Chats and Shorebirds

Lade - warm, dry sunny, SE 2-4 - Another balmy day across Dungeness in hazy light conditions with the wind picking up as the day progressed. On the local patch we had good views of Kestrel and Green Woodpecker by the ponds, but precious little else apart from vocalising Cetti`s Warblers and Chiffchaffs. On the lake the usual wildfowl, plus Little Egret and Marsh Harrier.

                                Kestrel by the ponds

Dungeness - At the point four Wheatears opposite Jarman`s and two Black Redstarts by the war memorial, otherwise it was hard going with little else of note and no sign of the Wryneck seen earlier. After checking the moths at the Obs (Delicate and Barred Sallow the highlights) Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Small Copper and Painted Lady showed well in the moat.

                                           Wheatears on the beach

                                  Black Redstart

                               Hummer in the Moat

  Moving onto Burrowes where the main spectacle was 200 Golden Plovers overhead, plus 400 Cormorants, 12 Great White and nine Little Egrets tracking a large shoal of fish around the margins opposite Makepeace hide. At Boulderwall we eventually found a single Tree Sparrow on the feeders amongst the tits, finches and House Sparrows.
Littlestone - Finished the day on a high with nine out of the ten bay waders noted and only Sanderling absent. Due to the afternoon light and height of tide good views were had of Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Knot and Oystercatcher. Also present: 15 Shelducks, 100 Common Gulls, 20 Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern.