Sunday 31st August 2008 Kingsdown to Hope Point

A hectic weekend of socialising has meant that birding has been very much a secondary pursuit. A couple of hours along the clifftop was all I could manage. 5 Wheatear, 5 or 6 Whinchat, 7 Swift and good numbers of House Martins and Swallows provided much of the interest with a lone Blackcap at Hope Point the only migrants of note. Back home by 10.30hrs, I was standing out in the garden in the hope of a raptor, or two, when 4 Sandwich Terns flew over, calling loudly. I recorded a flock of 30-ish Ringed Plover and a Curlew from the garden, yesterday, surely linked to the high tides. (Dylan)

Saturday 30th August 2008 Reculver and Chambers Wall Area

A very leisurely walk on a sunny but hazy morning, between 09:15hrs to 13:45hrs, taking in the seawall as far as the stables & returning via the railway embankment. Pleased to see 4 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat & a Peregrine making a ridiculous attempt at some low flying Ringed Plover near the shoreline, Three Gannet (2 adults, 1 immature) flew fairly close in near the Towers, Star bird of the day was saved for our return along the railway embankment when a bird the other side of the railway line flew off a low branch, snatched at an insect & returned to the same branch - a flycatcher, I was even more surprised / pleased to find It was a female Pied Flycatcher, the first I've seen for several years and a real bonus, Sadly, the distance and the fact I was looking into the sun made my images very much record only! (Ben Ring)

Friday 29th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Whilst messing about in the garden at about 1.00pm this afternoon I noticed a large raptor flying south, high to the east of my house. Unfortunately by the time I had dashed upstairs and grabbed hold of my binoculars it had disappeared unfortunately. I only had naked eye views but it gave me the impression it may well have been another Honey Buzzard? I don't know if anyone else got on it as it did appear to come across from the north east of Thanet? This afternoon whilst checking through my moths traps and taken another zillion photos (with bins to hand by now) I did see 2 migrant Sparrowhawks flying west, a pair of Hobby's, plus a few House Martin/Swallows on the move as well as a n/westerly movement of many small Black-headed Gulls flocks. That's all folks. (Phil M)

Friday 29th August 2008 Minster Garden AM

Unknown Green Parrot in garden three doors away from me at top of a eucalyptus tree has been around for a few weeks now. Does anyone know what species it is or if anyone has lost it it? (Don Wilks)

Monday 25th August 2008 Pegwell Bay wildlife Concern

I had gone to the bay to watch the rising tide. Bank Holiday meant that there were plenty of punters using the Country Park, so I decided to watch the river from behind Pfizer's sports-ground. Birding was fairly predictable, the tide not being high enough to cover all the mud! An exchange with the skipper of the Sandwich River Boat alerted me to the presence of an adult Grey Seal amongst the group of 16 Common Seals hauled out further downstream. Views through my scope were excellent; it was a huge animal - 8ft+!  Sadly, I was to whiteness some of the most blatant wildlife disturbance possible. Two guys on Kayaks paddled up the river and flushed all of the seals from their sandbank. Not happy until the last pup had been subjected to such pressure that it panicked and leapt into the water. What followed was unbelievable! These two goons then proceeded to haul their plastic craft up onto the seal's sandbank and sit chatting, whilst the displaced seals watched from a distance. Should I have done something? The distance and make up of the saltmarsh meant that they were not reachable. Shouting would have done nothing but compound the situation. Speeding boats and Jet Ski’s are just as problematical - welcome to Thanet's National Nature Reserve. Ha,ha,ha!! (Dylan) (See the Photos)

Monday 25th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Perfect conditions for a raptor watch - it was a toss up whether to go sunbathing on the beach or pick a vantage spot for migrating birds of prey? I fought the temptation to take on the super sunny summer conditions we're enjoying during this season of scorching weather and decided to stay indoors instead. My peace and quiet was shattered around 2.30 this afternoon when the local Gulls went berserk outside - I grabbed my binoculars and eventually located a Honey Buzzard flying over the road towards Manston. I make no apologies for the massive amounts of sarcasm about our summer weather in the first two sentences of this enthralling account. Good morrow – (Phil M)

Saturday 23rd August 2008 Elvington

Elvington garden Sat 23rd at 10.50hrs 4 Common Buzzards passed overhead and continued to drifted south. (T R P)

Saturday 23rd August 2008 Restharrow Scrape

Water level down with plenty of sand showing, One Ruff, one Dunlin, one Common Sandpiper, five Snipe, plenty of Moorhens and Little Grebes, one Sparrowhawk and a few small flocks of Linnets passing through      (Don Wilks)

Saturday 23rd August 2008 Restharrow Scrape & Kingsdown

An early morning visit to Sandwich Bay was to check the waders on Restharrow Scrape. A Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Dunlin being it! The only other species, of note, were 2 Teal - wow, it made me so glad that I'd made the effort to get out. I decided that a trip over to "Steve Coate's territory" might be worth a try, so off to Kingsdown. A superb morning along the coast but, House Martins apart, there were no migrants to be found. A small flock of Linnets fed at the base of the cliffs and I found a lone Rock Pipit by the seawall. Fulmars were still patrolling the cliffs, I actually located one pair still feeding a youngster on its ledge. A commotion amongst a bunch of juvenile Herring Gulls alerted me to the presence of an adult Peregrine. As I watched, the falcon flew up onto the cliff-top and perched in full view. Digi-scoping gear allowed me to get some nice images as it preened in the sunshine. Walking the beach, towards Deal, got me within distance of a small group of gulls., A quick scan through the scope revealed there to be 11 Mediterranean (5 adults & 6 juv/1st winters), amongst 20+ Black-headed Gulls, one of which had a white c-r. A careful approach allowed me to get close enough to read the code 37T4 and grab a few pics. (Dylan)

Friday 22nd August 2008 Dungeness

I meet up with Steve Ashton and Mike Gould, and the three of us had a day at Dungeness, with a quick visit to the Dungeness Obs, and the main R.S.P.B reserve, but for the majority of the day, we spent our time between the two hides on the ARC pit, opposite the entrance to the main reserve. We arrived just before nine o clock, and made our way to the viewing screen/hide on the top of the ARC pit, and straight away connected with at least 3 Wood Sandpipers, and there could have been 7 or 8 different birds, and an obliging Common Sandpiper was feeding on the mud in front of the hide. We also noted Green Sandpipers, Common Snipe, and all the usual wildfowl were on the lake, with Pochard and Tufted Duck in large numbers. rumbling stomach took us to the Dungeness Obs, with a stop on the way at the café outside the Romney to Hythe steam railway station, where we added Stonechat, Wheatear and Linnet to our list, but light rain stopped a more enthusiastic search of the area, and it was not long before we made our way back to the R.S.P.B reserve, where a Hobby was spotted, sitting on a fence post along the entrance track. Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were seen on the islands in front of the two hides that we visited, and Yellow and Pied Wagtails were seen along the path ways. There were numerous Reed and Sedge Warblers in the Reed beds, both in the main reserve and also around the ARC pit. We returned to the Arc pit, this time visiting the hide to the East of the entrance, and immediately had photograph opportunities, with 2 Black-tailed Godwits and also 2 Greenshank feeding in the pool directly in front of the hide. A Spotted Redshank joined them, and an enjoyable couple of hours were spent in the hide, having been joined by Bob Gomes, from the RSPB. There were several Yellow Wagtails catching flies on the islands on the lake, and another Wheatear was seen. Little and Great Crested Grebes were present, with a Little Grebe coming close to the hide, allowing some pictures to be taken. 4 knot was added to the notebook whilst in the hide. A total of 57 species were noted, with some fairly easy birds missed, but a thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all. (Gadget)

Friday 22nd August 2008 Garden Ash
 
This afternoon a nice Coal Tit visited the feeders in my garden in Ash, only the third record in the garden in 13 years. It was quite brown and was almost certainly a first winter bird as it had some yellow remaining on its face. (Norman Mc)

Friday 22nd August 2008 Pegwell Bay

I spent 3 hours at the bay, arriving just before 16.00hrs, watching the falling tide. Birds were pretty much as expected, but the sun was shining and it's the start of a Bank Holiday week-end, so enjoyable none the less. I decided to do some counts, most unlike me! My results were 70 (exactly!) Little Egret, 170+ Dunlin, 45+ Ringed Plover, 470 Curlew, 290 Oystercatcher, 8 Grey Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 4 Knot, 7 Sanderling, 11 Whimbrel, 26 Shelduck, 160+ Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 1 Turnstone, 1 Common Sandpiper, 24 Common Gull, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 22 Great Black-backed Gull, 40+ Herring Gull, 5,000+ Black-headed Gull (3,500 in a huge flock over Prince's GC across at Sandwich Bay - very impressive!), 240+ Sandwich Tern, 75 Common Tern, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Hobby. There was a steady movement of hirundines NW and my best estimate was 470 Swallow, 120 House Martin, 30 Sand Martin and 5 Swifts. (Dylan)

Thursday 21st August 2008 Dumpton Thanet

I've not been out for a few days for one risen or another, there were 17 Greenfinches on the feeders lunch time and the field behind my house had Herring Gulls & Black-headed Gulls with 200+ Carrion Crows and 400+ Woodpigeons & Collard Doves most notable was the lack of House Sparrows only 5 all lunch time, (Gadget)

Thursday 21st August 2008 Newland's Farm

A juvenile Whinchat by the Old Rose Garden, as I walked home from work, was enough to encourage me to have an hour checking the area for migrants. Sadly very little of note, just 27 Swifts and 3 Swallows headed SW into the stiff breeze. 220+ Collared Doves were feeding on a field of layed wheat. Quite how the combine is going to pick it up is a puzzle, but not my problem - thankfully! A large flock of House Sparrows was in the tangle of Hawthorn & Brambles by Pyson's Rd and attracted the attention of an adult female Kestrel and there were 17 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls loafing amidst the local Herring Gulls on the ploughed field behind the farm. Not much, but at least I got out for a look! (Dylan)

Tuesday 19th August 2008 Ramsgate Harbour

Quite a few chores to do before I had chance to get out, An e-mail exchange with Ben (The Young Kent Birder blog) was quite enlightening, It's great to see youngsters becoming involved with birding! - If you are the spineless individual to pour scorn on Ben's records at least have the decency to put your name to your comments. So back to the harbour, Nothing of any note, yet I spent a fantastic 90 minutes studying the variation in plumage of the juvenile Herring Gulls,  2 Juv Lesser Black-backed Gulls allowing me some excellent comparisons, Quite why I've never found a juv Yellow-legged Gull, at this site, is a worry - especially knowing that Andy Lawson is finding them along the Thames in North Kent, Turnstone, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 7 "sinensis" Cormorant and 2 juv Sandwich Tern about sums up my visit. Gulls rule OK! (Dylan)

Monday 18th August 2008 Joss Bay Thanet

Spent a couple of hours on the beach from Lunch time and there were a few birds moving South; 6 Arctic Skua, plenty of Sandwich and Common Terns, a few Arctic Terns and 1 Little Tern, 150+ Gannet, 5 Kittiwake and 12 Common Scoter (Nick Lever)

Monday 18th August 2008 Pegwell Bay

We went to Pegwell to watch the falling tide. Nothing much to report, A Hobby flew south over the point and a lone adult Mediterranean Gull was located amidst the huge numbers of Black-headed Gulls. A Norwegian C-R adult Great Black-backed Gull provided a few moments entertainment, yet was so distant that ring reading was out of the question! 100+ Dunlin, 20+ Sanderling, 40+ Ringed Plover, 14 Grey Plover, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, 3 Knot & 2 Greenshank were present along with large numbers of Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher. Sandwich & Common Terns, Little Egret, Sand Martin, Swallow and Common Swift provided a few more species for the note book. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Peregrine completed our raptor sightings whilst a Turtle Dove whizzed by, just as started to leave. (Gadget & Dylan)

Monday 18th August 2008 Newlands Farm Thanet

This afternoon I saw a Wheatear on a newly-ploughed field, flying from clod to clod. (Steve Harper)

Sunday 17th August 2008 Pegwell Bay

An excellent afternoon session, watching the dropping tide, in the wonderful company of Norman McCanch, We arrived at 12.30hrs and spent the next 3 hours standing on the seawall just chatting and watching the comings and goings of the birds (plus the Red Arrows & Euro-fighter in and out of Manston Airport). We recorded quite a few bits including a spectacular food pass by the Peregrines on the cooling towers. It was waders that we were there to see and we weren't to be disappointed. 3 Greenshank, 9 Grey & 2 Golden Plover, 10 Black-tailed & 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 40+ Dunlin, 10+ Sanderling, 8 Knot plus good numbers of Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Ringed Plover. Sandwich and Common Terns were present amongst 100's of Black-headed Gulls and 50-ish Little Egret, but the "icing on the cake" was provided by an adult Kentish Plover (another addition to my Kent purity list) and an early returning Brent Goose. Very enjoyable indeed! (Dylan)

Friday 15th August 2008 Manston Thanet

My son coming home from work this afternoon and told me that he saw 2 Little Owls were showing well on the footpath between Spratling Street and the main Manston Road, I went up there and both Owls were there, one flew off straight away but the other posed for a few shots. (Don Wilks)

Wednesday 13th August 2008 Oare Marshes

Despite the forecast, I decided on a long overdue trip to Oare, particularly as a number of yesterday's sighted birds were missing from my year list, I also thought it would be a good challenge for bird 'snaps' - ha, ha! The strengthening winds & occasional squally showers meant that I wimped  out & only made it as far as the East Flood Hide from the car park but still very enjoyable. Nothing really to add to yesterday's list other  than an apparent increase in Black Tailed Godwit numbers to circa 1k, Golden Plover circa 250, 3 Little Stint,12 Greenshank,1 Avocet (juvenile) 2 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank and a supporting cast of Common Redshank, Ruff, Dunlin & 3 Ringed Plover. (Ben Ring)

Wednesday 13th August 2008 Ramsgate Harbour & Dumpton

A dawn visit to the harbour produced very little. Common Terns were present, in reasonable numbers, with a few Sandwich Terns for company. Gulls were surprisingly scarce with just a handful of Herring, Lesser Black-backed & Black-headed Gulls on display. Rock Pipit and Turnstone (20+) about sums up the birding around the harbour. Back home by 07.00hrs, there were several 100's of Wood Pigeon descending on the wheat fields beyond the garden hedge. The recent spate of gale force winds & heavy rain laying vast areas of the crop flat. A total of 31 Common Swifts were seen from the garden, as they drifted SSW into the strengthening wind. What happened to summer? (Dylan)

Tuesday 12th August 2008 Oare Marshes

A few hours this morning over at Oare Marshes with Mike G, Steve A and Tim H the weather not what you would say good photographic conditions after sitting in the east hide for a bit we walked round the reserve Most of the waders were just to far for photographs, birds noted: Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Common Snipe, Knot, Dunlin, Ruff, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Little Egrets, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint a pleasant time had in dry but windy few hours. (Gadget)

Tuesday 12th August 2008 Broadstairs to Dumpton Gap

A walk along the seawall, just as the tide started to drop, produced my first sighting of Purple Sandpiper, this autumn. 3 adults were present with 17 Turnstone near the Cafe in Viking Bay. Large numbers of House Martins along the cliffs, but very little else. (Dylan)

Monday 11th August 2008 Southwall Marshes to Fowlmead C P

A look over the marsh and Fowlmead for Barn Owls i have been watching for a few week at least two pair showing well this evening hunting and taking rodents, other birds on my walk 1 Blackbird, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Whitethroat, 4 Mallard, 2 Moorhens a good number of Woodpigeon, & Carrion Crow 8 Magpies 1 Dunnock, ( Mike D)

Saturday 9th August 2008 Shuart to Coldharbour Lagoon

I arrived at Shuart just after 06.15hrs and made my way to the coast via the riding stables, at Minnis. The sun was shining and there were several Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Blackcap along the farm track with Sedge and Reed Warblers present in the reeded ditches, a few individuals still singing! At the seawall it was obvious that Chris Hindle's advice to bring a clothes peg (for your nose) would become a very real advantage. A black ribbon of thick, rotting, seaweed deposited on the high-tide mark as far as the eye could see. Pied & Yellow Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and several flocks of Starlings were feeding on the masses of insects attracted by this build up. Each tide depositing more and the surface of the sea is blanketed in floating debris. At Plum Pudding Island, the roosting waders were made up of 45+ Sanderling, 23 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 60+ Oystercatcher and a Whimbrel. Luckily there were also a small bunch of terns consisting of 3 Sandwich, 17 Common and 11 Little Terns. I was amazed to note that the Little Terns were 9 juvs and only 2 adults, a welcome sign that this species has bred well somewhere this year. Other bits seen as I made my way around the circuit included 1 Greenshank, 31 Golden Plover, 1 Green & 1 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Kestrel and a few Swallows. (Dylan)

Wednesday 6th August 2008 Coldharbour

Another afternoon over at Coldharbour, not so many Terns about today but the sun was out and the Terns that were around was still refreshing, only a few Black Terns a bit further out today but Sandwich and Common Terns were patrolling up and down the shoreline giving good views Chris Hindle Located a Reseate Tern along the Shoreline, Waders seen were 12 Oystercatchers, 14 Ringed Plovers flying up the beach, another pleasant afternoon sitting on the beach. (Gadget)

Tuesday 5th August 2008 North Foreland & Boardstairs

A Hobby was patrolling the course all afternoon and a Wood Sandpiper flying over, also Hobbies calling at home again this evening. (Brian Short)

Monday 4th August 2008 Coldharbour

After picking up Don about lunch time, we headed over to Coldharbour and we wasn’t disappointed just off shore over 36 Black Terns feeding also Common and Sandwich Terns patrolling the shoreline, waders made up of Dunlin, Sanderling, Ring Plovers and Turnstones a very pleasant few hours with fantastic views of Black Terns close up, (Don Wilks &Gadget)

Monday 4th August 2008 Grove Ferry

After the last few grotty days thought I would try some photography in the new hide, after two hours only mallard, coots, moorhens and common terns were to be seen. Suddenly three Hobbies appeared chasing a House Martin and one caught the House Martin in midair. My elation at seeing this was dashed when at 10 am the new warden and a work party turned up to do work round the hide. (Don Wilks)

Monday 4th August 2008 Pegwell Bay

An afternoon session at the bay proved to be very enjoyable. Again there were large numbers of terns present yet, apart from 3 Black Terns, I failed to locate anything of note amidst the throng. 1 Greenshank, 11 Common Sandpiper, 25 Dunlin, 1 ad sum Bar-tailed Godwit, 30+ Whimbrel along with 100+ flocks of Oystercatcher and Curlew ensured that there was always something to look at. I bumped into Julian Russell and, together, we walked around the country park and out onto the saltmarsh to scope the area. 45+ Little Egret was dotted about the marsh and several Common & Sandwich Terns were fishing the river. A Peregrine spooked the massed gulls, terns and waders as it stooped over the point - just awesome! (Dylan)

Sunday 3rd August 2008 Foreness to Palm Bay

Seeing Chris Hindle's report of 70+ Black Terns, at Reculver today, I thought a trip to the coast might produce a pic or two. The tide was receding and sadly very few terns were present, all those noted being Sandwich and Common, but included good numbers of juveniles. 2 Whimbrel flew past the point and the eclipse drake Eider was spotted out on an exposed rock. Turnstone numbers were good, 30+ feeding on the smelly mass of rotting seaweed near Foreness. A Common Sandpiper was on the beach and I was happy to spend the bulk of the session scanning through the assembled gulls. I found 4 Mediterranean Gulls (including the returning C-R adult 3EV0) 3 adults and a 2nd year, several adult Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed and 20+ Great Black-backed Gull amidst several 100's of Black-headed and Herring Gulls. (Dylan)

Saturday 2nd August 2008 Pegwell Bay

Just for the sake of my sanity I headed off to Pegwell just after 16.00hrs. The tide was dropping and already a fair way out, yet the exposed mud was covered with birds. Terns being present in spectacular numbers, I made no effort to count them, already aware that Francis had been present earlier. The highlights were an adult Roseate, 4 (moulting adult) Black and 3 Little Terns. Huge numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns along with Black-headed, Herring, Great & Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Oystercatcher, Dunlin and Curlew. Noticing that a few Sandwich Terns were feeding along the R. Stour, I walked round to Stonelees and out onto the saltmarsh to view the estuary, Strange that the gateway was padlocked? The damage to a grotty bit of spartina being a higher priority than the deliberate disturbance of roosting birds on the NNR - I just can't see the logic. Anyway, I spent a fantastic 45 minutes watching the falling tide from my bank side spot. 27 Common Seals were hauled out on the mud and 14 Common Sandpiper were counted along the bank. The sun shone and I was happy to be out - work again in the morning! (Dylan)

Friday 1st August 2008 Pegwell Bay

I did the early afternoon dropping tide at Pegwell in a SW6 wind. Given the time of day, there was a rather unexpected and impressive Tern fest. 2000 Common Terns, 900 Sandwich Terns, 27 Black Terns, 17 Little Terns, 3 Roseate Terns and 2 Arctic Terns, Waders were however rubbish, apart from the usual Curlew, Oystercatchers and Redshank, there were just 3 Whimbrel and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits. (F Solly)

Friday 1st August 2008 Grove Ferry

I sat in the hide for a few hours with the camera very little about the birds noted were 3 Garganey amongst the Mallard, 3 Moorhens, 7 Coots, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Common Terns, 1 Kingfisher and a male Marsh Harrier drifting high overhead on returning to the car a group of 3 Cormorants flying towards Stodmarsh, (Gadget)

Thursday 31st July 2008 Kingsgate & Pegwell

Not much in the bird line today, a single Wheatear and 8 Crossbills at Kingsgate and a brief look at Pegwell in the morning glare produced the year's peak of 62 Little Egrets, c.600 Sandwich Terns and 680 Oystercatchers.  (F Solly)