Terns & Waders

Dungeness - mild, dry, cloudy, occasionally sunny, nw 2 - By the power station a few Mipits, Linnets, Wheatears and Black Redstarts, but nothing of note in the bushes. A brief seawatch yielded 2 Arctic Skuas and 50 or so terns feeding offshore, plus passing Gannets. A good spell at The Patch with 10 Black, 2 Arctic, 1 Little, 20 Sandwich and 50 Common Terns and 2 Little Gulls amongst the commoner riff-raff gulls. Offshore a flock of 20 Common Scoters noted.

                                Ruff & Pectoral Sandpiper, ARC


RSPB - From Hanson hide there was a large mixed flock of 120 Golden Plovers and 300 Lapwings on the shingle ridges, plus 2 Little Stints, 6 Blackwits, 6 Dunlin, 4 Ruff, 2 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, Barwit and a Snipe. Also noted plenty of Wigeon and Pintail, 2 Garganey, Marsh Harrier over, Sedge, Cetti`s and Reed Warblers. The scrub towards Tower pits was busy with Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, common finches, tits, Robins and a cracking Pied Flycatcher.
We rechecked the south end where the juv Pectoral Sandpiper showed well in the sunshine along with 2 Ruff and a Dunlin.
Burrowes was quieter with few waders, but the 4 Black-necked Grebes were still present along with Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard over. Around the circular walk we eventually got Great White Egret and Raven on Dengemarsh, Hobby and Bearded Tits from the ramp and 2 Whinchats on the return trail.
Checked Dengemarsh from Springfield Bridge with little of note, but by the farm a wagtail flock comprised 20 Pieds and 4 Yellows.
Scotney - Our final port of call produced all the usual plastic wildfowl including Ruddy Shelducks and Egyptian Geese, plus 30 Golden Plovers and 50 hirundines.

                               Great White Egret, Dengemarsh