Pomarine Skuas

 Dungeness - 0530 - 0830hr mild, cloudy, hazy viz, SW 2 - Its early May and the weather felt `right` for a `Pom Day`; being as we`re into the peak passage period for this iconic seabird, and so it proved to be with four birds past during the three hours I was on site, including a stunning `spooner` that cut in close to the buoy. More Poms came through during the day with full details being posted on Trektellen later no doubt. Also this morning a trickle of Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, a distant flock of 10 Little Terns, Red-throated Divers, Common Scoters, Kittiwakes, auks, three Fulmars, four Arctic and two Great Skuas, two Mallards, four Brents, 20 Whimbrels. 20 Barwits, three Shelducks, a Mediterranean Gull and a Great Northern Diver, plus a steady flow of incoming Swallows.

                                  Rook, Hope Lane

                                  Reed Bunting, Hope Lane

                                  Mallard with 10 ducklings, New Cut

New Romney  - These past two days have proved profitable outback walking the Hope Lane loop  across mixed farmland with high hedgerows, sheep folds and a derelict farmyard bisected by sewers and the New Cut. Spring warblers totalled seven species including plenty of Reed Warblers, Common Whitethroats and several Lesser Whitethroats and Cetti`s Warblers. Yesterday a Marsh Harrier and Yellow Wagtail were noted, plus Cuckoo, a pair of Wheatears and House Martins today, and wayside birds such as Skylark, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Greenfinch, Linnet, Mistle Thrush throughout.