Balearic Shearwaters

Lade - mild, showery, sw 5, brighter later - A late start due to mopping up from last night deluge which flooded the porches front and back at the cottage; according to the Weather Man at the Kerton Road Café we had 37mm of rain last night - and the thunder and lightening show was pretty impressive too.
Despite the rain it remained mild at 17C overnight encouraging a number of moths to the light trap, including Common Marbled Carpet, the first of the year.
Dungeness  - 1000hrs - An hour at the seawatch hide in blustery conditions was difficult due to the deep troughs and driving rain but we still managed a single Balearic Shearwater, Little Gull, 4 Arctic Skuas and a steady flow of Gannets and Sandwich Terns down-Channel. Despite the poor weather small groups of hirundines headed out across the Channel on the first of many natural barriers that will confront them on their long haul to sub-Saharan Africa. On the land at least 50 grounded Mipits and a Wheatear by the old lighthouse.
1415hrs - A 90 minute seawatch from the boats with the Joker et al was memorable for the lively banter as well as 4 Balearic Shearwaters, plus a steady flow of Gannets, Sandwich Terns, 2 Med Gulls and singles of Arctic Skua, Black Tern and Little Gull. Pulses of Swallows continued to push out across the Channel.
On the bird reserve all the usual waders present including a Pectoral Sandpiper (PB).