Wader days

Lade - 0730hrs - cloudy, dry, n 2 - A better than normal early autumn session over the local patch with something of interest at every turn. A Willow Warbler in the back garden is always a good sign and as we trudged down Taylor Road a Whimbrel flew over calling - with a Tree Pipit! Out on the Desert a grounded Hobby sat on the shingle as breakfast flew past in the form of Sand Martins, while a Kestrel and Marsh Harrier hunted Mockmill.
  Our timing was perfect to accurately count the Curlews flying to roost on the high tide: 385, plus 15 Barwits and two Grey Plovers. Also flying over were two Snipe and a Ringed Plover. The now expected hundreds of Sandwich Terns also came off the sands and headed along the beach towards Dungeness.

                                Dabchicks showed well on Ternery Pool

Rye Harbour NR - 1000hrs - A circuit of the beach reserve with CP delivered a decent crop of waders including four Curlew Sandpipers, 80 Dunlins, 70 Oystercatchers, ten Ringed Plovers, six Knot, six Redshanks,Turnstone, Curlew and Common Sandpiper. Also of note, 15 Little Egrets, 10 Shelducks, 10 Dabchicks, Wheatear and Whinchat.

ARC - 1600hrs - From Hanson hide a flock of 41 Black-tailed Godwits, mainly of the race islandica, with at least two paler birds of the nominate race. This was the largest flock of Blackwits I`ve seen at Dungeness, a fabulous sight and sound. Also present 100 Goldies, Lapwings, Dunlins, Green Sandpiper, Ringed Plovers, two Little Stints and a Garganey.