Cool, cloudy, SW5 - I under estimated the wind strength this morning for our walk out across the Army range causeway near the end of Galloways. However, breeding passerines seen included variable numbers of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Cetti`s Warbler, Common Whitethroat and a Corn Bunting, plus a Sparrowhawk and a light movement of Swifts along the coast. A scan from the block house produced a few Shelducks and Avocets, a pair of Ringed Plovers with young on the shingle and a distant Marsh Harrier, while on the walk back we flushed a Short-eared Owl from cover that promptly went to ground again. Moving onto Dungeness where the early morning seawatchers had reported a westward passage of over 100 Manx Shearwaters from the hide, and where an hour (1000-1100hrs) produced 12 more, mostly distant apart from five that clipped the buoy. The Patch was operating and had attracted about 200 Black-headed Gulls to feed over the boil.
Elsewhere this week a guided walk around the bird reserve circular trail for two guests produced the usual suspects including 10 Hobbies, four Avocets and singles of Great White and Cattle Egrets. Several Common Terns looked as though they might try to nest on Burrowes where at least 200 post breeding Pochards and Tufted Ducks were present, and a Norfolk Hawker dragonfly was noted along the track to Scott lookout. Around New Romney a few House Martins were actively nest-building on the Pearmain estate and a Cuckoo was seen on two occasions along Hope Lane. Despite the cool evenings we`ve had plenty of bat activity over the garden, Hedgehogs foraging in the borders and a Delicate and an Archers Dart in the moth trap on Tuesday night, the highlight of continuing low numbers; whilst on that theme, butterflies also appear to be in short supply just about everywhere.
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