Somerset Pete

Dungeness - 0630hrs - mild, cloudy, light airs - Walked down to the Patch first where a half-hearted `boil` had attracted a handful of terns and gulls, including one each of Black Tern and Little Gull. Out on the mill-pond-like sea a scattering of Gannets, Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua. The scrub around West Beach and the Old Light produced 10 Willow Warblers and 2 Tree Sparrows, while at the Obs a couple of Tripits went over calling and a Pied Flycatcher perched briefly on overhead wires. Also noted Greater pecker, Sparrowhawk and 5 Yellow Wags.
Lade - Last nights catch in the garden included a new moth, Shaded Broad-bar; a common enough Geometrid, but one that until now had not made its way into the trap. A Spotted Redshank flew over the cottage early on calling.
ARC - 1500hrs - In Hanson it was good to have a natter with Somerset Pete, back on the Marsh for a short visit from the West Country. Plenty of waders on the shingle ridges to check through. Amongst 500 Goldies and Lapwings were 40 Knots, 15 Dunlins, 5 Blackwits, 3 Ruff and 2 Common Sands. Also, 4 Black Terns, 2 Little Gulls and the regular Goosander. Over the road the Cattle Egret was at Boulderwall, the GWEgret at Dengemarsh and there was a late report of a Red-necked Grebe.

                                         Pied Flycatcher, DBO

                                          Little Gull, ARC

Cattle Egret

Lade - 0700hrs - mild, cloudy, nw2 - It was one of those rare (at least down here) mornings when nothing seemed to be on the move; no martins, wagtails, warblers or chats could I find over the back in an hour. The moth trap however was much more profitable with 26 species and large numbers of Flounced Rustics, the first Grass Emeralds and Straw Dot for a while, White-point and Silver Y. The Obs hit the jackpot though with the first Dungeness record of Beautiful Marbled, a vagrant noctuid from the Continent.
Boulderwall - 1600hrs - Finally caught up with the Cattle Egret this afternoon after several attempts over the past fortnight. It was distant, and typically feeding amongst livestock, but even at range the stocky, thick-necked jizz, steep forehead and yellow bill could be seen. Been a bit of mystery this bird as it regularly seems to do a disappearing act for several days at a time.
A good day to be on the bird reserve with a wide selection of waders on offer including, Spot Shank, Blackwit, Ruff, Knot, Snipe and Little Stint. Also, (the two old favourites) Goosander and GWEgret, 4 Black Terns, 2 Little Gulls, Kingfisher and Hobby. The Glaucous Gull remained at Dungeness boats.

Grey Seals

Lade - 0630hrs - cool, sunny, w2 - Checked out Mockmill Sewer this morning (that runs beside the southern end of south lake) and behind the `mirrors`. A small selection of grounded migrants in the scrub included 10 Willow Warblers, 5 Sedge and 8 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroats and singles of Wheatear and Stonechat. Overhead, a trickle of Yellow Wagtails, Sand Martins and a few Swallows. Also, singles of Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Whimbrel, Greenshank and Cetti`s Warbler.
In the bay off Greatstone at high tide 3 Grey Seals were `snorkeling` just offshore.
Boulderwall-  1500hrs A brief check of the meadows for the reported Cattle Egret drew a blank...

Big Al, Greatstone Beach - checking out the Swarovski`s...

Seawatch

Dungeness - 0615-0815hrs - cool, sunny, w3 - Decided on a seawatch this morning, for a change, which turned out to be a good decision, and was joined by a couple of other local optimists who carried on the counting. The first distraction was a flock of about 100 grounded Yellow Wagtails on the flat beach near the fishing boats, along with several Pied and one Grey Wagtail in their midst. A steady trickle of Sand Martins and a few Swallows added to the passerine interest.
At least 200 Gannets and a similar number of Common and Sandwich Terns were loitering offshore, fishing and loafing, along with a dozen Guillemots, a few Great Crested Grebes and a minimum of 6 Harbour Porpoises. Further out another trickle of terns headed purposefully west, also: 3 Fulmars, 3 Manx, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 10 Kitts, 1 Med Gull, 4 Arctic and 3 Little Terns and 15 Arctic Skuas.

                                          Tall Ship, passing down Channel

Lade - 1300hrs The only migrants over the pit were 10 Yellow Wags and a Green Sandpiper.

Ravens

Lade - 0600hrs - cool, showery, sw4 - Following cool overnight temperatures there was a noticeable reduction in moth numbers with only Silver Y and White-point of any note. Willow Warblers seemed to be plentiful  locally with at least 5 in the garden fir trees at one stage this morning and others calling round about.
ARC 1100hrs - A pair of Ravens flew over the lake mobbing a Marsh Harrier and carried on towards Lydd, `cronking` and `tumbling` as they went. Since moving down to the Marsh in 2006 this species has gone from being a, phone-around-rarity to a regular part of the birding scene. More Willow Warblers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker noted on the walk to the pines.
From Hanson 200 Goldies, 300 Lapwings, 6 Ruffs, 10 Knots, 2 Little Stints and a Wood Sandpiper. Also reported was a Sanderling, bringing the wader tally for the autumn at ARC to 28 species. A Cattle Egret was reported elsewhere on the bird reserve, plus several more Balearic Shearwaters past the point.

Lade Moths

Lade - 0700hrs - rain, mild, low cloud, ne3 - Despite the heavy overnight rain and wind off the sea the trap was full of moths this morning. Migrant Silver Ys and White-points were joined by Common Wainscot, Rosy Rustic and a splendid Burnished Brass, all new for the year. The rain continued on and off throughout the morning with little of note over the pits apart from a few Willow Warblers and overhead Yellow Wagtails.
Seawatchers at the point enjoyed the usual procession of terns, Gannets and skuas, plus Roseate Tern, Balearic Sheawater and Shag (scarce down here). The Glaucous Gull remained faithful to the boats at high tide.
ARC - 1100hrs - Waders from Hanson included 250 Goldies, 300 Lapwings, 10 Dunlins, 4 Ruffs, 2 Knots, 2 Little Stints and a Green Sandpiper. At the southern end 5 Common Sands and the Goosander. Checked the Screen hide later in the day where 9 Wigeon present. The Gwegret remained on Dengemarsh

                                         Burnished Brass, Plovers

An Old Lady and an Osprey

Lade - 0630hrs - mild, cloudy, ssw2 - "I had an Old Lady in the trap last night", (b-boom). It has been quiet down here of late on the moth front but a few more bits and pieces last night included Old Lady, a moth that I only get once or twice a year, and the delightfully named, Cream-bordered Green Pea. Locally, a few Jersey Tigers have hit the traps recently and a Scorched Carpet was at Greatstone.
Over the pits grounded migrants included 10 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Mipits, 5 Willow Warblers and a Wheatear. No sign of any migrant waders but over 100 Curlews drifted over from the bay to roost on the storm beaches. Also noted Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 20 Sandwich Terns and a Marsh Harrier.
ARC 1000hrs - The now expected flock of 220 Goldies, 300 Lapwings, 30 Knots, 10 Dunlins, 2 Ruff and singles of Green, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Greenshank and LRP. A Sparrowhawk flapped over a couple of times flushing the waders, followed by an Osprey which flew over the lake putting everything up, including the ducks. It `hovered` a couple of times before crossing the causeway road and out of sight, heading steadily southwards. Whenever I see this magnificent raptor passing our way in autumn I wish them a silent good luck and hope they avoid the gunners that await them across the Channel, plus the many other man-made hazards, en-route to their winter quarters in western Africa.
Dungeness Boats - 1600hrs Joined Gullman and the Joker for a brief seawatch from the concrete road where several Balearic Shearwaters had been seen earlier in the day. A steady westward flow of terns (including 4 Black Terns) and Gannets, plus 3 Arctic Skuas. At least 10 Guillemots on the sea and 5 Harbour Porpoises.

 Old Lady - a localised moth that is often found around the trap rather than inside it

 Osprey, ARC - Honest! Quite possibly the worst ever pic I`ve posted (I know, there`ve been a few!!)