Gannets and terns

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, N 3 - At the Patch and close inshore this morning hundreds of Sandwich Terns and scores of Gannets were feeding on shoals of sprats and Mackerel which at times were leaping clear of the water. Even over and around the boil the feeding frenzy continued where also six Black Terns, a Mediterranean Gull and Little Tern amongst the throng of gulls and Common Terns. On the land a couple of Wheatears and a Sparrowhawk was about it, although a Pied Flycatcher was present later in a private garden (DB).

                                Gannets were close to shore this morning


  A midday visit to Lade pits yielded a couple of hundred Sand and House Martins over south lake, Sedge and Reed Warblers in the willows and another Sparrowhawk through. On the bird reserve three Cattle Egrets remained on Boulderwall fields or ARC.