Black Terns

ARC - mild, overcast, drizzle, se 2 - With nothing much happening at Dungeness we headed down to Hanson hide where birds started appearing as the rain relented. First a flock of 25 Blackwits dropped in, plus 10 Dunlins alongside an assortment of Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers and Redshank. Out on the lake hundreds of Sand Martins, a Black Tern and several Swifts noted. Moving onto Screen hide and another 10 Black Terns came down, while three Whimbrel and a Knot flew over. Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Green Sandpiper and Garganey also noted. The bushes down to the pines were alive with common passage warblers and tits.
  More Black Terns and waders were seen on Burrowes this morning.

                                Black-tailed Godwits, ARC

Lade - We checked the pits this afternoon for terns of which there was only a small flock of Commons on north lake. A large passerine flock in the bushes included mainly Long-tailed and Great Tits, Common and Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers. A few Sedge, Reed and Cetti`s Warblers were skulking around the ponds and a Sparrowhawk nipped through.
  A late check of the bay revealed 100 Dunlins, 30 Ringed Plovers, 20 Sanderlings, 10 Barwits and single figures of Knot and Grey Plover, plus the usual Oystercatchers and Curlews. There were plenty of Sandwich and Common Terns loafing on the sands and two distant Grey Seals at sea.