Thousands of Swallows

Dungeness - mild, overcast, showery, S veering SSW 3 - 0800-0900hrs - An hour at the boats with the regular seawatchers was memorable for land birds as a massive movement of hirundines, predominantly Swallows was underway along with a few House Martins. Birds coasting and outward bound into the murk numbered 1,000 plus, while hundreds more were seen on the bird reserve and Lade today. Hundreds of Goldfinches were also noted across the peninsula.

                                Arctic Skua off the boats

  As for seabirds a steady passage of Gannets and Sandwich Terns streamed west, some close to shore, along with up to 10 Arctic Skuas, 20 Little Gulls, 10 Kittiwakes, 10 Common Scoters, 15 Razorbills, four Brents and two Mediterranean Gulls.

                               Red-throated Diver on Burrowes

                                Wheatear

                                Juvenile Grass Snake, Makepeace hide

                               Fungi on wood, car park

  A guided walk for RSPB this morning concentrated on viewing from Burrowes and ARC hides due to the rain. On Burrowes the long staying Red-throated Diver showed well, plus a distant Goldeneye, a Raven over, three Marsh Harriers, two Common Terns, two Dunlins, two Wheatears, a Black Redstart in the car park and all the usual wildfowl on the lake, while the three Cattle Egrets were on the Boulderwall fields. From Hanson hide a juvenile Little Stint was the highlight, a bird in short supply this autumn, plus a juvenile Little Gull, Garganey, Snipe, six Black-wits, two Dunlins and a Water Rail.
  A late afternoon check of Lade revealed Swallows still passing south, four Great White Egrets on the lagoon and 10 Chiffchaffs around the ponds feeding on myriads of small flying insects.