Greenish Warbler

Hot, dry and sunny, E2 - The heatwave continued across the weekend with a high pressure system settling over central Europe delivering a humid airflow from the south along with a noticeable arrival of Painted Ladies, mostly along the coastal strip but also a few around New Romney. Today`s highlight was a particularly showy and vocal Greenish Warbler discovered by Jacob in the north-west corner of the Trapping Area. I particularly enjoyed its jerky, rambling song and, when it moved low down through cover, its distinctive pale supercilium and faint wing-bars. My pics weren`t up to much but many thanks to Dave Scott who did far better (see below).  Around midday whilst on the foreshore beachcombing with our Kate I had distant views of a Honey Buzzard soaring over the peninsula, thanks to Dave Bunney via WhatsAp; two more were seen later along with two White Storks. Also reported over the peninsula this weekend were Red Kite and Bee-eater plus Black-winged Stilt, Garganey and Wood Sandpiper on the reserve.

                      Greenish Warbler - Trapping Area (by Dave Scott)

The muggy overnight conditions were perfect for moth activity with 20 species of macros coming to light in the garden trap and on the shed wall.

                                  Peppered Moth

                                  Burnished Brass

                                  Willow Beauty 

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, S 3 - For today`s Ted walk we headed down to the estate where there had been a small, overnight fall of Spotted Flycatchers, mostly around the Long Pits where there was up to ten birds with others reported across the peninsula. The Spotted Flycatcher is one of the latest long-distance migrants to reach our shores where its status is one of steep decline and as a result is Red Listed; thirty years ago ten plus would`ve been considered normal, but not so today. However, much rarer and certainly not an annual spring migrant, was a Red-breasted Flycatcher discovered in the moat that performed throughout the morning in willow scrub by a net ride. Brief snatches of song were heard along with a Wren-like rattling call; I presume, as it lacked an orange chin and was singing that it was most likely a 1st year male, unless, of course, females of this species sing?  Whatever the outcome it was a smart bird and many thanks to Dave Scott for his superb pic and video clip reproduced below.

    Spotted Flycatchers - Long Pits

    Red-breasted Flycatcher - DBO Moat (by Dave Scott)

                                           Red-breasted Flycatcher (by Dave Scott)

Cattle Egrets

Cool, cloudy, SW 4 - We started the morning with a circular Ted walk around Dengemarsh where the highlight was a flock of 10 Cattle Egrets in the sheep fold behind the flood, which were the first I`ve seen for a while. Common Terns were still few in number on and around the new tern rafts while two lone Lapwings was the sum wader total on the dried out hayfields. From the ramp I had brief flight views of a Bittern, with another `booming` nearby, plus confirmed breeding of Bearded Tit and Cetti`s Warbler as they attended to fledged young. A Cuckoo was also in good voice, several Hobbies and Swifts hawked flying insects overhead and a Yellow Wagtail was noted on the farmland section of the walk along with several Skylarks and two Corn Buntings. There was little on offer from Hanson hide apart from two Shovelers, a pair of Wigeon, 30 Gadwall and the usual breeding waders and gulls; a few more Hobbies and Swifts drifted over and a male Marsh Harrier flew through. There was no change to the birds on Kerton quarry from yesterday.

                                  Cattle Egrets - Dengemarsh

                                  Common Terns - Dengemarsh

                                  Wigeon - ARC

Garganey

Cool, cloudy, W 2 - It has been a quiet past few days across the peninsula due mainly to a persistent and nagging northerly airflow; however, the wind direction is due to change by Tuesday to a warmer southerly which hopefully will deliver one or two Mediterranean overshoots our way. Garganey have been scarce this spring on the gravel pits across Dungeness although today`s drake on ARC has been present for about a week now. Cuckoos have been noted at Lade, Dengemarsh and Tower Pits with up to seven Hobbies and a number of Swifts at the latter site this morning. The high tide wader roost at Kerton quarry produced 65 Oystercatchers, 12 Curlews and a Whimbrel, while Redshank and Lapwing both had fledglings on the main island. Another pair of Ringed Plovers with chicks was discovered today bringing my tally to four pairs so far this spring and a Spotted Flycatcher was at the top end of Long Pits.. 

                                  Garganey - ARC

Common Terns

Dungeness RSPB - cool, cloudy, NW5 - A grim morning with a chill Arctic airflow and the threat of showers for my monthly guided walk for nine guests around the circular trail. The highlight on Burrowes was a flock of seven Dunlins in summer plumage but otherwise it was very quiet with just the usual gulls, wildfowl and Cormorants, plus Sand Martins coming and going at the nesting wall, four Little Egrets, a Redshank and a handful of Common Terns on the islands. Apart from a few snatches of song from Reed, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers there was little of note until Dengemarsh where we had good views of two Marsh Harriers and up to five Hobbies as well as hearing a `booming` Bittern. The rafts and islands in front of the hide attracted five Common Terns, a pitiful number considering there was over 30 here on Monday. From the ramp several Bearded Tits broke cover in the reedbed and we had further close views of Swifts, a perched Hobby and a Cetti`s Warbler. Also noted during the circuit: singing Reed Buntings, Linnets, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Pochard and Gadwall. We made it back to the VC just before a heavy hail shower hit.

                                   Storm clouds gathering

Tree Sparrows

Scotney - cool, cloudy, W4 - When I moved down here 20 years ago Tree Sparrows were common place with stable colonies on the RSPB reserve, St Mary-in-the-Marsh, Midley, Lydd and Scotney plus at a number of other locations across the Marsh and along the Royal Military Canal; we even had them on our garden bird feeders at Lydd-on-Sea in the early winters. The first three aforementioned locations not only supplied nest boxes but also a regular supply of food throughout the year but even that wasn`t enough to arrest the decline in numbers. Two decades later the only surviving known colony locally is on private farmland outback at Scotney where nest boxes have been provided with the consent of the landowner. When I visited site this morning there was activity around the colony from about 15 individuals with some of the many nesting boxes occupied; hopefully with nestlings ready to fledge, but only if the adults can supply enough invertebrate food. The landscape at Scotney is intensively farmed, mostly arable with a few heavily stocked sheep folds, plus future plans for an extensive solar panel farm and all the disturbance that is associated with it in the construction stage. Wandering around I just got the feeling that the Tree Sparrow`s days are numbered hereabouts; I hope I`m wrong, but only time will tell. On a brighter note, on the walk out at least 25 Yellow Wagtails and 10 Corn Buntings were noted plus several singing Reed Buntings, Linnets, Skylarks and Pied Wagtails, a Hobby, a Common Buzzard, a male Marsh Harrier, and on the front sward nine Whimbrels and a flock of 25 Tundra Ringed Plovers. En-route to site sunbathing Little Owls were seen at Hammonds Corner and Pigwell.

                                  Tree Sparrows - Scotney

Turtle Dove

Cool, cloudy, NW2 - On Saturday afternoon a Turtle Dove feeding on the causeway at Lade was a surprise find; in fact, the first I`ve seen here for ten years! An early start this morning to listen for any `purring` in the willow swamp, unsurprisingly, drew a blank so I suppose it must`ve been a passing migrant. However, two male Cuckoos were active around the swamp and at least one female detected by its bubbling call. As the cloud cover and wind increased 50 Swifts descended over south lake along with a similar number of Swallows and House Martins. The summering warblers were busily feeding broods around the ponds while an adult male Marsh Harrier drifted over the `mirrors`. A check of Kerton quarry revealed nothing new. From Hanson hide waders included six Ringed Plovers, three Avocets, a Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper plus nest prospecting Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls. The Boulderwall wetlands were equally quiet with just a Little Ringed Plover and two Hobbies of note; there was no sign of the weekends three Temminck`s Stints or Wood Sandpiper.

                                  Ringed Plover - ARC

                                  Avocets - ARC

                                  Great Crested Grebe - ARC