, sunshine/showers, cloudy, nw 2 - I was just finishing breakfast for our B&B guests when my mobile `pinged` denoting that a message had been left. After loading the dishwasher I was about to head out across the local patch with Barney, my trusty old Border Terrier; until I listened to the recording on the phone from an excited Plodding Birder to the effect that he`d just found an American Flycatcher - at the fishing boats!!! This prompted a rapid change of plan, and a speedy drive to the point, to join a small group of locals already watching/photographing said bird around the fishing boats, winches and bulldozers. As with most tired, grounded migrants it was not shy, flying around the shingle snapping up insects and settling close by amongst the flotsam and jetsom of the fishing industry. Over the next couple of hours the sun broke through affording good photographic opportunities which should assist in making a specific identification of what is a notoriously tricky group of New World flycatchers.
Now, I`m no expert on this genus of American flycatchers, having only seen an Alder Flycatcher before, in the spring at Jamaica Bay, USA, but looking at the pics we have to consider Alder/Willow or Yellow-bellied/Acadian Flycatchers. I haven't had a chance to have a good look online, but with reference to the Sibley guide (not always reliable) Alder/Willow both appear greyish on the upperparts and our bird appeared almost bright green at times with a yellowish wash to the underparts, which would suggest Yellow-bellied/Acadian. It also had a bright and complete eye-ring, a stoutish bill and long primary projections, which would lean towards the latter.
At one stage it pooed on a bulldozer, which was promptly collected for later analysis; presumably DNA can be extracted for a positive id (which was confirmed later).
I called back down the point this afternoon by which time the bird had moved inland to the private garden at South View where an attendant army of twitchers had virtually encircled the place; some had driven from as far afield as Plymouth and Teeside, a plane load even flew down from Norfolk to Lydd, while a crew just about made it over from Belgium! Despite the drizzle the flycatcher showed well, sallying forth snapping up insects, but the views were nothing like this morning. As dusk approached I watched it fly over towards the Sanctuary where it was lost in the murk, never to be seen again. After a natter with a few old faces from up country and another chat with the finder, Martin Casemore, (aka Plodding birder) I called it a day and headed for home. A great find Martin, whatever the final outcome on the id, and well deserved. The phone didn`t stop ringing this evening, what with birders enquiring about the flycatcher, but in conversation with my birding pal from Bedfordshire, Stuart Winter, who was familiar with the species in the States, he was convinced after seeing the photographs that it was a first autumn Acadian Flycatcher, as also confirmed by several American birders who`d seen the pictures online.
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