Raptor Watch

Lade - 0600hrs - Cool, dry, sunny start, warm later - Another poor night in the moth trap due to a breezy start to the night, probably... With only 7 species present there were more Willow Warblers in the garden this morning than moths! Over the back a few WWs, Whitethroat, Wheatear, a couple of grounded Yellow Wags amongst the sun-scorched grasses and best of all a Tripit over calling.
Dungeness - 1000hrs - In company with TG, PB & BM a raptor watch from the moat bund proved both worthwhile and entertaining (there`s nothing like distant raptors in a heat haze for a bit of stringing/mis-identification!). And most views were distant, with BoPs taking a line from Lade due south-west over Pen Bars and out across the bay. Totals for two hours included 14 Sparrowhawks, 5 Kestrels, 3 Marsh Harriers and an Osprey. Elsewhere, a scattering of WWs, Whitethroats and Wheatears.

                                          Film Crew, Dungeness

                                          Juv Common Tern, DBO

                                          Juv Kittiwake, DBO

Fishing Boats - 1700hrs - Just about managed a regulation hour staring at a flat calm sea with few birds, apart from 30ish fishing Common and Sandwich Terns, a few Gannets and singles of Kittiwake and Black Tern. Got a bit bored, so tried digi-scoping birds in flight, without much success (see above for proof). Even Barney got cheesed off, until a rat popped out from under a pile of old nets. He went at in true terrier style with shingle flying everywhere, not sure what he would have done if it had shown itself though, probably run a mile...