Orlestone Forest

ARC - 0900hrs - warm, dry and sunny, sw2 - Had brief views of the Pallid Swift as it careered over the Oppen Pits towards the power station, never to be seen again... Fair Weather Birder turned up for a chat (well it was heading towards 20C). Sparrowhawk over New Ex and my first Whitethroat of the year in the scrub.
Faggs and Park Wood - After crossing the canal at Warehorne, where wherever we stopped there seemed to be `chupping` Tree Sparrows and singing Chiffchaffs. We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon in these two old Wealden woods. Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffs were in fine song in Faggs where we had singing Nighingale, Bullfinch, Buzzard and numerous Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Plenty of brimstones, small tortoiseshells and peacocks on the wing and also a moribund light orange underwing moth. Two more Nightingales and Marsh Tit in Park Wood, plus both woodpeckers and common tits. The show of wood anemones was fabulous.

                                          Small tortoiseshell, Faggs Wood

                                         Wood Anemones, Park Wood

Walland Marsh - More Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Yellow Wagtail, Chiffchaffs and Tree Sparrows down here, plus a decent mixed bag at Midley of Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers, Goldfinches, Linnets et al.
Galloways  - Stonechat, Black Redstart and Kestrel here, plus 20 Linnets.
Springfield Bridge - A pair of Wigeon on the lake had the aberrant bird in tow. Shelducks and Teal on the fast drying out flood.
Dungeness - Finished off with Common Redstart and Black Redstart in the West Beach scrub.