Little Terns and an Osprey

Dungeness - wet and overcast - A shocker of a morning with low cloud, mist and rain throughout, but perfect for birds! From Hanson hide two Curlew Sandpipers and three Greenshanks from earlier had departed, which still left 80 Golden Plovers, four Snipe, two Blackwits and 100 Lapwings. A couple of Black Terns hawked insects over the lake and a Garganey was still present amongst the dabblers. Hundreds of Sand Martins swirled over the lake with some dropping into the willows to roost.

                                Greenshank in the rain

                             Part of the Little Tern flock briefly in front of Firth hide

  Since last years digger work the habitat in front of Firth hide has been suitable for waders and terns for much of the summer months. This morning, in the pouring rain, there was a steady coming and going of both families with the highlight being a flock of nine Little Terns that landed for about 20 minutes before heading off west. The American Black Tern, seen here earlier had departed for its favoured part of the lake behind the islands opposite Makepeace hide along with several Black Terns.
  On the wader front small flocks of Ringed Plovers, Dunlins and four Greenshanks were noted along with three Little Ringed Plovers, Snipe, Common Sandpiper and two Whimbrel further out. A juvenile Mediterranean Gull was also briefly present.
Lade - The rain finally relented this afternoon allowing a circuit of the local patch where the main event was an Osprey that flew over south lake heading for the bird reserve.