Arctic Terns

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, dry and sunny s2 - Another glorious summers day, but very humid during the afternoon. An improvement to 23 species in the moth trap this morning including a Flame Shoulder and an influx of Flounced Rustics.
Dungeness - 0730hrs - A wander around the Point delivered precious little of note apart from a few Mipits, Linnets, 2 Wheatears , plus Willow Warbler and Whitethroat in the moat. Offshore, up to 10 Gannets and a few terns drifting west.
ARC - 0930hrs - The usual small numbers of Common Sands, LRPs, Ringed Plovers, Lapwings and Dunlins, plus singles of Little Stint and Greenshank. Several Sedge and Reed Warblers in the reedbeds and at least 10 Yellow Wagtails on the dry ridges and the islands in front of Hanson.

                                          Little Egret, ARC

Dungeness - 1600hrs - An hour from the concrete road was memorable for a pulse of 5 juv Arctic Terns close to shore heading west amongst a steady trickle of Sandwich and Common Terns. Offshore, 20 or so Gannets were plunge diving for fish amongst 6 Harbour Porpoises.

Greenshank

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, dry and sunny, s2, rain late afternoon - Despite what seemed to be the perfect night for moth activity (light airs and muggy) it was another disappointing catch with only the Pyrale, a female European Corn Borer of note. The way things are shaping up this will go down as the worst year since I started regular moth trapping here five years ago.
Checked out Kerton Road pit this morning from the Lade end and was pleased to discover a cracking close Greenshank by the pit margin, one of my favourite waders and species number 23 in the August quest.

                                          European Corn Borer

                                          Greenshank

ARC - 1200hrs - The now usual spread of waders in front of Hanson included 50 Lapwings, 6 Dunlins, 5 Common Sands, 3 LRPs, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Blackwits and singles of Little Stint, Redshank and Golden Plover (a Curlew Sand had been seen earlier), plus Garganey and Wigeon amongst the ducks and Little Egrets. Several large parties of Sand Martins briefly paused on their southwards journey, while Willow, Sedge and Reed Warblers were all noted from the boardwalk.
Dungeness  - 1600hrs - With a steady drizzle thought I`d check the sea in case anything was on the move but it proved to be largely a waste of time with an hours watch from the concrete road producing just a handful of Gannets and terns, plus 5 Harbour Porpoises.

More of the Same

Lade - 0600hrs - warm, dry and sunny, e2 - A cracking summers day with plenty of sunshine and less wind than yesterday. Still disappointing numbers of moths in the trap last night but did have a Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, not a moth I have very often and quite a pale specimen. Over the pits a scattering of Willow Warblers in the scrub and a Grey Plover flying around calling. A few butterflies on the Buddleia this afternoon (Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock) plus several Whimbrels and Yellow Wagtails overhead.

                                          Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

                                          Golden Plovers, ARC

ARC - 1500hrs - Called in at Hanson hide where waders included a spangled flock of 67 Golden Plovers amongst 200 Lapwings, 5 Common Sands, 3 LRPs, 3 Dunlins, 2 Redshanks and a Little Stint (earlier 2 Little Stint and Curlew Sand, per CP). Also, 2 Garganey, 2 Little Egrets, Marsh Harrier and the usual collection of eclipse ducks. In the sallows Willow and Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Great Tits. In front of the hide a patch of reeds smothered in small, black insects attracted 3 Sedge Warblers to feast, but try as I might, what with the time of year and winds and all, couldn't string one into an Aquatic...

Butterflies, Waders & Wind

Lade - 0600hrs - Warm, sunny, ene 3-5 - The brisk easterly picked up throughout the day. Low numbers of moths in the trap last night with Cypress Pug and Straw Underwing being the most numerous. Whimbrel over the garden twice this afternoon calling, plus at least 10 Yellow Wags. The beach waders had a tough time today avoiding up to 100 kite surfers on the sands.
Kerton Road - 1030hrs - Called in at the cafe for some moth chat only to find plenty of `common` butterflies on the wing around the Buddleia, including Small Tortoiseshells, plus a couple of Common Blues on the Bugloss.

                                          Cypress Pug

                                          Straw Underwing

                                          Small Tortoiseshell

                                          Common Blue

                                          Little Stint, ARC (honest!)


Dungeness - 1100hrs - Nothing much of note at the Patch with just a Willow Warbler in the Lighthouse Garden and a Wheatear by the Brit. DB had a Pied Fly at one of his garden drippers earlier on.
RSPB - Several visits throughout the afternoon yielded a surprising number of birds considering the windy conditions. As per usual ARC was the hot spot with singles of Little Stint, Curlew Sand, Blackwit, LRP, plus 5 Common Sands, 6 Dunlins, 3 Ringed Plovers, 4 Redshanks and 50 Lapwings.
At least 3 Garganeys, 2 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck and a Pintail amongst the hundreds of eclipse ducks and 5 Little Egrets. The waders and wildfowl were regularly spooked by Peregrine and Marsh Harrier. Also, hundreds of Sand Martins and a few House Martins over the lake. At least 10 more Yellow Wags on the walk to Hanson, plus Reed Bunting, Long-tailed Tit and Green Woodpecker.
Elsewhere, a Hobby and RCP on Dengemarsh.

Hot and Sweaty

Spent most of the day up in sweltering London dropping off the Little Chap and visiting a gallery with Mrs PT (some artist bloke who specialises in tapestries called Grayson Perry). Must say though that the Olympic atmos up-town was amazing, everyone smiling and chatting away on the train and all the staff being ever-so polite it was almost annoying! (only joking). Also found a cracking cafe and pub in Old Street for food and water...
Lade - Nothing much in the trap last night apart from a Pale Grass Eggar and 12 Silver Ys. A visit to the beach this evening delivered the same waders as yesterday, minus the stints, but it was difficult viewing as the holidaymakers and their dogs kept them on the the move. A couple of Turnstones did allow a close approach however.

                                          Turnstone, Lade

Wader Fest

Lade - 0600hrs - Muggy, thick fog, clearing by midday, light airs - A wet start to the day due to a heavy sea mist that slowly faded by noon, but returned again briefly during the afternoon. Not a great catch in the moth trap, although up to 20 species with only Silver Y and Buff-tip of note.
ARC - 1030hrs - The August Wader Challenge kicked back into life today with, from Screen hide, Wood Sandpiper and Snipe becoming species numbers 19 and 20 respectively. From Hanson 8 Common Sands, 5 LRPs, 2 Dunlins, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Little Egret, 2 Garganey 3 Wigeon, plus flying over in the mist calling, and briefly seen, a flock of 50 Golden Plovers (species no. 21). At the south end 2 more Dunlins and a Blackwit. Also noted from Hanson this afternoon a Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper (MH & PB).

                                          Adult Dunlin & juv LRP

Lade Bay - 1700hrs - From the Lade boardwalk a tasty flock of shorebirds included 2 Little Stints and a Curlew Sandpiper amongst 23 Ringed Plovers, 54 Dunlins and 26 Sanderlings; the stint being new for the August list at species number 22. Further out hundreds of Curlews, Oycs and a scattering of Knots, Grey Plovers and Barwits.

New Patch Hide

Lade - 0600hrs - mild, cloudy w2 - Another lousy night in the trap with just 10 species and only Silver Ys of any note.
Dungeness - 1100hrs - A steady passage of Gannets west from the seawatch hide, plus 2 Kitts and a Little Gull. At the Patch 100 Common and 2 Black Terns; also briefly the dark, white-winged juv Herring Gull. Balfour Beatty were on the case constructing a new Patch hide.

                                          New Patch hide under construction

Lade Bay - 1800hrs - The sands were again packed out with gulls, terns and waders, this evening the pick of the bunch being 20 Knots, 5 Barwits and 3 Grey Plovers amongst 100 close Dunlins, Sanderlings and a Curlew Sandpiper the majority still in summer plumage.
ps: A Wood Sand was reported from Hanson hide this morning (PB), while Green and Common Sandpipers, a ringtail harrier, Cuckoo and Golden Plovers were noted in the Lade area (OL).