Swifts

Lade  - cool, dry and cloudy, nw 4 - Since my last post two days ago there has been a perceptible shift in the weather with a low pressure system out in the North Sea delivering cooler temperatures, stronger winds and bands of showers to some parts of the region which, so far, have mostly eluded us here on the coast.
  As expected in such weather patterns in June, rain-dodging Swifts have occurred in large numbers hawking insects over the still waters across the Dungeness peninsula. This morning we counted at least 200 over Lade pits, while a visit to the bird reserve around noon, from public footpaths and viewpoints, produced `hundreds` more. I could watch Swifts all day long, although trying to photograph them using a bridge camera is `challenging` to say the least!

                                Swift over Lade south

  Scanning from the east side of Burrowes it was good to see plenty of Common Tern activity on the rafts, which are still covered in willow brush placed there over winter to deter the Herring Gulls. However, the terns appear to be benefitting from the brush cover with at least 30 pairs nesting on the raft in front of Dennis`s hide along with four or five pairs of Black-headed Gulls. More terns were present on the raft opposite the visitor centre and over the road on ARC making for a total of around  100 pairs across the site.
  Moving onto waders, the following were counted on the islands: 15 Curlews, four Bar-tailed Godwits, four Knots (one in summer plum), four Lapwings, two Dunlins and a Turnstone. On the walk across to the causeway a pair of Oystercatchers and a Lapwing with two well grown juvs each were noted, plus two Cuckoos, Hobby, Marsh Harrier, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Cetti`s   and Reed Warblers.
  Back at Boulderwall, a conversation with RSPB staff confirmed that the Dungeness reserve will remain closed to visitors until further notice.

                                Common Tern breeding activity