Singing Firecrest

Dungeness - 0700hrs - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - We started off at the point where a large gathering of visiting birders were clustered around the seawatch hide. A steady trickle of regular seabirds was underway but mostly very distant including two early Poms (PB), Arctic and Great Skuas. A Black-throated Diver went through along with a few Manx,Whimbrels, Little and Arctic Terns, Kittiwakes, Common Scoters and Fulmars, but all way out in the glare. A Grey Seal swam close to shore and at 10 Porpoises showed on the flat calm sea.
  On the land at least 20 Wheatears scattered across the peninsula, plus two Black Redstarts singing off the power station complex, Peregrine on the pylons, Lesser Whitethroat in the Moat and a few inbound Swallows and Yellow Wagtails.

                                Plenty of Wheatears present this morning

Lade - Whilst breakfasting in the garden a singing Firecrest put on a fine show all morning until mid-afternoon. Most of the time it was singing from the fir trees, where it attracted a second bird, and once or twice was seen to feed around the pond. Trying to photograph it with a bridge camera was another matter however and I soon gave up and just enjoyed cracking close views of one of my favourite birds. Several Holly Blues were also on the wing today, while Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail and Swallow all went over the cottage calling.

                                Firecrest singing in Plovers garden

Burrowes - Called in at Burrowes this afternoon where a few passage waders such as Barwit, Whimbrel and Greenshank were on the islands, plus a Little Gull. Otherwise pretty quiet elsewhere on the reserve with Hobby, Great White Egret and Cuckoo of note.