Little Egrets & Crested Lark

Dungeness - 0545hrs - cool, cloudy, se2 - A two hour seawatch from the point delivered a steady flow of seabirds to keep the interest going. Of the 9 Poms all were distant except 3 at the end of the watch. Also 2 Arctics (much closer) a Bonxie, 100 scoters, 50 Gannets, 20 Whimbrels, 30 Little Terns, 2 Fulmars, 3 Black-throated Divers, 2 Curlews, 10 Barwits, 8 Sanderling, 2 Med Gulls and 4 Oystercatchers. In off the sea singles of Hobby and Merlin.
Lydd Church Tower - 1000hrs - Spent the rest of the morning atop Lydd church tower for RSPB on heron watch duties. The weather was kind and a steady flow of punters made the precarious climb up the tower to admire the Marsh landscape (and spy on their neighbours!). As always cracking views looking into the nests of 6 close Grey Herons; in all at least 17 were occupied this year across the heronry. Also, 3 nests of Little Egrets seen including one with 2 small chicks, which confirms breeding (I think) for the first time at this site.

                                         Lydd heronry

                                          Grey Herons, adults & juv, Lydd

                                          2 Little Egret nests, Lydd

Dungeness - 1500hrs - Phew, no chance to settle down and have a snooze this afternoon, following the discovery of a super rare Crested Lark at the Point. Initially found by Lloyds it was eventually relocated on rough ground by the car park inside the grounds of `B` plant (a wise move considering the harrying the last one got) at the western end. Views from the seawall were distant but it appeared to be quite rusty-brown overall and there was some suggestion that it may well be an eastern race bird. At about 1630hrs it flew off towards `A` plant just as a number of twitchers were still arriving on site. With the hoards of tourists around the point I reckoned the lark would stay within the boundary walls and relative peace and quiet of the plant.
New Romney Sewage Works - 1700hrs - To round off yet another cracking days birding across the Marsh a Red-rumped Swallow was located amongst a flock of Swallows feeding over the workings.

Swifts & Swallows

Lade - 1030hrs & 1600hrs - cool, cloudy, e3 - Spent most of the birding day going dizzy checking through hirundines in a fruitless search for yesterdays Red-rumper. On the afternoon visit many Swallows were hunkered down on the shingle ridges in a vain attempt to find some warmth against the brisk easterly. Nothing much else except one or two hunting Marsh Harriers, 2 Cuckoos and a Raven.
Dungeness -  1145hrs - Still a number of common migrants around the point, mostly Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, with Spot Flit, Garden Warbler and Blackcap in the lighthouse garden, a Whinchat by Lloyds and Cuckoo over. Seowl, Turtle Dove and Hobby also reported.
ARC - 1230hrs - More hirundine checking from the south end was interrupted by a flock of 18 Barwits (including one colour ringed) and 2 Whimbrels that joined 4 Dunlins, 2 Common Sandpipers, LRP and Ringed Plover. A Lesser Whitethroat sang from the willows where a Spot Flit was noted.
Burrowes - 1300hrs - Not so many hirundines here. A couple of Wheatears from the access road and a Hobby over was about it. A decent range of common migrants were reported around the reserve, plus Garganeys at Dengemarsh and `booming` Bittern on Hookers.
News from Rye Harbour this morning was positive with the Kentish Plover still present alongside a strong supporting cast of Temminck`s and Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers. 

                                         Barwits, ARC

Kentish Plover & Temminck`s Stint

Scotney - 1015hrs - cold, wet, ne3 - Surely its not early May, apparently Christmas Day was `warmer` than today. Anyhow, following on from yesterdays shenanigans at Dunge the fantasy birding period continued, only this time on a wader theme. The grass leys at Scotney held a scattering of Barwits, Grey Plovers, Ringed Plovers, Whimbrels, Dunlins, 3 Ruffs (including a black plumed male) and singles of Greenshank and Common Sandpiper.
Rye Harbour NR - 1200hrs - The view from Lime Kiln across the new tidal wetland was sheer wader heaven with hundreds of the little beauties spread out before an appreciative huddle of birders sheltering from a nippy wind in front of the cottage. The Kentish Plover was quickly located and at times showed well, although not close enough to digi-scope. Bonus birds came in the shape of a Temminck`s Stint scurrying around in typical mouse-like fashion, 3 Little Stints and 2 Curlew Sands. Also counted 350 Dunlins, 280 Ringed Plovers, 30 Knots, 50 Barwits, 10 Whimbrels, 10 Turnstones, 6 Avocets, 5 Sanderlings, 2 LRP`s, 25 Grey Plovers and 3 Goldies, many of which were in stunning summer plum. Also noted over Med Gulls, Sandwich and Common Terns, 9 Little Terns, several Wheatears, Linnets, Skylarks, Shelducks and a Cuckoo.
In all clocked up 21 species of waders today.
Lade - 1600hrs - Back home and a Hobby over south pit whilst sifting through a couple of hundred hirundines and Swifts, plus incredible sight of 4 Whimbrels that flew in from the south calling 3 of which landed on the shingle while the other landed atop a gorse bush! Where`s the camera when you need it? At home, of course...
ps: late news - a Red-rumper over New Diggings this evening. The Wiltshire birders reported a number of warblers in the moat at Dunge, but no sign of this mornings Wryneck.

                                          Barwit, Rye Harbour

                                          Avocets working as a team, Rye Harbour

Storks, Waders & Warblers

Scotney 1015hrs - overcast, damp, cool, ne2 - News broke of a pair of White Storks on sheep fields between Pigwell and Scotney this morning. By the time I arrived there was nobody on site and I feared the worst; however the 2 storks soon came into view, striding around amongst the sheep picking up small items of prey. They showed well `til 1100hrs and then took flight, soaring up high and away to the west where they were seen over Rye half an hour later.
Whilst watching the storks several Greenshanks flew over calling and one even landed beside them for a while. A few Barwits, Grey Plovers and Whimbrels also passed overhead. On the main pit 3 spanking Black Terns were briefly joined by 25! more which tumbled out of the murk, flew around for 10 minutes and then proceeded eastwards. Phew! This was starting out to be a good day.
Then did a circuit behind the gravel pits to Pigwell pit to checkout the wash out end of the lake. An incredible haul here of 4 Avocets, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 LRPs, 2 Redshanks, 3 alpina Dunlins and singles of Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint in summer plum; also, another Dunlin with a shortish bill and small belly patch was probably a schinzii. Also 10 Yellow Wagtails, Reed, Sedge and Garden Warblers, 2 Corn Buntings and a Little Owl on the sewage works building.
Lade Bay - As there were Kentish Plovers either side of the Marsh thought I`d best check the bay... A good spread of summer plum waders included 255 Barwits, 85 Grey Plovers, 30 Sanderlings, 25 Turnstone and all the usual Curlews, Oycs etc.
Dungeness - 1200hrs & 1500hrs - Two sessions at the point produced an unbelievable tally of passerines; infact I can barely remember anything this good in the spring over the past 45 years of  birding, there was literally birds in every piece of cover. Warblers were in the vanguard with `hundreds` of Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs everywhere; in the moat there were flocks of Blackcaps and Whitethroats, 20 here, 30 there, all flitting around low down calling and feeding, never seen anything like it. Garden Warblers, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Whinchats, Lesser Whitethroats, Common Redstarts were also noted and I also had singles of Nightingale and Ring Ouzel, flyover Redpolls and 2 Redwings, plus an in-the-hand Wood Warbler. Its difficult to convey what an exceptional fall this was, best bet is to check out the DBO website for an assessment of the entire day (good luck with that one DW!)
When I left the railway car park at 1700hrs a flock of  phylloscs flew around the car as I drove down the concrete road, a fitting end to a fantastic day.
Needless to say the Obs staff and ringers were kept busy all day.
Elsewhere a Golden Oriole was reported on the bird reserve and the Wiltshire Birders had a great day at Rye with Kentish Plover, Osprey and Wood Warbler the highlights.

                                         White Storks, Scotney

                                          Wood Warbler, DBO

                                          Garden Warbler, DBO

                                          Spotted Flycatcher, DBO

                                          Lesser Whitethroat, DBO

More Terns

Dungeness - 1045hrs - Overcast, drizzle, n2 - A half hearted, hour long seawatch from the concrete road whilst gossipping with MH, PB & BB delivered a steady passage of waders including 150 Barwits, 25 Grey Plovers, 10 Knots and 10 Whimbrels; one group of scoters had a Garganey on the tail end. A trickle of Common Terns kept up the interest as did a flock of 15 Little Terns followed by 5 more. The flock of 15 were twittering away to one another as they flicked by, smashing birds are terns, particularly the little `uns and I wondered where they`d come from and where they were heading; perhaps the English east coast or maybe across the Channel to the Low Countries or the Baltic. Not much is known about their winter quarters but I`ve seen them on the fishing grounds between Senegal and Ghana alongside other terns, skuas and Gannets.
Wandered down to the Patch to look for Black Terns of which there were none. However, a nervous flock of at least 50 Commons on the beach held 2 Littles and a Sandwich Tern.
A Common Redstart showed briefly in the lighthouse garden along with a Willow Warbler and Whitethroat and despite the drizzle all the usual breeding passerines were evident around the point.
In the trapping area a Wood Warbler was noted earlier along with a female Monty`s over (OL), which was also clocked at ARC.

                                         Little & Common Tern, The Patch

                                          Sandwich Tern, The Patch

Burrowes - 1530hrs - A scout round for waders revealed singles of Redshank, Grey Plover, Turnstone and Ringed Plover on the fast disappearing islands, a pair of Wigeon and a Peregrine over by the switch house. A few Common Terns came and went as did a couple of parties of Swifts.
On the way home 2 Wheatears from the access road and a Turnstone at the south end of ARC.
Sounds as tho the Wiltshire birders had a good day around the Peninsula, despite the poor weather.

Little Terns

Dungeness - 0745hrs - cool, cloudy, n2 - A grim old morning more like November than May; will I ever get into shorts this year... Anyhow, an hour in the seawatch hide produced a steady flow of Gannets, Sandwich and Commic Terns (at least 6 Arctics) along with 20 delightful Little Terns in two groups, nice and close too. Infact, most stuff was close including 4 female mergansers, a group of Sanderlings in summer plum, 2 Barwits and a Whimbrel. Also a few Swifts and Swallows in off the sea.
A couple of Poms were noted earlier. On the land the usual Wheatears, Stonechats and Whitethroats, and an Osprey was seen over the Desert (OL).
ARC - 1000hrs - During the course of survey work on the bird reserve I was surprised at how quickly the water level has risen on the pits; from Hanson nearly all the islands are now awash, and it looks as tho there`s plenty more rain to come. However, loads of Swifts and Swallows over the water, 2 LRPs and a Greenshank at the south end and warblers in song everywhere, including Lesser Whitethroat.
Dengemarsh - A slog across the shingle to Pen Bars produced very little except one pair of Ringed Plovers and 2 hares. On the walk back a Short-eared Owl was flushed from cover which flew out across the flood towards Hookers. Also in the area 5 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Marsh Harriers, 2 Blackwits, 2 Garganeys and singles of Raven, Sparrowhawk, Corn Bunting and Whinchat.
ps: A group of Wiltshire birders staying with us for a few days reported a late Pom from the seawatch hide this evening.

Melodious Warbler

Dungeness - 1030hrs - warm, dry, sunny, sw2 - The heavy overnight rain seemed to have done the trick with a number of grounded migrants at the point, particularly Whitethroats and Wheatears which seemed to be everywhere; between the moat and the power station road alone I counted a flock of 12 Wheatears, with at least that again elsewhere.
Anyhow, bird of the day was a Melodious Warbler in the lighthouse garden, which with a bit of patience showed nice and close and even burst into song on occasions. Also noted here throughout the day were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Common Redstart and an LRP overhead.
Elsewhere, a Firecrest by Lloyds, Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart by the power station fence and Lesser Whitethroat in the moat, plus all the usual Linnets, Stonechats and Black Redstarts. Also reported were Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler and Whinchat, so all in all a very good passerine day, just a shame there aren`t a few more like it each season.
Spent an hour looking at very little on the sea in early afternoon, but by all accounts at least 12 Poms were logged during the morning, plus a large count of Commic Terns.

                                          Pied Flycatcher, Power Station