Rain, at last

Lade 0800hrs - rain, low cloud, sw2 - Slogged around the pits in the rain for very little reward apart from a couple of Med Gulls overhead. No sign of any migrants.
RSPB - 1230hrs The Long-tailed Duck and Spoonbill could be seen from the causeway road at ARC along with 12 alba wagtails, 10 Mipits and a Curlew; a Water Pipit had been reported earlier. At Springfield Bridge had brief views of a Garganey on the lake and a pair of Ravens on the flood. Otherwise, another quiet day.

Owls & Dolphins

Dungeness - 0635hrs - mild, cloudy, sw 2, but ne3 by midday - Joined TG for a near hour seawatch in the hide. Very little on the move apart from a handful of divers, Sandwich Terns, Gannets, a Fulmar and a small party of Shovelers and Teals. A Common Tern remained at the Patch.
A stroll over to the Obs revealed 3 singing Black Reds around the power station, a few Mipits and Linnets, a pair of Ravens and a couple of Willow Warblers in the moat.
Later in the morning a pod of 9 white-beaked dolphins were seen off the fishing boats following the range boat (DW).
Galloways - 1130hrs - A hunting Short-eared Owl was about the only bird of note over the ranges while a Little Owl was again seen on the chicken sheds. At Springfield Bridge a single Swallow over.
Very little of note on the bird reserve, but the Spoonbill was reported from ARC and seen to fly towards Lade earlier in the day (OL).

                                           Little Owl, Dengemarsh Road

Lesser Pecker & Iceland Gull

Dungeness - 0815hrs - bright, sunny, nw2 - Just missed an Iceland Gull on the beach near the Patch first thing. A few gulls and a Common Tern over the boil. Seawatching was apparantly poor again.
Park Wood, Appledore - 0945hrs - A brilliant session here in perfect spring weather with all the common woodland birds noted and a fine display of flowers including the first bluebells. Best of all tho was brief views of a male Lesser pecker in the mature oak canopy. Also, Green and Greater peckers, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Redpolls, Mistle Thrushes, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and singles of Willow Warbler, Jay, Stock Dove, Goldcrest, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. The odd sounding Chiffchaff was still present, uttering a couple of `chip-chips` followed by a Willow Warbler-like trill and ending with a couple of `chink-chonks`.

                                           Park Wood, Appledore

                                           2nd winter Iceland Gull, Burrowes

                                           1st Yellow Wagtail, Firth

RSPB - 1400hrs - Caught up with the 2nd winter Iceland Gull roosting on Burrowes and my first Yellow Wagtail of the year near Firth hide, plus a singing Willow Warbler nearby. From the ramp good views of a Cetti`s Warbler and the usual harriers, while the Spoonbill and Long-tailed Duck were on ARC. Swallow, Sedge Warbler and LRP also reported from around the bird reserve today.

Slim Pickings

Dungeness - 0645hrs - Chilly, ne3, overcast - A grim morning with dull overcast conditions and poor viz out across the Channel - just the job for an hour in the seawatch hide... Very little on the move apart from a trickle of divers, Gannets, a merganser, a few scoters, Sandwich Terns, 5 Teal and mixed flock of 12 Curlews and Knots.
RSPB - 1300hrs - Hard work here too with the increasing wind forcing any passerines into cover. On ARC Spoonbill and LRP still present, while plenty of harrier activity over Dengemarsh; couldn't find the Long-tailed Duck on Burrowes amongst the legions of gulls and Cormorants.

Wheatears & Amy Macdonald

Dungeness - 0800hrs - bright, sunny, light airs - A wander opposite Jarman`s, the Old Light and around the Obs revealed a total of 12 Wheatears, 20 Linnets, 6 Black Redstarts, 4 Skylarks, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Stonechats, 4 Pied Wagtails, 8 Mipits, 2 Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk. However, the highlight was Amy Macdonald, Scottish folkie singer/songwriter, plus entourage, about to shoot her latest music video; well, at least some of us chatting in the Obs garden knew who she was...
Very quiet again at sea, although apparently orca and bottle-nosed dolphins have been seen in the Channel of late by local fisherman.

                                           Chiffchaff, DBO

                                          3 Garganeys, Dengemarsh

                                           Spoonbill, ARC

Springfield Bridge - 1000hrs Joined a couple of regulars on the bridge for a gossip; good job old Hawkeye turned up to point out the birds we were missing! A pair and a half of Garganeys were on the lake, plus Sand Martin over the reedbed alongside displaying Marsh Harriers and a Raven over the flood.
ARC - A couple of goes this afternoon delivered Swallow, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Spoonbill, Curlew, LRP and Ringed Plover. Very few ducks left now and for the first time didn't notice a Goldeneye.

Sandwich Terns

Lade - 0700hrs- cold, dry, sunny, nw1 - Flogged around the local patch but was unable to find a single passage migrant this morning. Single Goldeneye on south pit, 6 Med Gulls overhead and a couple of Marsh Harriers over the airport was about it on the land. No shortage of Sandwich Terns though with at least 150 moving noisily along the bay.
ARC -  1000hrs Quiet here too with just the Spoonbill in front of Hanson of note, plus a couple of Chiffs from the willow trail (Bullfinch and Willow Warbler earlier).
Dungeness - 1545hrs An hour from the boats produced precisely 2 divers and 10 Brents, although a Bonxie had been seen before I arrived.
The morning seawatch produced up to 1,000 Brents, a steady dribble of ducks and a Great White Egret. On the land c20 Chiffs and Black Redstarts around the Old Light and a Short-eared Owl over the desert.

                                          Tufted Duck, ARC

Barney in Summer Plum

Dungeness - 0645hrs - cold, frosty, sunny, ne1 - Managed to stay for almost an hour in the seawatch hide where a dribble of divers, scoters, mergansers, Brents and Gannets up-Channel, plus 20 or so Sandwich Terns milling around just offshore and 3 porpoises. Black Redstart and Wheatear by the Old Light.
Checked out Lade but very little of note apart from 3 Goldeneyes and singing Chiffchaffs.
ARC 1430hrs - A pair of LRPs at the south end from the causeway road and a Swallow over.
Elsewhere around the reserve today; Spoonbill and Whimbrel on ARC; Long-tailed Duck, Burrowes; Willow Warbler and Sand Martin; Wheatear and Black Redstart, Dengemarsh gully (MH).
Dungeness 1500hrs Another hour staring at the sea produced even less than this morning, although a party of Eiders went through earlier (TG).

                                         Barney seawatching in smart summer plumage

ps: The only other local news concerned the Short-eared Owls which were again seen over the weekend at Littlestone Golf Course.