Hobbies

Dungeness - 0815hrs - mild, dull, drizzle, sw4 - Following heavy overnight rain the manky weather continued throughout the day with further pulses of the wet stuff. A brief seawatch from the hide delivered the obligatory Gannets, terns, a few scoters, a single Bonxie (once again I just missed 2 Poms) and a handful of inbound Swifts and Swallows. On the land Willow Warbler and Sparrowhawk in and around the lighthouse garden.
ARC - 1300hrs - Plenty of hirundines and Swifts over the water plus a flock of 6 Hobbies hawking insects over the far bank. One of our smartest birds are Hobbies and their agility always amazes me as they pluck small flying insects (probably St Mark`s Flies) off the water while transferring them from talon to beak in one smooth move. They must have to catch loads to make it worthwhile, but it obviously works as they completely ignore the nearby hirundines.
With the increasing water levels the only island remaining above water is the main Cormorant/Herring Gull island and some of the gulls look as though they could be in trouble if the levels continue to rise. Plenty of warbler activity on the walk to Hanson hide and 8 Whimbrel overhead was about all I could muster up.

                                         Unidentified fungi, Dungeness

                                         Shrinking island, ARC