At Dungeness we wandered down to the Obs where a few more Mipits and Goldfinches passed over and several Chiffchaffs were in the bushes, plus a Wheatear and Kestrel on the wires, while a pair of Ravens flew over from the power station. From the seawatch hide 4 Arctic Skuas and 20 Sandwich Terns was about it in half an hour. A good session at the Patch with all the usual gulls plus 20 Sandwich and 5 Common Terns, singles of Black and Arctic Terns, 3 Little Gulls, Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls. Offshore 3 Porpoises, a Grey Seal and a couple of distant Gannets. On the walk back 30 Linnets, 20 Goldfinches, Black Redstart and Wheatear.
Lade Bay - From the boardwalk at Lade we waited for the waders to come to us on an incoming tide. Over 600 Oystercatchers and 500 Curlews made for an impressive spectacle as they flew in front of us calling and heading over to their roost sites on the NNR. Also noted 20 Barwits, 20 Sandwich Terns, 50 Dunlins, 50 Sanderlings and 3 Grey Plovers.
Lydd - A scout around the various Little Owl hotspots revealed birds at three locations, while Caldecote Lane scored well with Hobby, Sparrowhawk and Merlin!
Scotney - Checked a large Golden Plover flock opposite the lay-bye that delivered a cracking adult Dotteral (204) although it proved difficult to see well due to the distance and kept disappearing in folds of land and behind plovers and ducks. Every so often the nervy flock flew around but would eventually settle back down again. The white supercilium was most noticeable, even when hunkered down, followed by a white breast band and fading black and rufous belly.
Elsewhere on the grass leys were 100 Barnacle Geese, 6 Emperor types, 13 Egyptian Geese, 2 Ruddy Shelduck, Ruff and Dunlin, plus Marsh Harrier over.
We finished the day with a circuit of the Ranges and down to Springfield Bridge seeing another Little Owl and adding Stock Dove and Yellow Wagtail to the trip list.
No comments:
Post a Comment