Dungeness Dotterel

Dungeness - 0830hrs - mild, overcast, w 2 -We walked the beach this morning in shorts weather with flying insects rising off the broom scrub. A skulking pipit eventually showed well enough to confirm its identity as a Mipit, while a couple of Skylarks and Goldfinches passed overhead. A 30 minute seawatch from the boats between 0930-1000hrs proved productive with a steady westbound stream of 200 Kittiwakes, 150 Mediterranean Gulls, 50 Gannets, five Red-throated Divers, 20 auks and a stunning Great Northern Diver.

                               Broom in flower

                                Skulking Mipit

  A late afternoon find by OL on the beach near the fishing boats meant a return to the point in order to see a Dotterel that had dropped onto a shingle ridge looking tired and a bit out of place. An odd  record this one as not only is it late, but it was on its own and not within a flock of Golden Plovers or Lapwings. Needless to say it was new for 2016 (214) as I don't think there has been one so far locally this year.

                                Dotterel on the beach, Dungeness

  Elsewhere today the Ring-necked Duck and Cattle Egret remained at Boulderwall while a roosting Long-eared Owl was located in the willows behind the dipping pond. In the Kerton Road triangle the eastern Stonechat was present along with a Short-eared Owl.