Seabirds and warblers

Dungeness - mild, sunny, s 2 - 0730-0900hrs  - There was a steady passage of seabirds past the hide this morning, most of them a fair way out due to the clear visibility. During our 90 minute watch the following noted moving up-Channel: Red-throated Diver 1, Black-throated Diver 1, Manx Shearwater (west), Gannet 10, Brent Goose 80, Shelduck 3, Shoveler 9, Common Scoter 200, Merganser 4, Oystercatcher 2, Dunlin1, Whimbrel 2, Bonxie 2, Arctic Skua 3, Little Gull 10, Sandwich Tern 50, Common Tern 20, Arctic Tern 10, auk 5. More Common Terns were at the Patch, 2 Swallows came in and at least 20 Linnets coasted east.
  On the land a small fall of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were active in the lighthouse garden, plus Blackcap, Black Redstart and Goldcrest nearby. Two notorious skulkers were also reported earlier; a Gropper in the moat and a singing Nightingale in the garden.

                                Chiffchaffs and Willow Warbler, Dungeness

Dungeness - With Fran and Jane down for a three day Birdwatching Break we headed back down the point this afternoon to search for migrants. Opposite Jarman`s we cleaned up with 10 Wheatears, 10 Linnets, 4 Skylarks, 2 Mipits, Swallow and Pied Wagtail. Onto the lighthouse garden and the Chiffchaffs and Willow Warbler performed well, plus 2 Blackcaps, Goldcrest and a Black Redstart. We then moved to Long Pits to look for Redstart, which we heard only, along with more Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, plus our first Whitethroat of the spring.
A seawatch from the concrete road for an hour produced a steady passage of Common and Sandwich Terns, 50 Common Scoters, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Black-throated Divers and several Gannets and Little Gulls.

                                Spectrum 1 off Dungeness

                                      Linnet, ARC

ARC/Tower Pits - We finished the afternoon with more common warblers, Linnets,  4 Marsh Harriers, 2 Buzzards and a Goldeneye on the lake, plus maybe two booming Bitterns.