Chats

Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, light airs - A much better day for birding due to lighter winds. We worked our way around the peninsula where the highlights were several Black Redstarts (including a stunning male), Stonechats, Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, Linnets, Meadow Pipits and a Dartford Warbler, plus a Peregrine on a pylon by A station.

                                      Black Redstart and Wheatear, Dungeness

  En-route to the bird reserve we paused for a Black-necked Grebe on New Diggings and Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall. The circular walk produced 10 distant Buzzards soaring over the water tower; 10 Ruff, three Avocets and two Goldeneyes on Burrowes; Bearded Tit, Bittern and Water Rail vocalising from the viewing ramp, plus the usual wildfowl, Marsh Harriers, Cetti`s Warblers, Great White and Little Egrets.
  We completed the afternoon at the fishing boats with a 90 minute seawatch recording 15 Red-throated Divers, 20 Sandwich Terns, Common Scoter, Gannets and a flock of 18 Brent Geese, while at least six Porpoises fished close to shore amongst the Cormorants.

                                Brent Geese on the move