Wednesday 28th June 2006 Shuart to Minnis Bay
A break in the "footie fest" meant that I was able to get out
for an evening stroll at Shuart. As expected it was rather quiet, but I
did manage to record 1 female Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 1 male
Marsh Harrier, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap along with
the usual array of Reed & Sedge Warblers, Common Whitethroat, Reed
Bunting, Linnet and House Sparrows. The latter being
particularly numerous around the riding stables. A quick scan from the
seawall revealed 3 Turnstones and 5 passing Cormorants, so I slowly
walked back to the car managing to add Meadow Pipit, Skylark and
Grey Partridge to my meagre list. The mature trees around the parking
area held Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few family
parties of Blue & Great Tits. (Dylan)
Wednesday 28th June 2006 Stodmarsh NNR & Grove Ferry
I arranged to meet up with an old friend at Stodmarsh this morning
to take a leisurely stroll around the 5km walk. Being a hot day and
the time of the year we were not expecting much in the way of
birdwatching. But starting off in the nature Reserve area there were
several Blackcap, also Wren, Whitethroat, Great and Blue Tit
and a very obliging Treecreeper on a nearby tree. Moving down the
lake there were several Common Terns, Mallard, Cormorants, Great
Crested Grebes and 60+ Greylag Geese. 8 Hobby were
hunting overhead as were a pair of Marsh Harriers in the distance.
The calls of Reed and Sedge Warblers were all around as was the
piercing call of the Cetti’s Warbler. As we were getting closer
to the Grove Ferry end there was another 3 Marsh Harriers, this
caused 26 Lapwing to go up along with 3 Little Egret. We
had a quick scan from the ramp, 18 Tufted Duck, Mallard, Redshank,
Shoveler, Grey Heron, Coot, Moorhen and a couple of Pied Wagtail,
Gadwall, Pochard and a possible Ferruginous duck, unfortunately
I had no scope, but I can’t see what else it could have been. From
the new hide there were 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Redshank,
2 Mute Swans, 4 Green Sandpipers and 2 Sand Martins,
8 Swallows and 5 House Martins and a couple more Hobby. We
also had several Bearded Tits pinging across the tops of the
reeds. Five hours later we arrived back at the car park after a very
pleasant and interesting walk. (Graham Crick)
Tuesday 27thJune 2006 Late News
Friday 2nd June 06 Margate Cemetery
In 15 years of covering Margate Cemetery this spring was probably the quietest,
but from previous experience the quiet days here can also be the most
surprising. A thorough 3hr walk produced very little, but a very late
Fieldfare in the garden of rest was worthy of note. With no
movement of any kind taking place it certainly looked as if it was going
to be another one of those days. At 10.05hrs, I once again headed towards
the horse paddocks when at 10.10am, a bird making a rather scratchy call
(similar to Lesser Whitethroat) and in full song was heard
calling from a lone pine tree. Having heard this call before
there was no question that nearby was a male Subalpine Warbler!
With my heart pounding and a new tick for the cemetery all I needed
was for the bird to show, and show it did briefly although the bird showed
intermittently during its stay this was the best sighting of the day. The
bird, probably a 1st summer Western, showed up to 1.00 pm, to the delight
of a few local birders but was not seen again after this time, but
did call at 4.30pm.Also today 1 Fulmar east at 1.05pm, 2 Blackcap,
1 Spotted Flycatcher and 6 Whitethroat. (Steve Tomlinson) (Subalpine
Warbler Video)
Tuesday 27thJune 2006 Stodmarsh NNR & Grove Ferry
An
'enforced' rest from visiting the reserve for nearly 4 weeks & very
noticeable how much quieter things are (unless you count the squeaks,
clicks & tuts from the fledged birds!). Largely overcast with no
breeze to speak of - 13ºC - 6:45 - 11:15am.
Starting from Stodmarsh car park & doing the circuit
'clockwise', there were few highlights, the few voracious mosquitoes
making me move quicker than I would have liked in the early stages. The
main bits were at the Grove end with an unusual grouping in a tall dead
tree across the river. Consisting of, initially, 3 Great Spotted
Woodpeckers, disturbed unceremoniously by 2 Ring Necked
Parakeets. Ignoring the fuss was an obvious feral Pigeon but
with a wing reminiscent of a Turtle Dove - one of our visitors
'slumming it' one night! The ramp revealed 10 Black tailed Godwits
on the smaller R/H pool & a Little Egret (another provided good
close views at the Marsh Hide) The Turf Hide had a single Cormorant
with a harem of approx 10 fem Mallards on the pontoon!!
Harrison’s produced 3 Spotted Redshanks amongst their commoner
cousins & a Common Tern having a brief (losing) tussle with a Black
Headed Gull! Marsh Hide surroundings seem to have overgrown quite a
lot with the water being mostly hidden by grass/reeds - did spot 2 Common
Sandpipers there though as well as the Little Egret. Making
my way back toward the Stodmarsh carpark, I was treated to extended views
of a Little Owl at the farm. I managed to get quite a few images,
despite my shutter release cable 'exploding' in a mess of springs - I
reckon the Owl only hung around to amuse itself at my expense as I
vainly trying to put the bloody thing back together again!! (Ben Ring)
Saturday 3rd June 2006 Margate Cemetery
No sign of yesterdays Subalpine Warbler but 2 Turtle Doves,
2 Cuckoos and a Spotted Flycatcher. (Steve Tomlinson)
Sunday 18th June 2006 Margate Cemetery
A Melodious Warbler was singing early morning, in overgrown
area by the 2 chapels, but was not seen or heard again, also 5 Lesser
Whitethroats, 4 Whitethroats and 5 Blackcaps.
(Steve Tomlinson)
Thursday 22nd June 2006 SBBOT Restharrow
Scrape
I went over to SBBOT this morning and while I was
over there I called into the Restharrow Scrape to see the Red-veined
Darters which had been reported earlier this week on the non-avian page, this Little Ringed Plover was so obliging giving fantastic views.
(Gadget)
Thursday 22nd June 2006 Ramsgate Thanet
A rather splendid Honey Buzzard flew over the back garden at
08.55.It lingered for a while virtually overhead as if came through
heading west - before flying off to the n/west. (Phil M)
Thursday 22nd June 2006 Foreness and Ramsgate
Harbour
A 05.00hrs start was required to beat the dog walkers. I drove over to
Foreness in the hope of finding an early returning Mediterranean Gull
or a colour ringed Lesser Black-back. I failed on both counts! I
checked the "pitch & putt" and the playing field besides
Palm Bay School before walking down the slipway onto the beach. A few
groups of Herring Gulls were feeding along the shoreline whilst
offshore there was a sizeable gathering of Sandwich Terns and a
constant procession of Fulmars. I noted a lone Gannet,
flying west, and waders were represented by a pair of Oystercatchers
and a single Curlew. Too much excitement isn't good for you -so
off to Ramsgate Harbour. The regular flock of immature Herring Gulls
were assembled on the old hover ramp and included the colour ringed bird
(White A3GX). 3 Cormorants, 1 Lesser Black-back, 9 Great
Black-backed and 2 Black-headed Gulls made up the bulk of my
notes, but I did locate a group of 30 Turnstones roosting on the
sea wall beyond the ferry turning circle and note another 2 Gannets
flying north beyond the Harbour Lights Cafe. (Dylan)
Wednesday 21st June 2006 Late News
Sunday 18th June 2006 Ramsgate Main Sands
Time spent on the beach with the family was enlivened by 3 adult Mediterranean
Gulls. A pair flew south at about 2pm and then a single hung
around for ten minutes before heading south. (Nick Lever)
Wednesday 21st June 2006 Newland's Farm Thanet
It's that time of year when birding around Thanet becomes very much a
labour of love! After the mixed emotions of last night's footie and a few
cans of Stella, I couldn't muster much enthusiasm - so settled for a
stroll around the farmland behind the bungalow. The grey skies and
ever-present threat of rain had caused a mixed flock of Swifts
and House Martins to hawk insects low over a wheat field. Large
numbers of House Sparrows are feeding on various weedy spots around
the farm, their numbers boosted by a high percentage of recently fledged
juveniles - a very encouraging sign. The potato field is almost harvested,
it's taken three days, and several groups of Herring & Lesser
Black-backed Gulls are using the newly exposed field to loaf upon. It
was a surprise to note 3 adult Black-headed Gulls with one
group, a poor breeding season? Linnets remain rather obvious around
the hedgerows, but there was no sign of the Serin by the rough
ground at the entrance to the new Ellington Girl's School site. I flushed
a pair of Grey Partridges from the potatoes besides Pyson's Road as
I walked to survey the remnants of the old rose garden. Just why
developers need to clear areas of scrub during the breeding season is a
puzzle - but I would hope it is due to complete lack of forethought rather
than blatant vandalism! A pair of Dunnocks game fully proclaimed
their rights to a section of hedge, but the nesting Whitethroats,
Linnets, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes have all succumbed to the
scrub clearance activity. My walk, almost complete, was brightened by a
singing male Whitethroat in the scrub behind the wood yard.
The male Kestrel was seen carrying food over towards the farm and a
pair of Swallows were noted near the paddocks along with
a sizeable flock of Starlings. (Dylan)
Saturday 17th June 2006 Grove Ferry
Time passed amazingly quickly as I spent a very pleasant four hours
wandering around this "jewel" of a reserve. I can't really claim
that there was that much to see, yet the experience was very enjoyable. In
no particular order I recorded 5 Cuckoo (including the
"hepatic" female), 7 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Ruddy
Duck, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Ringed
Plover, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk
and all the other usual species that are expected. Reed Warblers
were particularly vocal and singing from rather exposed positions. Late
arrivals or 2nd broods? Great to be birding in the sunshine. (Dylan)
Friday 16th June 2006 Pyson's Road Industrial Estate Thanet
At 08.15hrs, I was alerted to the presence of an approaching raptor when
the entire roof nesting flock Herring and Lesser Black-backed
Gulls flew into the air, calling loudly. Rushing into the yard
(Sericol - goods in) I immediately spotted a male Sparrowhawk
flying east over the warehouse roof, but couldn't make out why the gulls
had reacted in such a manner. Sparrowhawks are very regular around
the area. I quickly got an answer when a magnificent Red Kite
appeared overhead and flew south, pursued by an agitated posse of adult
gulls. A nice treat for a workday, but if I'd been at home it would
now be on my garden list! Still, you can't have everything. (Dylan)
Sunday 11th June 2006 Cold Harbour lagoon
I was fortunate enough this morning to find a summer
plumage Marsh Sandpiper in Cold Harbour lagoon at Reculver this
morning, along with 3 Redshanks. Although quite settled at first,
it was gradually becoming more wary and was seen flying with the Redshanks
a couple of times, where its small size was even more obvious than when
feeding. (Derek Smith)
Tuesday 6th June 2006 Ramsgate Cemetery
I Had a pleasant surprise this afternoon / evening when a quiet stroll
around the NW corner of the cemetery turned up what these day’s amounts
to a 'scarcity' if not a 'rarity'! Whilst looking at some recently fledged
Blue Tits being fed by their parents, a very 'upright' bird
appeared in the next tree. I swung round, twirled the focus knob and there
it was - the nowadays near mythical - Spotted Flycatcher. I watched
for about 20 minutes as it moved from tree to tree, sallying out after
fly-by insects. Very nice! (Phil Beraet)
Sunday 4th June 2006 Pegwell Bay
I went down to Pegwell at 19.00hrs for the falling tide.
Nothing much to report out on the mud. 5 Little Egret, 3 Grey
Heron, 1 Cormorant, 4 Ringed Plover, 5 Sandwich Tern, 17
Curlew, 60+ Shelduck and a Dunlin providing the
interest amidst the mundane fare of Oystercatchers and mixed flocks
of immature gulls. A chance encounter with another birder, caused me to
step up onto the seawall and inadvertently flush a female Wheatear,
quite a late record I think? It led me a merry dance before allowing a few
pics. The only other sightings of note were a flyover Yellow Wagtail
and a Moorhen on the "Garage Pools" (Dylan)
Friday 2nd June 2006 Hatfield
Road Ramsgate Thanet
One Barn Owl being mobbed by gulls flew over Hatfield Road
Ramsgate, heading out to sea 08.00 Friday 2 June 2006. (P.M. Charlton)
