Bedgebury Pinetum

Lade - 0800hrs - cool, dry and sunny, w2 - Did the Lade Loop walk this morning, taking in the pits first where there was the usual assemblage of Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Ducks with juvs. In the willows several eponymous warblers, Blackcaps, Cetti`s and Reed Warblers. Skylark, Linnet and Mipit on the storm beaches, plus singles of Yellow Wagtail and Whimbrel overhead south. On the beach yesterdays Dunlins, Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers still in evidence, while 30 Sandwich Terns headed towards the Point.

                                         Bedgebury Pinetum

Bedgebury Pinetum - 1100hrs - Had a run over to the pinetum with the `Little Chap` this morning. Must admit when I saw the car park nearly full my spirits sank, but actually when you cleared the Visitors Centre area the crowds soon thinned out. I really like this place and will have to visit early morning when nobodys about; not that I`m anti-social and all, but you can have too much of the human race after a while... Anyhow, the collection of pines are superb and there were a few birds to be seen along the dude circular walk : Goldcrests, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Greater and Green peckers, 2 Redpolls and 6 `chupping` Crossbills. The lake also had Dabchick and Tufted Duck with young, but probably best of all was the large number of Moorhens present, also with young. I know its a common bird but down on the Marsh hardly any survive due to all the crows, gulls, Minks, Stoats, Foxes and the like.
PS: OL reported Curlew and Green Sandpipers, plus LRP on the Midrips this afternoon where there is no firing all this week. Had two calls today concerning the Ashford One and it appears that Bubo bubo is carrying out a vital public service around town in the form of `Pest Control` by predating rats and rats-with-wings. Long may it continue so...

ARC

ARC - 1100hrs - warm, sunny, sw5 - A brisk wind kept any passerines well into cover this morning. At the south end a single Blackwit, while from Hanson 3 Garganey and a scattering of LRPs, Common Sands and a Ringed Plover, plus all the usual eclipse ducks.
There was no sign of yesterdays Sabine`s Gull at Dungeness.
Lade -1700hrs - superb conditions for shorebirds on an ebb tide at the bottom of the boardwalk this evening with a large band of thick gloopy mud attracting up to 200 Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plovers. Further out a Grey Plover and Barwit, plus hundreds of Curlews and Oystercatchers. Sanderling and Grey Plover were both new for the month bringing the wader tally to 18 species.

Sabine`s Gull

Lade - 0600hrs - mild, cloudy, light airs, warm and sunny later S2 - Perfect overnight conditions for moths and indeed the trap was packed with 32 species, including Wormwood Pug and Nutmeg new for the year.
The cloud cover around dawn had grounded a scattering of Willow Warblers and Whitethroats hereabouts with 20 and 10 respectively across the storm beaches and in gardens. Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Peacock (at last) on the Buddleia by mid-afternoon.
Dungeness - 1100hrs - An moulting adult Sabine`s Gull was found off the seawatch hide this morning, but by the time I arrived on site it had gone awol. Walked down to the Patch with DB and after a while the bird returned from the west, briefly settling on the scum line before drifting towards the seawatch hide and then flying back towards the Patch. There was a good turn out of locals for what was a smart bird, although I failed to get any digi-pics due to time constraints, light and various other excuses (check out DBO website and PB blog for pics). Also noted, 2 Little Gulls, 1 Med, 5 Kitts, 50 Common Terns, 20 Common Scoters and a steady passage of Gannets.
Lade - 1700hrs - Wandered over the beach to give Barney a run this evening and the closest bird to shore (probably about 300 yards from Plovers!) was a cracking adult Knot in moult, my 16th species of wader for the month. Squadrons of Curlews and Oystercatchers were also returning to feed as the tide ebbed, along with at least 20 Dunlins, 3 Barwits and 2 Redshanks. On the walk back a Whimbrel flew south calling and a couple of Wheatears were feeding on insects near the toilet block.

                                         Adult Knot, Lade

Port Lympne

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, cloudy, heavy rain, brighter later, s2 - A decent number of moths in the trap this morning including 10 Silver Ys, 2 Garden Tigers and a Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing. Several grounded Willow Warblers calling in nearby gardens.

                                        Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

                                          Gorilla, Port Lympne

                                          Marsh view

Port Lympne - En-route to the zoo 2 Turtle Doves at Newchurch and several Yellowhammers of note. In and around the zoo Buzzard, Kestrel and Hobby, Nuthatch, Long-tailed tit and Jay.
I`ve got mixed feelings about zoos, but I guess this one does have various breeding programmes which lead to re-introductions to justify its existence. The primates always look so sad to me, and as for the big cats, well I could harp on, but I wont... We took the little fella, who seemed to enjoy himself, but to be honest I reckon yesterdays pond dipping was much more fun (and cheaper!).
Called in to check out Marshman`s moths on the way back. At home moth supremo Bernard Skinner called in for a chat.
ps:  Balearic Shearwaters were once again reported off the Point, while Garganeys and a selection of passage waders were on the ARC. The Eagle Owl remains at roost in Ashford town centre.

Pond Dipping

Lade - 0600hrs - mild, wet, overcast, ssw3 - Another disappointing catch in the moth trap due to overnight wind and rain; however, a tatty Least Carpet was noteworthy.
ARC - 1245hrs - On the way back from Ashford called in at Hanson hide and joined PB notching up my 15th species of wader for the month, a cracking adult Curlew Sandpiper in moult. Also on the islands, 5 each of LRP and Common Sand, plus a single Blackwit.

                                          Least Carpet

                                          Marsh Frog tadpole

                                          Big Al pond dipping

                                          Examining the catch

RSPB  - 1330hrs - What fun we had this afternoon pond dipping at the bird reserve with Big Al. There were kids running around with nets, bowls, spy-glasses and all the pond dipping paraphernalia, it was madness! Best of the catch was a Medicinal Leech and a huge Marsh Frog tadpole. A great time was had by all, and I don't think anyone fell in!
ps: The Eagle Owl remains at large and was roosting on Charter House in Ashford town centre this morning.

More Waders

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, dull, sw2, sunny later - A poor night in the moth trap due to heavy overnight rain and a brisk wind. However, a smart Poplar Hawk-moth was noted on a tobacco plant not far from the trap later in the day.
ARC - 1000hrs - Rattled up 8 more species of waders bringing the tally for the month up to 14. First off from Hanson 5 Common Sands, 6 Lapwings, 5 LRPs and singles of Blackwit, Redshank, Avocet and Dunlin. From Screen a smart close Green Sandpiper. Also noted 3 Little Egrets, 3 Wigeons, 2 Garganeys and hundreds of Sand Martins.
Lade Bay - 1400hrs - Checked the foreshore at Greatstone but too many holidaymakers for any shorebirds. Cracking views of a migrant Wheatear though on the shingle, an adult Med Gull on the beach, plus loads more Sand Martins streaming south.

                                          Green Sandpiper, ARC

                                          Poplar Hawk-moth, Plovers

August Wader Challenge

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, drizzle, low cloud, sunny later, s2 - A muggy start to the day and a few more moths in the trap including 5 Garden Tigers and 2 Dusky Sallows. Several Willow Warblers could be heard in back garden cover and a couple of Yellow Wags called overhead.
Littlestone - 1700hrs - Being as we`ve moved into August it is now officially Wader Month, so thought I`d set myself a bit of a challenge and see how many species I can find locally by the 31st.
Low tide at Littlestone was as good a place as any to kick things off and number one on the list was my favourite the Oystercatcher, with 250 feeding on the sands along with 150 Curlews. Two adult Barwits were soon located along with singles of Turnstone, Ringed Plover and, rather surprisingly a Whimbrel as species number six.
Was good to see the House Martin colony on one of the beach front houses doing well with much coming and going as adults fed nest bound juvs.

                                         Ringed Plover