Nightingales!

Orlestone Forest - warm, dry and sunny, ne 2 - We continued our Birdwatching Break for our Dorset guests in the woods targeting Nightingales, and we were not disappointed with five/six birds belting out their fabulous songs in coppice and birch scrub close to the main track. During the two hours we were on site the singing was continuous and we had stunning views of several confiding individuals; infact, they were some of the best views I`ve had for ages of this secretive migrant, and I even managed to a snap a few pics with the old bridge camera.

                                Nightingale, Orlestone Forest

  Also in the area two Garden and five Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, Treecreeper and the usual range of common woodland birds including a calling Tawny Owl. A Brimstone was on the wing once the sun came out and we noted a male Yellowhammer from Warehorne Bridge.

                                Brimstone

Rye Harbour - Hadn`t been here for a while and the old visitor centre had gone and the site cleared in preparation for a shiny new one. A good range of waders included six Grey Plovers, 50 Barwits, 20 Whimbrels, 82 Avocets, 10 Ringed Plovers, five Dunlins, plus Sandwich and Common Terns, Mediterranean Gulls, two Brents and a Wheatear all from the John Gooder`s hide.
  Moving onto Castle Water from the viewing platform produced at least four Marsh Harriers, Little Egret and a Cuckoo feeding on moth caterpillars.
  On the way home we checked the wetlands along the coast road for Glossy Ibis but could only come up with a Brent Goose at Scotney and a Great White Egret at the south end of ARC.
Dungeness - An evening seawatch from the hide produced hundreds of Commic and Sandwich Terns up-Channel of which at least 50 of the closer birds were Arctics. Also, 30 Little Terns, one Black Tern, a skua sp, two Red Knot, four Grey Plover, 20 Whimbrel, 20 Barwits, 20 Gannets, 20 Common Scoters and several auks.