Ringed Plovers

Lade - sunshine and showers, windy, sw 4 - Another cool, blustery day with one or two hefty showers rattling through; although judging from the colour of the sky inland most missed us here on the coast. I`ve given up with the moth trap while these strong westerlies have set in as our garden is like a wind tunnel, and when I ran two nights ago there was only five moths in the trap.
  On the local patch there has been a rapid and dramatic increase in Great Crested Grebes across both lakes with a record summer count of 124 adult birds, plus 155 Pochards and 212 Coots. This morning Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Hobby were all noted, while the roosting Curlew flock on the Desert, after being disturbed by dog-walkers, numbered 96 and five Bar-tailed Godwits.
Plenty of Swifts came and went along with several pulses of Sand and House Martins.
  Elsewhere today the Black-winged Stilt remained on the ARC, while the Gull-billed Tern hasn't been reported since Tuesday morning.

                                Ringed Plovers

                                Well behaved dog at heal on the beach!


  I`ve spent a fair bit of time this spring and summer walking the foreshore checking for breeding Ringed Plovers. Two pairs held territory between Greatstone and The Pilot, but as far as I could make out neither were successful, probably due to disturbance from the unprecedented levels of human footfall along the beach, and some of their uncontrollable dogs. As a dog owner myself I know who to blame for this appalling behaviour - and its not the dogs! 
  This evening it was good to see a post-breeding flock along the strandline at close range, containing 18 adults, actively feeding on sand flies
  Finally, on a personal note, after 120 days, the lockdown mullet came off as Pat set about me with the scissors!

                                120 days worth of hair, mostly grey!