Kent Bird Report 2016

Dungeness - warm, dry, cloudy, SW 2 - Two visits to Burrowes today failed to improve on closer views of yesterdays American Black Tern as it patrolled behind the main islands opposite  Makepeace hide, along with up to 25 Black Terns. Other birds of note included a Knot and Little Ringed Plover from Firth hide and two Wood Sandpipers from Hanson hide.
Kent Bird Report 2016 - Thud! - that was the sound the latest KOS Bird Report made yesterday morning as it hit the door mat - all 214 pages of it! A stunning front cover painting of a Grey Wagtail, by Stephen Message, lures you into this top-notch Bird Report, as befits one of Britain`s most birded counties. The Report follows a long established format with the bulk of the text dedicated to a Systematic List for the year; along with 51 superb colour plates, my favourites being the Starling murmeration over Iwade and the Dotterels at St Margeret`s.
  I particularly enjoyed the articles on Turtle Doves and the recent history of breeding Black-winged Stilts at Cliffe Pools, while Aspects of the Year reminded me how much else I missed out on across the county by tending to rarely venture from the confines of Romney Marsh.

  Having been involved in county bird report writing in a former life in Bedfordshire I realise how much time and effort goes into such productions, so congratulations are in order to the Kent team of volunteers for such a marvellous ornithological record of 2016.