Grounded migrants

Lade - warm, cloudy, nw 2 - 0700hrs - Whilst emptying the garden moth trap a couple of Willow Warblers calling from cover was a good indication of an overnight grounding of migrants, and so it proved to be. As we wandered across the storm beaches, with hardly any wind, a sprinkling of Common Whitethroats started to appear followed by two Lesser Whitethroats and a few more Willow Warblers in Mockmill, plus three Stonechats and a Wheatear. Another Wheatear was noted in a field behind the `mirrors` where the two locally fledged Marsh Harriers were on the hunt. 
  Around the lakeside margins the reed beds and willow swamp were alive with Blue and Great Tits, Sedge and Reed Warblers. A dozen Little Egrets were counted while a Great White Egret flapped lazily towards the bird reserve. As the tide came in hundreds of Curlews, Oystercatchers and Sandwich Terns moved off the bay to roost or fish.

                                Newly formed islands, north Burrowes

Dungeness - 1100hrs - Called in at Burrowes where there was little of note due to ongoing digger work on the islands. A couple of Common Sandpipers and a Ruff were the only waders present and a Peregrine flew through. Two Great White Egrets were reported from Dengemarsh, but there was no further news on yesterdays Pectoral Sandpiper. A White Stork was also reported from the bird reserve this afternoon.