Apprentice Birder

 Dungeness - warm, dry and sunny, W 3 - Had a day out today with my 11 year old grandson (aka the Apprentice Birder) and very able list man. We commenced at Littlestone beach for a selection of common shorebirds and Sandwich Terns before moving onto Dungeness where we mopped up on Wheatear, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet and Peregrine. Most of the day was spent on the bird reserve with the highlights being a pair of Garganey and Glossy Ibis at Cooks Pool; two Little Ringed Plovers, six Ringed Plovers, Black-tailed Godwit, Goldeneye and Pintail on Burrowes; four more Garganeys, Great White Egret and a singing Sedge Warbler at Dengemarsh; singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, 10 Little Egrets, two Glossy Ibis and a Red Kite at ARC; and two Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge. All the usual regular wetland birds, including Marsh Harriers, showed well for the Apprentice. I must admit to not being overly impressed with the new wooden structure at Firth lookout; surely a standard hide would`ve been just as cost effective, and definitely more windproof. However, the cleared area around the recently reopened Hanson hide is most impressive with superb potential for observing close egrets and the like, and hopefully as the water level drops good wader watching.

                                 Meadow Pipit, Dungeness

                                 Spot the Wheatear!

                                  The Apprentice Birder watching a Black Redstart

                                  Garganey, Cooks Pool

                                 Fishing Little Egrets from Hanson hide

                                 Firth Lookout

                                  Hanson hide

 

We finished the afternoon at Scotney with a distant Little Gull amongst a large flock of Black-headed Gulls (thanks for the tip-off Martin) feeding over the lake from the double bend. A thoroughly enjoyable session in the field during which time we rattled up a respectable 75 species, but also managed to miss several Swallows reported across the peninsular today.