Stone Curlew

Dungeness - cool, cloudy, E3 - A wander around the point first thing with a brisk wind out of the east produced a scattering of migrants, particularly within the power station complex where several each of Robin, Wren, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, and a Black Redstart were noted. More were seen elsewhere between the old lighthouse and the moat, plus two Chiffchaffs, Stonechat, two Firecrest, several Blackbirds, five Redwings and two Mistle Thrushes in and two late Swallows out.
  At the Patch a mix of common gulls included five Mediterranean Gulls and two Kittiwakes. In the Channel, Brent Geese were on the move in good numbers as confirmed by the seawatchers who`d logged a couple of thousand past the hide.

                                Stone Curlew, Desert (pic by Colin Turley)


  News this afternoon of a Stone Curlew found out on the Desert shingle ridges between the water tower and Mockmill had me slogging out from Lade to join a group of locals for brief flight views of what is a scarce migrant down here. There was no chance of a picture from the views I had, but Colin Turley managed a fine one from earlier. On the walk back a Wheatear flew across the shingle, probably my last of the year.
  Other local news today concerned a brief Shore Lark at the puddles by the fishing boats.