Tuesday
31st July 2007 Ash
Pleased to add Hobby to my Garden List for
this year as one turned up this afternoon when I got home at Ash around
3:15. It didn't hang around for long but did indulge in a bit of
'Insecting', affording nice views in the strange thing called 'sunshine' (Ben Ring)
Friday 28th July 2007 Dumpton Thanet
Working in the garden today doing all the jobs that
have built up over the two weeks while I have been on Jury service, was a wonderful
change and great to be outside, one of the observations was the number of House
Sparrows that were in the the trees and on the feeders, other birds
were Greenfinches, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Dunnocks, Wren,
and Collared Doves. (Gadget)
Thursday 26th July 2007 Margate
There was a Hooded Crow feeding in a rough field near Sackets Hill
Farm along St Peter’s Road, Margate this morning. (Tim H)
Thursday 26th July 2007 Pegwell Bay
25/7/2007. Another dull evening tide at Pegwell. Some goons with a dog
walked across the main bird areas of the bay - a change to the relentless
kite-boarder disturbance - just to put your minds at rest kite-boarders
did arrive later. 520 Sandwich Terns, 173 Common Terns, 3 Little
Terns, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 8 Sanderling, 25 Dunlin,
1 Turnstone, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Bar-tailed
Godwits left me worrying about my carbon footprint. (F Solly)
Wednesday
25th July 2007 Grove Ferry
A
very enjoyable couple of hours, in the late afternoon, around the reserve.
No sign of either Cattle Egret nor the Temminck's Stint that had been seen
earlier in the week. Despite this minor set-back, I managed to record a
nice selection of waders on the various pools between the ramp and
Harrison's Drove. 5 Ruff, 9 Black-tailed Godwit,
14 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 170+ Lapwing
and a splendid adult Wood Sandpiper providing the bulk of
my notes. Marsh Harriers remain very active around the
reedbeds and I noted a large westerly movement of Black-headed
Gulls. This was quite unusual because there was a very high
percentage of juveniles amongst the flocks. This suggests birds from
breeding colonies outside the county boundary - the cold, wet conditions
having wreaked havoc amongst our local breeders. Common Tern,
Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Little
Egret, Teal, Great Crested Grebe
and so much more to look at meant that time passed quickly and Before I
knew it I was running behind schedule hey ho, another few "Brownie
Points" in the bin! (Dylan)
Wednesday 25th July 2007 Pegwell Bay
24/7/2007. A thrilling visit to Pegwell for the
evening tide. As I focussed my scope onto infinity, I eventually cleared
the spartina and in the distance could just about make out a slither of
mudflat with a scattering of dots on it. As the tide crept in, the birds
remained dots - though in nice light. A little influx of shorebirds, many
resplendent in their summer attire - 78 Dunlin, 1 Curlew
Sandpiper, 3 Knot, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Black-tailed
Godwit, 6 Whimbrel, 22 Greenshank, 480 Sandwich Terns,
32 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Terns, 23 Little Egrets and
4 Mediterranean Gulls were part of the wildlife spectacle -
rivalled only by birding elsewhere. (F Solly)
Monday 23rd July 2007 Monkton NR,
Littlebourne & Viking Bay
My name is James and I am 9. Yesterday at Monkton
Nature Reserve, I saw a Blackcap. At 12:30 at the top of the cliff
at Monkton I saw 2 Whitethroats. In Littlebourne I saw a Grey
Heron at 2:15, then I got to Viking Bay and saw 2 Lesser
Black-Backed Gulls and at 6:30, I saw a White Wagtail on a
cliff at Viking Bay and I saw a Cormorant on a buoy out to sea. (James)
Monday 23rd July 2007 Grove Ferry
A walk around the Grove Ferry end of the reserve this
morning between 7:45 & 11, failed to produce either of the Cattle
Egrets but otherwise up to 17 Little Egrets from the Ramp. Green
Sandpipers in good numbers, single Common Sand, Ruff, and
Greenshank all seen from either Ramp and/or Harrison’s Hide. Only a
handful of Black Tailed Godwit but looking splendid in their summer
plumage. (Ben Ring)
Saturday 21st July 2007 Grove Ferry
Cattle
Egret amongst the Little Egrets on the main lake Grove Ferry
end, visible from the ramp. (Mick S)
Thursday
19th July 2007 Pegwell Bay
For some reason I made a spur of the moment decision to have a look at the
tide at Pegwell today? I haven't felt the urge to do this in ages - so why
today? Answers on a postcard please. The wind looked reasonable for a
Roseate today but there were none about on the incoming tide. All I saw
were 270 Oystercatchers, 11 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 2 Ringed
Plover, 50+ Redshank, 14 Shelduck, 140 Sandwich
and 2 Commic Terns plus 2 Grey Herons and 26 Little
Egrets - 21 in the bay and another 5 around the garage pools when I
left. There were a few smaller waders but these were spooked by a Kite
Board setting up out on the mud. Nice to see they are still around?
Not! A trickle of Swallows and Sand Martins passed over in
the hour or so I was there. (Phil M)
Thursday
19th July 2007 Dumpton garden
The complete lack of birds and insects has been such
that I have volunteered to go into work for overtime! As I had to put the
bins out this morning, I spent a couple of hours enjoying the sunshine. A
very welcome break in the present weather patterns. Despite my garden
containing five mature Buddleias and masses of Red Valerian I recorded
very few butterflies and the running of my moth trap, overnight, was
another waste of electricity! Birds this morning were restricted to the
resident species. Blackbird, Carrion Crow,
Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Herring
Gull, Starling & Blue Tit
being conspicuous, but a juvenile Kestrel drifted south
and an adult Grey Heron caused a commotion amongst the
local gulls as it flew westwards. The only migrants were a small party of Common
Swifts that appeared overhead just before 08.00hrs. Absolutely
abysmal - I'm off to work, it sure beats birding at present. (Dylan)
Wednesday 18th July 2007 Pegwell Bay
Pegwell
at HW an adult Spoonbill roosting on the north side of the river, a
juvenile Marsh Harrier, 3 Whimbrel, c200 Sandwich Terns,
27 Little Egrets (Tony
S)
Wednesday 18th July 2007 Restharrow Scrape
Called in at the Restharrow Scrape about lunch time
birds observed on the Scrape were 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Lapwings,
2 Little-ringed Plovers,1 Little Grebe,1 Common Sandpiper,
2 Moorhens, 2 Pochards, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Linnets,
3 Meadow Pipits and 8 House Martins. (Gadget)
Tuesday 17th July 2007 Stonelees
Whilst working at Stone Lees today I noted a female Marsh
Harrier actively hunting over the salt marshes for about ¼ hour from
11am, causing some alarm amongst Starlings. A Peregrine
caused somewhat more panic at about 2:30 as it careered around the same
area, sending up birds in all directions as it passed! Otherwise, the only
other entertainment came in the form of the small parties of juvenile Swallows
which zipped around for most of the day. (Ben Ring)
Friday 13th July 2007 Preston Court Farm
Preston Court Farm (by the church) has been managed
sensitively since the early 90's and a walk today along its many
permissive paths was a joy with good company in the sunshine - despite the
effective closure of tracks by a
large bull in one field and a defensive Mute Swan cob with cygnets
in another. The hay meadows are alive with Meadow Brown butterflies, and a
few Yellow Wagtails were on the cow pasture, buzzed by a male Sparrowhawk.
There were many dragonflies and damselflies along the ditches, and we saw
Banded Demoiselles by the river. The main target was only found at the end
of the walk, as a Spotted Flycatcher lived up to its name from a
telegraph wire. (Steve Coates)
Thursday 12th July 2007 Sandwich Marina
Had a quick look at an interesting looking pool on
the East side of the River Stour near Sandwich Marina about 10am. 4 Greenshank,
1 Redshank and 100 Lapwings. Will definitely be
keeping an eye out here over the next few months. (Nick Lever)
Monday 9th July 2007 Ash Levels, Grove Ferry
& Stodmarsh NNR
A walk around the Ash Levels yesterday am produced a
Little Owl along Goldstone Drove. A commotion in the trees, chiefly by
Chaffinches alerted me to it, & then a Blackbird flew directly at it,
which in hindsight did not seem a good idea as the owl chased after it!
Otherwise a handful of Turtle Doves, a single Yellow Wagtail near
Sandhills Farm & a Kingfisher flying along a ditch in Weddington
provided the few highlights. This morning I successfully located the Red
Backed Shrike at approx 8am near Harrison's Hide at Grove. As Jude saw
on Saturday, it was in the Stodmarsh direction. The view was not great due
to distance & the heat haze & a photo was a definite no-no! It was
amusing to watch a male Reed Bunting hopping around the same bush
seemingly trying to harass the 'intruder'! A juvenile Cuckoo was near the
Ramp. (Ben Ring)
Sunday
8th July 2007 Minster Marshes & Restharrow Scrape SBBOT
I had a quick look out on the Minter Marshes early
morning very quiet overall saying that the Skylarks were in good
song, I decided to head over to the Restharrow Scrape birds noted 1 Greylag
Goose, 1 Little Egret, 5 Tufted Duck,3 Little Grebes,
2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Little Ringed Plover,3 Oystercatchers,
3 Lapwings a hand full of House Martins and 1 Meadow Pipit on
retuning to the car a Corn Bunting was singing from the side of the
path. (Gadget)
Sunday
8th July 2007 Grove Ferry
An excellent morning in top company. An 04.00hrs start was contemplated,
when I switched off the moth-trap, however, common sense prevailed and it
was 06.45hrs when I made my way over to Grove. The chance to see my first
male Red-backed Shrike (in the UK) was too much of a
temptation. Although I am no great fan of "twitching" I must
admit that I really enjoyed the whole morning. The Shrike showed
wonderfully, to the assembled pilgrims, in the early morning
sunshine. Sadly, although I tried every trick in my digi-scoping
repertoire, with the exception of trespassing, the distance and heat haze
conspired to make decent pics impossible. A non-breeding adult Spoonbill
was at the back of the main pool from the ramp, whilst 2 Green
Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank and 3 Hobby
were noted as they overflew the various reeded pools. I don't really think
it was about the birds today, just the good-humoured banter between the
birders present that made the occasion and, of course, the sun put in
an appearance for the first time in two months! Many thanks to all who made it such an enjoyable session, just the
boost I needed. (Dylan)
Saturday 7th July 2007 North Foreland
At North Foreland at 14:30, 400+ Swifts
feeding on a sudden influx of insects. Most of the birds at great
height. The only hirundines were 4 House Martins and a Sand
Martin.
(Simon Mount)
Saturday 7th July 2007 North Foreland
A sea-watch for 1.5 hours at North Foreland this
afternoon produced 108 Gannets heading South including one single
flock of 25. Also 3 Kittiwakes and 30 Sandwich Terns. Also
seen today a juv. Sparrowhawk in the area. (Simon Mount)
Saturday 7th July 2007
Grove Ferry
Red backed Shrike
a first for me, was lucky enough to have a very nice man point it
out to me at Grove Ferry, On the other side of the path outside the
Harrison Drove hide, it was flitting from a bush to a five bar gate
amongst the cows, then back into the bush again, never seen one before, so
it really made my day!! We watched it for more than 15 minutes until a
pair of Marsh Harriers swooped over and scared it deeper into the
bushes. (Jude Walters)
Friday 6th July 2007 Pegwell Bay
I did the rising tide at Pegwell in the afternoon and excitement knew no
bounds. 12 Little Egrets, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel,
2 Dunlin and 220 Sandwich Terns. (F Solly)
Thursday 5th July 2007
Park-gate
Down KWT
One Yellowhammer singing from a tree by the
gate. (Gadget)
Thursday 5th July 2007 Newington
Thanet
An Owl (presumably a Long-eared Owl) flew over
the car park of Newington (Ramsgate) Tesco at 2:30 this morning. (Neil F)
Wednesday 4th July 2007 Thanet
Great Black-backed Gull - a pair in
Thanet has successfully raised a juvenile, which is probably about 10-14
days from flying. As far as I am aware, this is the 1st record of breeding
for this species in Thanet. The pair that bred at Dungeness in 2003 was
the first Kent record since 1843.
(Simon Mount)
Tuesday 3rd July 2007
Newland's Farm area
I
forced myself to have an early morning stroll around the local farmland.
Memories of holiday sunshine and decent birding fading fast as this
depressing weather continues. The good news is that the local House
Sparrows, Blackbirds, Dunnocks,
Wrens, Blue & Great Tits
all appear to have had a very good breeding season, thus far. Walking
over to Pyson's Road I checked the gulls on Booker's roof. 20+ pairs of Herring
Gulls have produced at least 37 young, with one pair still
incubating. Strangely, however, there is no evidence of the Lesser
Black-backs having bred, despite the presence of 8 pairs around
the industrial estate. A pair of Jackdaws fed amongst a
group of Carrion Crows on the cauliflower stubble and a Great
Spotted Woodpecker called from the gardens by Broadstairs Cricket
Ground. A Jay flew across West Dumpton Lane as I made my
way towards home. Summer migrants? I recorded single House Martin
and Swift - what is going on? (Dylan)
