Bird of prey day

Lade - 0700hrs - warm, dry, sunny, light airs - A terrific session on the local patch with the highlights being our first Tree Pipit and Grey Wagtail of the autumn, along with a steady trickle of Yellow Wagtails, Sand Martins and the first migrating Swallows. In the still morning air Willow Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers and a Spotted Flycatcher were noted in the bushes around the ponds along with plenty of tits. On south lake two Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher, a Redshank, two Common and one Green Sandpiper, 10 Common Terns and two Greenshanks over calling. Several Sparrowhawks were the first of many today, along with Marsh Harrier and Kestrel.

                                Den building

                                Digger at work on the sand bank in front of Firth hide

Dungeness - Spent most of the day on the bird reserve attending a Bush Craft Day with Lucy and Albert during which time a number of birds of prey were noted. Several more Sparrowhawks nipped through, Peregrine and Hobby were seen around Burrowes, hovering Kestrels from the access road, two Common Buzzards, three Marsh Harriers and the seventh raptor species, a brown Merlin, fizzed over Dengemarsh. Also from the hide three Great White Egrets, 20 Golden Plovers, five Snipe, Ruff, Dunlin, Redshank, two Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper. A mixed flock of 20 Dunlins and Ringed Plovers were feeding close to the digger from Firth hide, while the Common Terns were still delivering fish to juvs on the island opposite Dennis`s hide.