Pectoral Sandpiper

Kenardington - mild, sunny, SW 4-5 - After picking up Clare and Peter from Ashford station we headed down to the Royal Military Canal for a stroll along the footpath towards Warehorne. A few common tits, corvids, finches and warblers were noted in the bushes, plus Swallows, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Buzzard and the first of many Kestrels seen this afternoon.

                                Royal Military Canal, Kenardington

Dengemarsh - From Springfield Bridge we walked around the bone dry hayfields where small flocks of Mipits, Yellow Wagtails, Linnets and two Whinchats noted, plus plenty of Kestrels, Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawks and a Buzzard. On the lake the expected wildfowl and grebes, two Blackwits, two Snipe, seven Pintails, Great White Egret, a few Lapwings and hundreds of feral Greylags. The Pectoral Sandpiper was still present but only showed briefly at distance before being flushed out of sight by a harrier.

                                Whinchats and Garganeys

  Over the road on ARC from Hanson hide the islands were devoid of waders apart from a few Lapwings. However, on the water there was plenty of interest with three cracking close Garganeys, a Wigeon, a Shoveler with a bill band and a female Goldeneye, while at least 12 Black Terns hawked insects over the water along with several Common Terns and hundreds of Sand Martins. Also noted Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Cetti` Warbler and a couple of Sparrowhawks.