Montagu`s Harrier

Lade - cool, cloudy, w 5 - 1100hrs - A late start due to one thing and another. We walked the local patch where the strong wind put the mockers on any migrant passerines apart from a few Yellow Wagtails and Sand Martins. However, a Water Rail with four chicks out in the open feeding amongst rotting water weed was a real treat. More Dabchick broods were on the water in the shelter of the willow swamp and a Marsh Harrier struggled into the wind over the airport fields.

                                Juvenile Montagu`s Harrier, Cockles Bridge

Cockles Bridge - Just as the afternoon was petering out a call came through from PB regarding a juvenile Monty`s type harrier over the corn fields opposite Cockles Bridge. A heavy shower had grounded the bird in a ditch close to the road and by the time I arrived it was still on the deck. However, after a ten minute wait up it came and we were treated to reasonable, but brief, views as it quartered the corn fields. A typical orangey breasted juvenile Montys/Pallid type, but with no obvious neck collar I reckoned it to be a juvenile Montagu`s Harrier, although future analysis of pics by PB and DW could prove otherwise, and of course further protracted views.
PS: It was later confirmed as a Monty`s; for some great pics see http://ploddingbirder.blogspot.co.uk/

Wartime planes over Romney Marsh

Lade - cool, sunny, light airs - Single figure temperatures overnight suppressed moth numbers yet again although Mullein Wave and Cypress Pug made a reappearance for the first time in ages.
An early morning foray over the pits before doing breakfasts revealed a pair of Ruddy Shelducks on south lake, which is about normal in August, and a juv Cuckoo was enjoying the sunshine on the fence line by the caravan park. Several Yellow Wagtails went south and a scattering of Willow Warblers were already feeding in the usual sun-traps.

                                 Mullein Wave

Dengemarsh - 1100hrs - Mrs PT joined us for a circuit of Dengemarsh this late morning, where there was little of note apart from a Great White Egret that flew from Gun Club field towards Hooker`s. A few Yellow Wags passed overhead and a Wheatear was noted by the chicken sheds. From Springfield Bridge the last of the Common Tern chicks were being fed on the rafts, six Little Egrets stalked the margins and a Bearded Tit showed briefly. The hayfields were a disappointment with only a dribble of water on No 3 attracting a lone Green Sandpiper. Along the way we also saw Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush and a Weasel.  By the time we returned to the ARC car park the wind had picked up considerably from the west.

                               Hayfield No. 3, Dengemarsh

Lade  - Back home this aft we were treated to a once-in-lifetime spectacle (thanks to a tip off from CP and NB) as two Lancaster bombers (flanked by two Spitfires) flew imperiously over Marsh skies. We picked them up as they flew in from the west over Hythe, after which the four planes flew out over the bay, banked and came in over Littlestone where large crowds were enjoying the RNLI open day. The formation then flew down towards us at Lade boardwalk, where a number of locals and holidaymakers had gathered, before swinging over Lydd airport and back across the bay on towards Dover.
Phew, what a sight, and something I shall never forget. It certainly bought a lump to my throat, and on a glorious summers day admiring these iconic aircraft as they traversed the blue skies of Romney Marsh, it got me thinking how lucky our generation is, and of all the young men that died a horrible death in those flying machines many years ago.

                               Lancasters & Spitfires over Lade

Dodging the downpours

Lade - 0700hrs - cool, cloudy, nw 3 - A touch autumnal first thing, but it soon warmed up bringing some hefty rain and hail showers throughout the day. A White-point in the garden mv was the first one for a while amongst 15 species. Walked the local patch where bird numbers were similar to yesterday, plus more Sand Martins and a few Yellow Wagtails over.

                                   White-point

Dengemarsh - Got a right old soaking here for little reward apart from the usual terns, wildfowl, Marsh Harrier and Cetti`s Warbler.
ARC - With the sun temporarily breaking through a Water Rail, plus fluffy black chicks, showed intermittently from Screen hide. On the water four Garganey amongst the dabblers, plus Snipe, Golden Plover and Redshank amongst the Lapwings. Down towards the pines a scattering of Willow and Reed Warblers, Whitethroats and a Blackcap.
Dungeness  - 1500hrs - Another deadly one hour seawatch from the boats with just a trickle of distant Gannets, gulls and terns over a flat calm sea.

Dungeness `Finger Lake`

Lade - 0600hrs - mild, sunny, light airs `til mid-morning then heavy showers and w 5 `til noon - A cracking start to the day with light winds and bright sunshine affording ideal birding conditions. We walked the local patch where a Stonechat on the Desert was the first of the autumn. A goodly number of Willow and Sedge Warblers around the ponds kept the interest going while south lake was plastered with wildfowl; Great Crested and Little Grebes, Coots and Tufted Ducks all showed off recently hatched juvs on the water and a crèche of Shelducks had moved onto north lake. Behind the  `mirrors` a steady passage of Lapwings headed for the bird reserve and both Marsh Harrier and Kestrel were already hunting the rough grassland. Along the main track by south lake we counted over 50 Common Blues on the wing. Looping back along the beach a mixed flock of 20 Ringed Plovers, 10 Dunlin and two Sanderling allowed a close approach.
Back at Plovers several Willow Warblers filtered through the garden fir trees, while the moth trap held a paltry 12 species with Orange Swift and Straw Underwing new for the year.

                                Shelducks, Lade

                                Willow Beauty, Lade

ARC - Around the lake hundreds of Lapwings and single figures of Golden Plover, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin and Redshank, plus Garganey and Wigeon amongst the dabblers.
Scotney - The post-breeding flock of feral geese was well over 1,000 on the sheep fields, plus a few Curlews, Lapwings and Redshanks. 
Dungeness - 1415hrs - Joined PB for an hour at the fishing boats this aft during which time all we could muster up was a flock of five Common Scoters and a few distant Commic Terns.
However, every so often an odd long-shore drift type phenomenon occurs down here, usually following rough seas and high tides as witnessed last weekend, when a `finger lake` floods just inland from the main seaward shingle bank. It cried out for a nice phalarope `spinning` around in the still water but we had to be content with a few Turnstones on the margins. Apparently, the salt water lake warms up nicely and makes for good swimming, so tomorrow I must remember to wear me cozzie.

                                Dungeness `Finger Lake`

Wood Warbler

Lade - 0700hrs  - cool, cloudy, sw 2 - There was a noticeable clear out of warblers around the ponds from yesterday with numbers back to more normal levels. At least 100 Sand Martins and 30 Swifts were hawking insects over the shingle ridges and the Black-necked Grebe remained on south lake. The moth trap has not been in operation since returning from holiday due to cool nights and strong winds.
Wood Warbler - Nipped out onto the Marsh to see a Wood Warbler in a private garden that performed admirably, at times down to ten feet. Unfortunately the bridge camera was not having any of it and all I could get was a blurred shot of what was a real show-off. Wood Warblers have gone the way of many passage migrants in these parts, such as Pied Fly, Gropper and Tripit, to become something of a scarcity.

                                Wood Warbler - honest!

RSPB - Nothing much to report here apart from Common and Green Sandpipers, Dunlin and Redshank on Burrowes and a Clouded Yellow in the car park. From Screen hide five Garganey, Dunlin, Blackwit and Redshank amongst legions of Lapwings and dabbling ducks while at the south end my first Pintail of the autumn. Also from Screen a Water Rail played hide and seek in the reedbed. A well camouflaged (that`s my excuse!) Red Underwing on Hanson hide was pointed out to me by an eagle-eyed PB.

                                       Red Underwing, Hanson hide

A fall of warblers

Lade - 0700hrs - mild, showery am, sunny dry pm, sw 6 - A shocking morning weather-wise with a blasting south-westerly rattling in a succession of heavy showers. However, once the rain stopped and the sun emerged so did a host of warblers around the willow swamp and beside the sheltered ponds. Numbers were difficult to ascertain but Willow, Reed and Sedge Warblers were in the vanguard with at least 30 odd of each, plus lesser numbers of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and two gorgeous Lesser Whitethroats. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours trawling through them in the vain hope that something with tiger stripes or wing-bars would emerge, but it was not to be.
  Elsewhere two Common Sands and a Black-necked Grebe were on south lake, plus hundreds of Sand and House Martins, ten Yellow Wags over, Kingfisher and Great Spotted Woodpecker from the causeway.

                                    Sedge Warbler, Lade

                                 Willow Warbler, Lade

Burrowes - Despite the buffeting wind there was plenty to see from the hides around the lake with Makepeace being the most profitable for waders. Two Wood Sandpipers and Ruff were the highlights plus four Common Sandpipers, three Dunlins, two Redshanks, Lapwing and Oystercatcher. From Firth hide a selection of terns and gulls was of interest, plus a crèche of ten juv Shelducks. A party of ten Yellow Wagtails headed south and a couple of Marsh Harriers struggled to remain airborne over the Oppen pits. On the way out a Great White Egret flew over the fields at Boulderwall heading towards Dengemarsh.

                                Common and Sandwich Terns, Burrowes

Lade - Checked the gravel pit for waders this aft but all we could muster up was a couple of Common Sands and a Little Ringed Plover, plus the usual roosting Curlews and Oycs.

Lakes, waders & shearwaters

Lake District - 1-8th August - Having had no phone/broadband line of late, due to a combination of being away up north and the usual crap service from BT getting round to fix the problem, which as per usual was a corroded overhead cable atop a telegraph pole.
  Anyhow, a family trip to the Lake District based at the small village of Backbarrow in the southern lakes was a great success. The contrast in weather (wet) and landscape (hilly, lakey and verdant) to the dry flat lands couldn`t have been greater. Birdwise it was pretty quiet in the oak woods without birdsong, but roving flocks contained plenty of Willow Warblers, one or two Redstarts and Marsh Tits, which seemed to be everywhere. The Grizedale Forest yielded more common woodland birds including a few Redpolls and Siskins and one group of five Crossbills. We did well for raptors though with Buzzards and Sparrowhawks common place, plus two sightings of Goshawk in Grizedale and singles of Osprey and Red Kite in the Kent valley.
  The fells were full of Ravens, plus small numbers of Mipits and Wheatears and a Peregrine on the Scafell Massif. The only place we saw Dipper was on the river Leven at Backbarrow while Grey Wagtail, Common Sandpiper and Goosander were noted at several locations.
  A trip to Walney Island was memorable for the vast numbers of shorebirds, including 100 Icelandic Blackwits, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper. Breeding Eiders were still present as were Little and Sandwich Terns, both of which failed to breed successfully this year, and huge numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls which nest on the island.
  Probably the most memorable birds in Lakeland were the House Martins, they seemed to be everywhere with colonies in most villages, farmhouses and out buildings. Smashing little birds, and far more numerous than down here.
  Oh, and one Border Terrier had a great time in his native habitat amongst the fells.

                                Barney, Wast Water

                                River Leven, Backbarrow

                                Wast Water & Scafell Massif

                               Juv Wheatear, Yewbarrow


Saturday 9th August -  Back home and a scout around the bird reserve delivered a decent selection of passage waders including eight Greenshanks, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff from Makepiece Hide, plus a Black-necked Grebe.
Sunday 10th August - Lade - mild, cloudy, rain showers, s 6 - The monthly WeBS count found most of the ducks, Coots and grebes sheltering amongst the islands due to the increasing, gale force wind. Hundreds of Sand Martins and 50 Swifts were feeding low over the water.
Dungeness  - 1045-1245hrs - A two hour seawatch from the boats in the company of MB in squally showers and strong winds proved profitable with the highlights being two Sooty Shearwaters down-Channel along with three Manx, five Fulmar, 12 Common Scoter, Bonxie, Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern and a steady procession of Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns. Several large flocks of Swifts headed south in appalling conditions, low to the water, and I wondered how many of them didn't make it across. 
We had a surprise visit from Peter and Sandy Smith from Bedfordshire this afternoon and spent a very pleasant couple of hours catching up on news from the old county.
Monday 11th August - Heavy showers, sw 6 - The unsettled weather continued with a blustery wind whipping in some hefty downpours during the morning. An hour at the fishing boats this afternoon produced very little apart from a few Swifts going out and three coasting Whimbrel. There was movement of terns and Gannets, but way out in the Channel.