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Birds News and Updates 2011

Last update: Monday 31st October 2011 at 17-00hrs

Report your latest bird Sightings & News

September 2011  Report has been Archived

Monday 31st October 2011 Foreness / North Foreland

At Foreness a single Wheatear and at North Foreland 60+ Pied Wagtails, 2 Chiffchaffs and 4 Crossbills heading West. (Simon Mount)

Monday 31st October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Well that's October out of the way for another year - it was very quiet down the bay today. I watched from 10.20 - 14.30 in mainly cloudy conditions with a stiff southerly breeze seeing: c6 Little Egrets, 11 Brent, 150 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Peregrine, 1000 Lapwing, 1100 Golden Plover, 50 Grey Plover, 40 Knot, 150 Dunlin, 95 Sanderling, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull and not much else. I did hear some Crossbills go over the Country Park but didn't see them. (Phil M)

Sunday 30th October 2011 Minster Thanet

A walk to Minster woods and then on to the river produced the following. Bucket loads of Goldcrests along the whole walk with 3 Firecrests mixed in and a Yellow browed Warbler near the treatment works which was very elusive but I did hear a call. 2 Mistle thrush. 8 Pied Wagtail. 20 Goldfinch. 50 Greenfinch. 25 Chaffinch. 1 Chiffchaff. 3 Fieldfare. 1 Redwing. 2 Swallows. 20 Skylarks. 10 Meadow Pipit. 25 Robin. 2 (continental type) Song Thrush. 3 Cetti's Warbler. 3 Reed Bunting. 1 Kestrel. 9 Mute Swan. 1 Marsh Harrier and a special treat in the shape of a Water Rail in the channel leading from the sluice to the river, a Minster tick for me. (Amanda Parker)

Sunday 30th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched from 06.30 - 10.00 this morning in cloudy conditions with a s/west breeze - other than a bit of early vismig there wasn't too much going on. My notes included: 2 Little Egrets, 400 Lapwing, 350 Golden Plover, 1 Firecrest and 10 Goldcrest whilst overhead - 7 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Swallows, 1 late Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 19 Skylark, 50 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 245 Goldfinch, 15 Redpoll, 36 Siskin and 17 Crossbill passed over. (Phil M)

Sunday 30th  October 2011 Grove Ferry / Stodmarsh NNR

First bird of the day was as I was leaving Deal at 4.35 this morning when a large bird sitting in the middle of the road in full glare of my headlights was a Short-eared Owl between Sholden and Fowlmead that took flight as I approached and flew over the field above Cottington Lakes. At Grove today, however, no other regulars showed up and I made my way down to Marsh hide in the darkness watching the dawn rise from the middle of the reserve Several Snipe were calling in the dark as were as were 1 or more Green Sandpipers, later Green Sandpipers and 12 Snipe were seen. A couple of Cetti’s Warblers were heard and one bird was showing in the reeds just in front of the hide. Six Marsh Harriers were seen leaving roost with two or three hung around for a while. The Glossy Ibis showed from 6.30am onwards and although often showing well it was a little distant for photography, especially in the early morning gloom. Scanning through the 341 Greylag Geese that had gathered on the hill above the reserve north of the river I located the Pink-footed Goose that John Tilbrook, Barry Wright and Marc Heath all got onto. Other bits today were 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 19 Skylarks west (plus 1 south), 12+ Water Pipits, 6 Ruff, 25 Meadow Pipits, and 6 Pied Wagtails. On the main lake I did count today and there were 236 Pochards, 54 Tufted Ducks, 366 Shoveler, 68 Gadwall, 3 Wigeon and yesterday’s 2 Ruddy Ducks but, no sign today of the Goldeneye. From the ramp before I left I added 67 Golden Plovers.          (Martyn Wilson)

Saturday 29th October 2011 Pegwell Bay Area

Birds sighted this afternoon at sunny Pegwell included hundreds of Golden Plover and Lapwings along with the usual waders. Also had a great view of a Short-eared Owl flying among the Lapwings. While waiting for the bus back to Ramsgate I took a wander up by the stream next to Richborough Power Station towards the Solar Panel array. You can normally expect to see moorhen, mute swans and pheasants here but this time I also came across what i think was a juvenile Grey Heron. (Keith)

Saturday 29th October 2011 Grove Ferry/ Stodmarsh NNR

It was a rather different morning today as, although  Alan, Chiddy and I met at the entrance just before first light, we all went our separate ways. Alan headed straight down to Marsh hide for the Ibis, Chiddy was floating around Middle Drove looking for Short-eared Owl while I stayed at the Ramp in hope of seeing yesterday’s Knot, suffice to say Alan was the only successful one. I was joined on the ramp by Sue Morton and Adam Faiers while Chiddy joined Alan and us three walked to the Water Meadows meeting Alan, Chiddy and, now, Norman McCanch in Marsh hide mid-morning.  Birds noted today were 1 Redshank, 1 Little Owl, 434 Greylag Geese 9 of which were blasted out of the sky as they left the safety of the reserve at first light, 7 Marsh Harriers, 4 Little Egrets and 10 Ruff plus Teal, Lapwing, Water Rail and Pied Wagtail all noted. There were at least 5 Bullfinches along the river while Chiddy had 4 Goldcrest and 1 Firecrest at Newborns Farm. Amongst the gathering of Duck on the main lake, of which the there seemed a larger number of Pochard but, I was not in a counting mood, there was a single brown-head Goldeneye and 2 female/1^st winter Ruddy Ducks plus Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Mallard and 21 Great-Crested Grebes. Also today were 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Snipe, 1 1^st winter Glossy Ibis, 16 Water Pipits, 1 Stonechat, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Sparrowhawks, 1 Peregrine, 45 Golden Plovers and between 2800 and 3500 Fieldfares passing through. (Martyn Wilson)

Saturday 29th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched from first light in cloudy weather with a light southerly breeze which produced a good bit of vismig from first light but only bits and pieces after. Birds were piling through the cliff top in a westward direction for the first hour of daylight and it looked like it was going to be a spectacular morning until the sun broke through and spoiled it (a bit) but even then a few other bits were still passing over until dinnertime in fits and starts. The most frustrating things of the day were good numbers of unseen high flying Crossbills and a pale Buzzard which was seen very early on (not long after first light) and must have roosted in the area but views were too poor for a positive identification. Grounded stuff included 2 Firecrest, 1 Ring Ouzel and a Black Redstart and a late Osprey flew south across the mud flat at 08.35. Craig also saw a Snow Bunting. The rest were: c50 Song Thrush - west, 193 Redwing - west, 83 Fieldfare - west, 32 Meadow Pipit - west, 26 Skylark - west, 47 alba Wagtail - 14 present and 33 west, 11 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 220 Chaffinch - west, 36 Brambling - west, 35 Linnet - west, 55 Greenfinch - west, 1390 Goldfinch - west, 337 Siskin - 275 - west and 62 north, 59 Redpoll - west and 67 Crossbill - north and west. (Phil M)

Friday 28th October 2011 Ramsgate area

Today really made up for what has been a rather slow Autumn for me. I started off at the West Cliff area of Ramsgate, arriving around 11:10. I had a wander over to the entrance of Courtstairs park, heard a bit of commotion from the gulls and looked up. I expected to see nothing but there was Rough Legged Buzzard flying right overhead. Lovely white underwings  (and what long wings !) with black carpal patches and a long tail (for a Buzzard anyway). It flew SW into Pegwell Bay and I watched it gaining height as it did so. Fantastic ! I phoned Phil as the bird seemed to be making straight for his vis-mig spot near the hide. I kept my fingers crossed it wouldn't turn west and follow the cliff top or turn south and go straight to Sandwich Bay. I'd just got off the phone, and was feeling very pleased, when I heard a Yellow-Browed Warbler announcing its presence very loudly. I tracked it down to one of the trees (a Holm Oak?) above the chine just the other side from the Courtstairs Park entrance. It showed well there and in other Holm Oaks together with 3 Firecrests and a Chiffchaff. I watched it from about 11:30 to 12:30 on and off, as it popped up calling from different Holm Oaks in the area. I think there may have been 2 birds because it was moving about a bit too quickly? The park itself was quiet except for a Mistle Thrush. The trees at the bottom of the chine were quiet apart from Robin and Dunnock. I left around 1:00 and headed to Nethercourt Park which held a few Blue & Great Tits and nothing else. St Lawrence churchyard had a lone Redwing, more Blue & Great Tits and 2 Goldcrests. I then went to the Shell garage bushes to start the cliff top circuit. I bumped in to Phil there who confirmed he'd seen the Rough Legged Buzzard. The highlight of the circuit was a superb adult male Black Redstart in the paddocks, looking dapper in sooty black, quivering red tail and flashy white wing patches - thus completing a hat-trick of fab birds for the day. There was a flock of Long-tailed Tits in the cliff top bushes with the odd Blue & Great Tit with them, plus 2 Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest. On the way home the Starlings were gathering in a huge flock and Parakeets were going over to roost in noisy groups. Back at the Shell garage bushes, a final Goldcrest was there. A superb day. (Scott)

Friday 28th October 2011 Grove Ferry & Restharrow Scrape

Starting as usual at the ramp but only going as far as the Marsh hide and back then the Water Meadows and back. Noted this morning were 1 Peregrine, 6 Cetti’s Warblers, a large number of Greylag Geese leaving early, 9 Marsh Harriers, 4 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Ruff. We went to Marsh hide to look for yesterday’s Glossy Ibis but were unsuccessful but on reaching Harrison’s drove on the way back, a visiting Dorset birder told us he’d seen it on the Water Meadows. We reached the Water Meadows to find there was no Ibis but a call from Telephone Bill said it was showing from Marsh hide. There were however 2 Green Sandpipers here. A couple of Grey Herons and 2 Little Egrets were noted as were numerous Teal and Lapwing plus a Kestrel and 6 Pied Wagtails. Meeting Steve Ashton at Feast hide where Chiddy and Steve carried out a surreptitious exchange of camera lenses, we sat and chatted for a while before a return trip to Marsh hide as all we had to view here were a few Coots and 2 Little Grebes. En-route to the hide a Crossbill flew overhead calling followed closely by a flock of 34 Chaffinches heading north, another flock of 28 Chaffinches flew north over the ramp at midday. No sign again of the Glossy Ibis while we were at the hide but we did see a female Sparrowhawk, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 52 Golden Plovers and a large flock of 60+ Meadow Pipits spooked by the Sparrowhawk that included at least 22 Water Pipits. Only other birds of note were an influx of Fieldfares during the morning. A phone call late afternoon from Norman McCanch informed me of a Knot from the ramp and a Short-eared Owl seen yesterday by Alison was seen again tonight by Chiddy. On the way home I stopped at Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich where there were 2 Dunlin with the 30 Teal and 10 Snipe plus an adult winter Curlew Sandpiper. While sitting watching the Curlew Sandpiper news reached me of a Pallas Warbler 300 yards away in the Elms and I connected with this smart little jewel within 10 minutes as well as a Firecrest but didn’t connect with any of the two Yellow-browed Warblers reported there.                (Martyn Wilson)

Friday 28th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched from (well before) first light until 2.30pm today in very good birding conditions, hoping upon hope for a rarity ... it just felt like one of those sorts of days. I ended up without any rarities but a half decent bag of bits and pieces, which, all in all made for a very nice days birding. Bird of the day was a Rough Legged Buzzard that Scott saw flying over the cliff top and after a kind text we eventually got on to from our vantage spot down in the bay. Scott was on fire today (not literally!) but no doubt he'll tell you the whole story of his day. The rest of the counts from today were: 10 Little Egrets, 15 Brent, 160 Wigeon, 7 Teal, 510 Lapwing, 600 Golden Plover, 85 Grey Plover, 9 Ringed Plover, 9 Bar-tailed Godwit, 70 Knot, 260 Dunlin, 39 Sanderling, 20 Snipe, 8 Redwing - west, 3 Fieldfare - west, 1 Ring Ouzel, 1 Swallow - south, 23 Meadow Pipit - n/west, 1 Wheatear, 11 alba Wagtail - north, 1 Grey Wagtail - north, 5 Chiffchaff (+1 possible tristis on the cliff top - the call was short and not usual?), 2 Cetti's Warbler, 20+ Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 6 Tree Sparrow - west, 82 Chaffinch - 62 north and 20 west, 2 Brambling - west, 920 Goldfinch - north, 28 Redpoll - 13 west and 15 north, 260 Siskin - north, 47 Crossbill - 8 west and 39 north and 1 Lapland Bunting - south. There was a nice roost of 10,000 Starlings in the Cypress trees around the farm at first light plus an 'enormous' bat species seen flying north, low (around head height on a bike) across Chalk Lane at around 6.55am - which appeared to have a wingspan of around one foot. (Phil M)

Friday 28th October 2011 Foreness Point

A brief look over the sea lunch time seemed to indicate a light passage of birds with 130 Gannets, 2 Little Gulls, 4 Red Breasted Mergansers, 25 Kittiwake, 10 Scoter, 1 Red Throated Diver all east. Overhead 6 House Martin and 2 Swallows moved west.   (Rae Boulden)

Thursday 27th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

While running round the Country Park late this afternoon I noticed a Short-eared Owl over the salt marsh. (Nick Lever)

Thursday 27th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched Pegwell from mid morning until early afternoon in fairly birdy type of conditions, though there was very little going on even though it did have quite a good feel about it today. Of note were the first (definite) Twite of autumn (3 of them) and there was a Purple Sandpiper flying around offshore between the salt marsh and the hover port. Otherwise there were 29 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag, 17 Brent, 5 Shelduck, 35 Mallard, 160 Wigeon, 14 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Peregrine, 1 Sandwich Tern, 'the' Whimbrel, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Swallow, 12+ Skylark - n/west, 4 Blackcap, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 10+ Goldcrest, 22 Siskin - n/west and 14 Redpoll - n/west. (Phil M)

Thursday 27th October 2011 Grove Ferry / Stodmarsh NNR

Mark Chidwick and I paid our usual homage to ‘The Valley’ this morning starting at Grove Ferry and taking in the whole reserve through Stodmarsh and back on a clockwise route. The Greylags all left, or, were leaving as we approached the ramp with just a few left when we got there. Teal and Lapwing were, however, present and small flocks of both were arriving throughout the morning. Leaving roost this morning were 12 Marsh Harriers and joining the Lapwing and Teal on the pool were 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Ruff and 8 Pied Wagtails. A drake Goosander flew over the ramp east at 7.35am while 1 Little Grebe, 4 Cetti’s Warblers, 18 Coot, 2 Water Rails, 1 Stonechat and 19 Water Pipits were noted with 1 at Feast hide, 4 at the Water Meadows and a further 14 from Marsh Hide. There were 2 Peregrines, 60ish Siskins, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 152 Pochards, 62 Tufted Ducks, 18 Great-crested Grebes, 62 Gadwall, 387 Shoveler and 4 Grey Herons. We were joined halfway round by Pete Mate Solly, Sue Morton and Pauline McKenzie-Lloyd where at the Water Meadows Chiddy found a first winter Glossy Ibis amongst the Konik Ponies and we all enjoyed watching it for an hour before it flew towards Marsh Hide. Only a few Fieldfares and Redwings have made their way to the valley so far but, I’m sure more will arrive before winters start. On the grazing marsh between the Water Meadows and the Oxbow there were 425 Greylag Geese and in with them was the Pink-footed Goose I first saw on the 19^th. Other bits noted were 2 Bullfinches, 3 Golden Plovers, 24 Long-tailed Tits and, on revisiting the Feats hide 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtails and a Water Pipit on our newly gravelled island, yehee!! (Martyn Wilson)

Thursday 27th October 2011 Dumpton Gap

Whilst walking along the seawall on a falling tide, I saw 13 Turnstones & 1 Purple Sandpiper feeding along the bottom of the seawall, this being the 1st. Purple Sandpiper that I have seen here this Autumn. Also, a male Kestrel was hunting along the cliff-side and a male Pied Wagtail was also present.(Ron Dubbins)

Thursday 27th October 2011 Detling Ave, Dumpton, Broadstairs

At 10am. this morning a female Sparrowhawk killed and devoured a female Great Spotted Woodpecker in our back garden. Although this is nature red in tooth and claw, this was probably the same bird I spotted in the garden earlier this week, which was the first one of this species that I have had in the garden for over 6months!!! It was a pity that she could not have made do with one of the too numerous Feral Pigeons that live in ours and the surrounding gardens! (Ron Dubbins)

Wednesday 26th October 2011 Pegwell cliff top

Not had much time to be out lately (the kids are off school at the moment) but I did get out today for a little bit after the rain. On arrival along the Shell garage track I heard a Chiffchaff and Long-tailed Tits in the bushes and found a lovely confiding Firecrest in the same area, plus a Goldcrest. The occasional Siskin could still heard overhead, groups of Goldfinches and Chaffinches were passing by, and at least two Bullfinches were heard (not usual). It was hard going in the wind and raptor sightings were uninspiring - just the usual Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. Thrushes were limited to Blackbird, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush. (Scott)

Wednesday 26th October 2011 Grove Ferry

Another short session at Grove today meeting this Mark ‘Chiddy’ Chidwick in the rain at the entrance at 6.45 this morning. First call was the viewing ramp where a large gathering of Greylag Geese were looking very ‘luminous’ with the dark storm clouds behind them in the brightening dawn. A heavy rain shower forced us to the Feast hide where we were able to admire our handiwork of yesterday, as was a Fox that was on the exposed mud looking at the freshly laid gravel. Birds noted before we left at 10.30am were 1500 Teal, 3oo+ Greylag Geese, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, 1 Snipe, 7 Marsh Harriers, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Ruff, 1 Spotted Redshank and 1 Kingfisher. Sadly the Kingfisher was seen on the dipping pool hide roof and not on the new ‘Chiddie’s Stick’ in front of the Feast hide!!! There was 1 Kestrel, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Pied Wagtails, 1 Water Pipit, 9 Golden Plovers, 6 Bearded Tits and 1 Bittern. (Martyn Wilson)

Tuesday 25th October 2011  Broadstairs to Minnis Bay and back  10:00 - 1pm

Ideal cycling conditions (except for the heavy shower at Minnis for 15 minutes) and some good sightings, too: 2 Cormorants - Minnis Bay, 100 Brent Geese - Westbrook Bay, 20 Turnstones + 12 Redshanks - Westgate Bay, 5 Wheatears - North Foreland.  (Sue Smith)

Tuesday 25th October 2011 Grove Ferry

A short session birding at Grove today as, it was the day for finishing of the work in front of the Feast hide. Arriving at the ridiculous time of 6.15am finding Chiddy already there!! Why were we so early? Who knows. We made our way to the ramp and did half the circuit taking in Harrison’s hide, Middle Drove and back to the ramp noting on our wanderings 3 Water Rail, 3 Cetti’s Warblers, 1300+ Teal, an un counted number of Greylag Geese leaving in the Darkness and 7 Marsh Harriers. There were 7 Ruff, 1 Bittern, 350+ Lapwings, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Little Egret and 5 Pied Wagtails. A Little Grebe was at Feast hide, 3 Water Pipits were at Harrison’s and other birds noted were 3 Grey Herons, 1 Snipe, several Skylarks, 3 Stonechats, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk and a handful of Fieldfares. At 10.30 reserve manager Steve Etherington and Ben Ring arrived and, joined by Steve Ashton, Mark Chidwick and Marc Heath we set about finishing of stoning the island and trimming the edges with chestnut logs, to stop the stones falling in the dyke as well as dredging the dyke of weed and growth to try and attract the Kingfishers back. A ringtail Hen Harrier flew west past the hide just as we were starting and whilst working a flock of 42 Golden Plovers flew over and later a Peregrine Falcon made its presence known. Work completed by 2.00pm the view from the hide now looks very nice indeed. (Martyn Wilson)

Tuesday 25th October 2011 Ham / Worth Marshes

 While on my walk today, I heard a Skylark singing, what is going on? Bird spots for the day 5 Snipe, 10 Mallard, 1 Green Sandpiper, 10/15 Teal (in flight) 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Meadow Pipits, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk. Amazing what a touch of sun does.!!!! (Roly Wells-Colyer)

Monday 24th October 2011 North Foreland

Tired of seeing very little in the Stour Valley, Chiddy and I decided on a sea watch from North Foreland being as the wind had turned a bit to the east, a south easterly as it happens. We started at 7.40am and ended the session at 11.00am. All birds were moving south westerly unless otherwise stated. Making the note book this morning were 7 Golden Plovers overhead and just after our first Gannet a Short-eared Owl was picked up passing a distant bouy heading towards us, eventually coming in over Joss Bay at 7.55 and carrying on over North Foreland Golf Course.  There were 36 Gannets, 3 Curlews, 5 Auk sp, 7 Bonxies, 4 Arctic Skuas and 24 Common Scoter. There were 11 Brent Geese (2 north), 3 Whimbrel, 3 Red-throated Divers, 6 Guillemots, 1 adult winter Mediterranean Gull, 6 Wigeon north, 2 Little Egrets north, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 19 Kittiwakes. Just as we were packing up a male Merlin flew in off and a Wheatear was on the shingle behind us. (Martyn Wilson)

Sunday 23rd October 2011 Kingsgate Bay

I saw another Short-eared Owl flying in off the sea today at 12.25 (John Carnell)

Friday 21st October 2011 Pegwell Bay

The intention was to pop down for a quick look early morning but it turned into a long look going well into the afternoon for some reason? The birding was tricky initially as the birds were flying over far too high to be seen and the grounded stuff was hard to find to say the least but eventually later on as it clouded over I did come across a few bits and pieces of common bird vismig that were in view, though once again they were taking a rather odd line through the bay on the whole. Today's notes included: 8 Brent, 45 Wigeon, 2 Common Buzzard - south, 6+ Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 550 Golden Plover, 45 Grey Plover, 1 Knot, 120 Dunlin, 22 Sanderling, 8 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Arctic Skua's - west inland over the Country Park, 1 Raven, 14 Swallow - south, 2 Blackcap, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Tree Sparrow - s/west, 2 Brambling, 68 Redpoll - n/west, 108 Siskin - n/west, 41 Crossbill - n/west and 1 Yellowhammer - north. (Phil M)

Friday 21st October 2011 Littlebourne area

While out in the Littlebourne area today birds noted: 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, cc70 Greylag Geese few over heading towards Stodmarsh, cc36 Goldfinches, 19 Siskins, 22 Long- tailed Tits, with Blue Tits and Great Tits in support, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Treecreeper's, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Coal Tits, call only, 7 Wrens, 5 Robins, 5 Jay's, and lots of Woodpigeons moving over head, (Gadget)

Thursday 20th October 2011 Grove Ferry

A pleasant morning bird at Grove Ferry with Sue Morton. Not many birds making into the note book today as it was fairly quiet but we did note 6 Marsh Harriers, 6 Ruff, 1 Redshank, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 10 Pied Wagtails. A couple of Water Rails announced their presence and 14 Golden Plovers flew in. A Sparrowhawk was seen early am and juvenile Peregrine flew low over the grazing marsh. With 1 Little Egret and 3 Water Pipits at Marsh Hide and singles of Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail at Feast hide, that about summed it up for the day. Yesterday, 19^th, there was a single Pink-footed Goose on the top fields above Stodmarsh village with several hundred Greylags but, no sign of today. At 11.00am I joined the reserve manager, Steve Etherington along with Ben Ring and another couple of chaps stoning the island in front of the Feast Hide finishing just before 4.00pm with just a few edges left to tidy up next Tuesday.   (Martyn Wilson)

Thursday 20th October 2011 Pegwell cliff top

After a quiet couple of days (just single Wheatear and Grey Wagtail of note) I didn't arrive until at 11:00 am and was surprised by the number of thrushes moving. They were heading west in bundles of about 35 to 50 birds at a time. All either Redwings and Fieldfares and hardly any mixed flocks. There must have been several hundred of each in total between 11:00 and 12:30. As I was scanning the skies I picked up several Sparrowhawks - some migrants adding to the local birds I suspect. Also many Woodpigeons moving too. At around 11:40 a Common Buzzard headed NW overhead then started soaring whilst being attacked by crows. It turned and headed west shortly afterwards. I continued onwards, staying until 3:00 pm. During this time smaller groups of Fieldfares continued to arrive, landing occasionally. A couple of Bramblings were also heard and seen amongst moving Chaffinches. More Siskins as well. (Scott)

Thursday 20th October 2011 Newington Ramsgate

No visit to Pegwell today ... I just couldn't face it this morning. Quite a lot of Thrushes were going s/west over the back garden between mid morning and midday, I kept one eye on things and saw at least 500 Fieldfare and c50 Redwing pass over as did a few invisible Chaffinch (a few were heard) a high flying migrant Sparrowhawk (west) and a couple of alba Wagtails went north. (Phil M)

Wednesday 19th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched for four hours from first light this morning. The birding was very slow though a slight bit of vismig was going on along the cliff top first thing and a few Siskin and Redpoll were seen moving inland over Stone Lees later on. My notes were: 4 Little Egret, 19 Brent, 50 Wigeon, 800 Golden Plover, 3 Sparrowhawk, 4 Swallow, 16 Skylark - n/west, 12 Meadow Pipit - west, 8 alba Wagtail - north, 2 Grey Wagtail - 1 west and 1 north, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 14 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 60+ Long Tailed Tit, 9 Brambling - west, 78 Chaffinch - 48 west and 30 north, 125 Goldfinch - 85 west and 40 north, 49 Redpoll - west and n/west, 82 Siskin - n/west, 3 Crossbill - n/west and 2 Bullfinch. (Phil M)

Wednesday 19th October 2011 Foreness

While having my lunch break near the Fayreness noted a Common Buzzard moving SW and a short while after a Short-Eared Owl in off the sea greeted by the local gulls. Also overhead a few Siskin and Goldfinch west. (Rae Boulden)

Wednesday 19th October 2011 Marshside area

Birds noted today within the Marshside area, 7 Beaded Tits, 5 Reed Buntings, 5 Skylarks, 15 Meadow Pipits, 23 Goldfinches, 2 Stonecats, cc170 Starlings, cc300 Lapwings, cc150 Golden Plovers, 1 Redshank, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorants, 5 Mute Swans, 3 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Common Buzzard, and cc120 Carrion Crows with a few Rooks (Gadget)

Tuesday 18th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

A fairly quiet morning out today with very little present bar a few Warblers and Goldcrest whilst a pair of Bearded Tits dropped into the reed bed just north of Stone Lees - overhead passage was saved mid morning by 90 minutes of vismig which tailed off to almost nothing by just before midday. The tide was fairly predictable looking too so I didn't wait for it to come all the way in today. My notes for the day included 36 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag, 30 Wigeon, 260 Lapwing, 820 Golden Plover, 35 Grey Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Knot, 4 Sanderling, 40 Dunlin, 'the' Whimbrel, 1 Peregrine, 3+ Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Stonechat, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and 10 Goldcrest whilst the overhead passage included 7 Skylark, 18 alba Wagtail, 56 Goldfinch, 87 Redpoll, 169 Siskin, 27 Crossbill and 1 Yellowhammer. (Phil M)

Tuesday 18th October 2011 North Foreland area

I went over to Elmwood Avenue this morning looking for the Great Grey Shrike which was not any were to be found, by lunchtime I had given up and went home, other bit noted in the area were 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, 9 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Great Tits, 3 Blue Tits, 5 Robins, 14 Meadow Pipits, 6 Pied Wagtails, 18 Siskins, 3 Redpolls, 5 Jay's, 1 Stonechat, (Gadget)  

Tuesday 18th October 2011 Grove Ferry / Stodmarsh NNR

After so many weekends of unwatchable Stour Valley due to the cold clear nights and warm cloudless days resulting in the valley being enclosed in thick fog for much of the mornings leaving little birding to be undertaken. The first Redwings of the Autumn were seen on the 2^nd while on the 8^th there 2 Stonechats, 1+ Firecrest, 18 Siskins, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Peregrine. The 15^th saw the first 22 Lesser Redpolls of the autumn as well as the autumn’s first Water Pipit at Marsh Hide as well as 36 Golden Plovers and 5 Common Buzzards and on the 16^th there were 6 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Kingfisher, 21 Fieldfares, 1 Stonechat and 42 Golden Plover. Last night, however was very windy with rain the only eased up around 6.30am meaning Grove was completely fogless and viewing was so much easier. Making the note book toady were, 469 Greylag Geese, 322 Lapwing, 53 Golden Plovers, 7 Ruff, 4 Cetti’s Warblers, 1588 Teal and 2 Kestrels. At around 8.30ish I caught sight of what may have been a Glossy Ibis dropping behind the distant trees towards Preston Marshes!!!. I did not go looking for it so have no idea if it was one or if it stayed around. There were 6 Water Rails either seen or heard plus 12 Marsh Harriers (4 males & 5 females), 7 Grey Herons, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Redshank, 11 Snipe, 7 Pied Wagtails and 54 Goldfinches. A lot of Gulls appeared to be arriving in today and on the ramp pool there were 505 Black-headed Gulls and 9 Common Gulls while the lake at Stodmarsh held 596 Black-heads and 5 Commons plus 1 adult Lesser Black-backed and a few Herrings. Several Skylarks were passing overhead and a Grey Wagtail was at the rear of the ramp pool. There 5 Jays, 2 Sparrowhawks, 22 Bearded Tits, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 1 Little Egret and 5 Water Pipits at Marsh Hide. A few Redwing and Fieldfare were scattered about but no real movement, and there were 1 Little Owl, 1 huge female Peregrine Falcon, 2 Bitterns, 12 Siskins, 2 Pintail, 143 Pochards, 52 Tufted Ducks, 5 Great-crested Grebes and 486 Shoveler and, as I passed through Stodmarsh village there was a covey of 18 Grey Partridges in the field on the road out. This is the biggest flock of Greys I’ve ever seen in the valley, usually it’s one heard by the boathouse or the two seen this year by the orchards. (Martyn Wilson)

Monday 17th October 2011 North Foreland Elmwood avenue

While looking for the Great Grey Shrike this morning, along Elmwood Avenue a flock of Long-tailed Tits, landed in the big bush out on the golf course, looking though them I noted one Tree Sparrow, (Steve Ashton)

Monday 17th October 2011 North Foreland

The Great Grey Shrike was still on the golf course today, but this was as close as I got (photos attached). (Mark Kilner)

Monday 17th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

The nice bit of settled weather continues, so a lovely day to be out ... a bit chilly at first light mind. The birding was okay without really getting going properly and by around midday we'd had enough and left. Early on a bit of vismig was going on up on the cliff top (various finches mainly) but it was very slow later on around the Country Park. I did see a very nice flock of 60 alba Wagtails head north over the farm as did a flock of 40+ Redpoll, the largest of autumn so far. 2 small groups of Crossbill and a late Tree Pipit aside it was mainly common stuff thereafter in small numbers. My notes included: 2 Mute Swan, 40 Brent, 7 Shelduck, 70 Wigeon, 13 Pintail, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 800 Golden Plover, 35 Grey Plover, 100+ Lapwing, 30 Dunlin, 1 Wheatear, 26 Fieldfare, 2 Blackcap, 23 Chiffchaff, 28 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest etc whilst the vismig turned up 36 Meadow Pipit - west, 1 Tree Pipit - west, 21 Skylark - west, 2 Grey Wagtail - north, 102 alba Wagtail - mainly north, 2 Brambling - west, 89 Chaffinch - west, 77 Greenfinch - west, 195 Goldfinch - west, 56 Linnet - west, 39 Siskin - north and west, 101 Redpoll - north and west and 11 Crossbill - n/west. (Phil M)

Monday 17th October 2011 Pegwell Clifftop

Bits of note seen on the circuit today were Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Fieldfare and Wheatear plus a few flyover Siskins and Redpolls (i.e. usual stuff). A Common Buzzard circled over Chalk Lane and then headed west just after midday. After this I decided to watch the skies for a bit and saw a Marsh Harrier (female) at about 12:20. This bird circled high over the cliff top and headed south over the bay around 12:30. (Scott)

Sunday 16th October 2011 North Foreland

Did nearly 2 hours this morning from 7:30. One of the first things I saw was a Short-eared Owl about 3/4 mile offshore heading down Channel at some height. On the clifftop 2 Swallows went though and there was a lone Wheatear. There was a steady stream of birds West overhead and the totals as follows:- 100+ Goldfinches, 225 Siskins, 16 Redpolls and 1 Brambling. Birds heading South were 7 Skylarks, 1 Grey Wagtail and a Reed Bunting. Just 4 Chiffchaffs seen in the bushes. At 1:00 some raptors then started moving with a pair of Peregrines that soared around for over 40 minutes before heading SW. Then 3 Common Buzzards appeared at great height that headed NE before I lost them in some low cloud that had appeared. A few minutes later a Marsh Harrier came along that went out to sea briefly before heading off South. Finally another Common Buzzard came in low at 3:00 and headed NE out to sea without reappearing like they usually do. Also saw 2 Common Terns heading West offshore. (Simon Mount)

Sunday 16th October 2011 North Foreland & Kingsgate area

On what was a gloriously warm afternoon, I did my usual walk of the North Foreland and Kingsgate area. The tide was high and there were people on the beach, but below the Captain Digby were Curlew, Oystercatcher and a Ringed Plover. Further round under The Fayreness were more of the same, plus Sanderling, Turnstone and Redshank with a lone Grey Plover. On my way back past North Foreland golf course, I spied a large light coloured bird against the sun and even without the bins and into the sun could see it was a Great Grey Shrike. It dropped on to the greens and back before finally crossing to the bank along the side of the cycle path. It disappeared at one point to reappear overhead from the direction of the pay and display car park but was still in a bushes along the bottom of Elmwood Ave at 5:15 when I left. A UK first for me. (Simon P)

Sunday 16th October 2011 Joss Bay to Foreness

Spent two hours walking between Joss and foreland Point 10 -12am. A Short-eared Owl was decked on the rocks at Joss and was hounded up over my head onto the cliff, where it stopped for a minute before inland. I saw the same bird 15 minutes later being mobbed over the golf course by the Digby. Dribs and drabs coming in off, including 1 Grey Heron, 2 Wheatear, 15 Skylark, 4 Song Thrush, 12 Redwing. A steady trickle of Siskin, in small flocks, amounted to 280+. On the sea 3 Eider (two males and a female) 4 Diver sp. and a easterly trickle of Gannets made for something to look at. I also spotted a large, light brown falcon flying in-off. At first I thought it was an immature Peregrine, but it's head was quite light in colour. Unfortunately it turned back out to sea, before the spit, and I couldn't get a much better view. Probably a hybrid escapee!            (John Carnell)

Saturday 15th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

A lovely day out both for the weather and the birding as the s/easterly had dropped off a bit which made things a bit easier both to hear and to see. I stayed between 06.45 and 12.15 walking the entire area (except for Courtstairs) whilst trying some vismig from the cliff top early on then from the Country Park and Stone Lees later on. Today's highlights were a Yellow Browed Warbler heard and (eventually seen 15 minutes later ... quiet patient for me is that) in Stone Lees, the first Woodcock of the autumn, 1 Jack Snipe, a steady southerly passage of 13 Common Buzzards between 11.35 and 12.25, 2 Ring Ouzel, a late (ish) Tree Pipit (south) plus quite a few Thrushes and Finches. Probably most significant of all were a trickle of s/westerly Tree Sparrow passage today - I saw 35 birds head west in fairly quick succession in four groups and heard two others calling overhead without seeing any. A very nice morning out anyway. The rest of my assembled notes included: 8 Little Egrets, 45 Brent, 100 Mallard, 110 Wigeon, 7 Teal, 3 juvenile Common Scoter - offshore, 1 Marsh Harrier - south @11.15, 2 Sparrowhawk - south, 1 Peregrine, 'the' Whimbrel, 310 Curlew, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 9 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe - flushed by Crows from the marsh, 150+ Lapwing, 540 Golden Plover, 60 Grey Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 60 Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Sandwich Tern, 40 Song Thrush, 23 Redwing, 144 Fieldfare, 8 alba Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail - north, 37 Skylark - west, 6 Swallow - south, 4 Wheatear, 4 Stonechat, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, 18 Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 93 Chaffinch - west, 21 Brambling - 6+ present and 15 west, 180 Redpoll - 25 west and 155 north, 346 Siskin - 35 west and 311 north, 50 Goldfinch - s/west and 13 Crossbill - 6 north and 7 s/west. (Phil M)

Saturday 15th October 2011 Pegwell Ciff top this afternoon

Just had time to do the circuit quickly this afternoon. Not as quiet as yesterday and nothing too exciting, but nice to be out. I saw 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrest in the Shell garage trees, a few Fieldfares, and 6 Wheatears plus my first Stonechat of the autumn in the paddocks. Also a late Whinchat on the fence posts above the harbour tunnel approach road. (Scott)

Friday 14th October 2011 Dumpton Thanet

Late afternoon around 17-00hrs a flock of cc2000 Starlings landed in the field behind my house, a feeding frenzy took place for about 10 minutes as they moved up the field, this being the most Starling I have seen out in the field for a very long time, (Gadget)  

Friday 14th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

We had a good wander around bits of the area but didn't see too much today (as we expected) - we hung around for the incoming tide before leaving at about 12.00 or thereabouts seeing: 1 Barnacle Goose, 70 Brent, 9 Shelduck, c200 Mallard, 1 Gadwall, 350 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 11 Pintail, 3 Goldeneye (offshore at high tide), 300 Golden Plover, 150 Lapwing, 50 Grey Plover, 50 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling, 1 Sandwich Tern, 50 Fieldfare, 50 Redwing, 50 Song Thrush, 4 Wheatear, 1 Black Redstart whilst overhead passage included 1 Tree Sparrow, 10 Siskin, 20 Redpoll, 50 Chaffinch, 6 Brambling, 100 Goldfinch. (Phil M)

Thursday 13th October 2011 Dumpton Gap Thanet - 4pm

Spotted 2 Great Backed Gulls and a lonesome 1 Brent Goose in the Bay ,close to the shore! (Sue Smith)

Thursday 13th October 2011 Minster Thanet

This morning after 7.00am approximately 350 Skylarks gathered in the field and on the wires in the field behind the cemetery. A great noise and spectacle before they headed off in a northerly direction. (Amanda Parker)

Thursday 13th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I went down for the rising tide, to find Phil & Craig hard at it, with the bird count, staying for about an hour, I realised how little I know about birding, seeing these two, hearing and spotting was amazing, They decided on a move and left me on the mound as my head was starting to feel a bit wobble, I decided to go for a sit in the hide ,hoping my head would settle and it did, After about 15mins I noticed a little wader land about 80yds out ,in front of the hide, checking with my bins revealed a Grey Phalarope, I managed to take 3 photos and was desperately trying to get my T/con on my camera when 2 Black-headed Gulls attacked the Phalarope, chasing it off not to be seen again, My best tick of the year so far. (Roly Wells-Colyer)

Thursday 13th October 2011 North Foreland

This morning had a local rarity fly over - a Yellowhammer. There seemed to be quite a bit flying around in the East wind and low cloud during the 30 minutes I was able to watch. I saw several flocks of Siskins and Goldfinches heading West, both of these species have been moving well for a few days now. A few Skylarks, 3 Bramblings, and 3 Reed Buntings also went over. A flock of 8 Grey Herons headed SW off the sea. Heading down Channel I saw 120 Brent Geese and a Shoveler. (Simon Mount)

Thursday 13th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Daisy and I watched between 06.45 and 13.30 today in wonderful October birding conditions - a light easterly wind (varying between the n/east and the s/east at times) with thick cloud cover for most of the morning brightening by around midday. A steady trickle of visible migration kept us on our toes and a few good birds were seen - most notably a flyover Red-throated Pipit seen and heard flying low south over the Country Park at 09.50. It's about time something of that quality showed after all the coverage that been going on of late. Anyway ... my other notes were: 10 Little Egret, 23 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag, 190 Brents, 15 Shelduck, 80 Wigeon, 6 Teal, 5 Pintail, 1+ Peregrine, 1 Short Eared Owl - south, 1 Auk species - south, 1 Avocet, 250+ Golden Plover, 130+ Lapwing, 50 Grey Plover, 1 Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 80 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, 65 Turnstone - new arrivals, 1470 Fieldfare - s/west, 325 Redwing - s/west, c20 Song Thrush - s/west, 2 Ring Ouzel, 49 Skylark - west, 1 Woodlark - north, 20 Meadow Pipit - west, 660 Chaffinch - 530 north and 130 south, 79 Brambling - west and north, 90 Goldfinch - 60 north and 30 south, 94 Siskin - mainly n/west, 3 Redpoll - north, 72 Crossbill - 51 north 21 s/west and 22 Reed Bunting - west. (Phil M)

Thursday 13th October 2011 Ramsgate area

 A very enjoyable day's birding today. No scarcities (well apart from a possible one that remained un-ID'd) but a good day out. I started out on the Westcliffe about 9:20, primarily to check Courtstairs park. Apart from a couple of Goldcrests, the park was quiet. Never mind, it was one of those cloudy October mornings where the wind was in the right direction and the sky was full of birds. Groups of Redwings, Fieldfares, Siskins and Bramblings (with Chaffinches) were moving so there was plenty to look at. I walked down the chine and saw a Short Eared Owl overhead around 10 am, being mobbed by Parakeets. It seemed to be heading out to sea one minute, but every so often it kept turning in the direction of Deal / Sandwich. Perhaps it was getting its bearings before making landfall? A great sight anyway. Then onto Nethercourt park which was also quiet though more birds were moving overhead. A similar picture when I got to St. Lawrence Churchyard. I then went to the Shell garage bushes to start the cliff top circuit around midday. Still the thrushes and finches were moving. A single Crossbill flew east and a single Tree Sparrow flew north. I then did my usual scan of the sky in the direction of Manston where I picked up a very distant but obviously large stork or crane type bird which was soaring for a while then headed quickly inland when I lost it (the bird, that is). I never got a positive ID, so sent some texts to see if anyone else had seen it but sadly not. Shortly after I met up with Phil and Craig and the consensus seemed to be a possible (Common) Crane but I guess we'll never know? The guys went home and I completed the circuit, adding 2 Ring Ouzels in the clifftop bushes. Nothing else of note but plenty of decked Fieldfares and Redwings. At one point from the back of the farm I could see Ring Ouzel, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Fieldfare and Redwing all at once. Where's a Mistle Thrush when you need it? (Scott)

Wednesday 12th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Daisy and I watched from 06.50 until 12.15 today in cloudy conditions until late morning when it started to brighten up very gradually. The s/west wind had dropped considerably which helped with regard to listening for flyover migrants. It was fairly slow going at times but a steady, very light trickle of birds were moving both south-west inland (mainly Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, Goldfinches and Linnets) or north-west (mainly Skylark, Crossbills, Siskin, Redpoll. Wagtails etc) but we were able to view both directions from our vantage spot on the Country Park. We didn't bother looking around the bushes, just vismig and the incoming tide were concentrated on today. The notes for the day were: 1 Gannet - south, 10 Little Egrets, 15 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag, 3 Pink Footed Geese (in off), 2 Barnacle Geese (present), 30+ Brent, 1 Shelduck, 100 Mallard, 20 Wigeon, 4 Common Scoter - south, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 100 Lapwing, 186 Golden Plover, 38 Grey Plover, 180+ Knot, 50 Dunlin, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Skua species - south, 2 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier and 1 Cetti's Warbler. The vismig numbers were: 3 Sparrowhawk - 2 north and 1 west, 1 Short Eared Owl - north, 16 alba Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 211 Meadow Pipit, 32 Skylark, 86 Linnet, 126 Goldfinch, 30 Redpoll, 211 Siskin, 92 Crossbill and 43 Reed Bunting. 2 House Sparrows flew high n/west too in vismig fashion which isn't the norm these days.   (Phil M)

Wednesday 12th October 2011 Ebbsfleet Marsh & east Minter Marsh

Bits noted today 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrels, 3 Pied Wagtail, 26 Goldfinch, cc46 Meadow Pipit, cc56 Linnet, 14 Skylark, cc40 Siskin, 12 Reed Bunting, cc22 House Sparrows, 14 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Mute Swans, (Gadget)

Tuesday 11th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched from 06.45 (arriving in near darkness) and stayed until 11.00. The first hours vismig from the cliff top was awful so I relocated down onto the Knoll where immediately things could be seen on the move, mainly heading north. Amazingly the most prominent Finch species on the move today were Crossbill for quite a while, though as the morning wore on they were gradually overtaken by Siskins. There were many more Siskins of course but many were heard and not seen once again today. We must be moving into record Crossbill territory I would imagine? The day peak count went today as 164 passed n/west over the Country Park between 08.00 and 10.00 (or just after) though as I'm yet to check the 2009 autumns total number when the peak day count was a little over 100 birds I cannot as yet say for certain? Other noteworthy birds included a Lapland Bunting seen flying south before landing somewhere in the marsh between the hide and the river, 2 Tree Sparrows and a flyover Yellowhammer. My notes for the day were: 6 Little Egrets, 45 Brent, 30 Wigeon, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 150 Golden Plover, 100 Lapwing, 60 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling, 1+ Peregrine, 1 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 10 Chiffchaff etc whilst overhead passage included (flying n/west unless stated) 225 Swallow - south, 2 Mistle Thrush - south, 27 alba Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 32 Skylark, 55 Meadow Pipit - s/west, 33 Chaffinch - s/west, 3 Brambling - west, 14 Greenfinch - west, 85 Goldfinch - s/west, 24 Redpoll, 194 Siskin, 164 Crossbill and 1 Yellowhammer. (Phil M)

Monday 10th October 2011 Pegwell cliff top

Quite an enjoyable session today from 9:30 to 1pm. Never truly exciting but always something to look at. Birds moving mainly west in modest numbers were Redwing (3), Siskin (6), Goldfinch (17) and House Martin (40ish). But they were flying quite low over the fields so gave good flight views. Usual bits on the fields and paddocks - good numbers of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, plus White Wagtail (1), Grey Wagtail (2) Wheatear (3). In the trees and bushes were a few Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Chaffinch etc. Raptors were represented by 3 Peregrines which were having some sort of noisy dispute overhead, then flew over Pegwell village, and another Common Buzzard which was being harried by 2 Crows as it flew west and then low over the hoverport. (Scott)

Monday 10th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

We watched from 06.45 until just after 12.00 today in a blustery s/west wind and overhead conditions that were a bit too clear for any decent vismig. My initial wander along the cliff top at dawn saw a few Redwing and Song Thrush flying over but little else for around 30 minutes when a little bit of passerine passage started up tailing off by 08.45 when I left for a look around the hover port. A few Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Redpoll, Skylark, Meadow Pipits etc passed mainly west as did 4 Crossbill and there were 2 Wheatear in the horse paddocks on the cliff top and around the hover port I saw nothing much until on my way down to the Country Park when I could hear a Ring Ouzel calling from the dense hawthorns on the hover port cliff. Daisy joined me down at the Country Park where we stood around watching the incoming tide and any vismig on the move down there. It was pretty slow going but we did get another 12 Crossbills, 2 Tree Sparrows, 5 Pink Footed Geese and a Common Buzzard. There were also single Wheatear and Firecrest on the Country Park. On my way home I stumbled across a large gang of Herring Gulls near the Canterbury Road chasing a raptor flying s/west towards the farm. The culprits were 2 more Common Buzzards one of which was getting mobbed by a group of angry Corvids near Chalk Lane at 12.15. Today's counts were: 8 Little Egrets, 5 Pink Footed Geese - sitting on sea, 260 Brents - present or north, 50 Wigeon, 3 Common Buzzards - all s/west, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Peregrine, 1 Whimbrel, 130 Lapwing, 120 Golden Plover, 4 Grey Plover, 50 Dunlin, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 42 Skylark - mainly n/west, 93 Meadow Pipit - mainly s/west, 34 alba Wagtail - mainly north, 45 Redwing - mainly west, 25 Song Thrush - s/west, 1 Mistle Thrush - north, 1 Ring Ouzel, 3 Wheatear, 650 House Martin - mainly west, 2 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, 6+ Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 2 Tree Sparrow - south, 43 Chaffinch - s/west, 14 Brambling - west, 55 Goldfinch - s/west, 18 Greenfinch - west, 16 Redpoll - mainly north, 135 Siskin - mainly north, 17 Crossbill - s/west and 10 Reed Bunting - s/west. (Phil M)

Sunday 9th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Daisy and I met up at first light at a rather rainy cliff top to see what was (or wasn't) going on up there. A steady trickle of Redwing, Song Thrush and 1 Fieldfare went s/west, a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were seen in the bushes and there were 4 - 500 Brents out on the mud flat but with the weather being horrible for the first hour or so we decided to cut our losses and head off down to the Country Park for the tide. We were in no way prepared for what awaited us as after getting past the north end of the Country Park bushes where we noticed a few more Blackcaps and a few Goldcrests, we saw that the mud flat was absolutely littered with birds. The overnight rain had dumped many waders into the bay and the amount of Brent Geese was already well over four figures as a steady trickle of flocks of Brent into the hundreds continued to arrive at a fairly constant level. Our initial scans from the hide turned up almost 2000 Brent sitting out on the mud or across on the rocks of the under cliff and there were also two very large flocks of Dunlin, one of 340 and another of 1280 as well as a flock of 21 Avocets plus a few Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints. The next few hours were gob-smacking ... so to cut a long story short the day totals between first light and early afternoon when there were still a fair few Brents moving north offshore were: 1 Black-necked Grebe - offshore then south, 2 Gannets, 6300 Brent, 12 Shelduck, 300+ Wigeon, 1 Shoveler, 80 Teal, 1 Goldeneye, 32 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 10 Snipe, 60 Grey Plover, 30 Ringed Plover, 40 Knot, 1620 Dunlin, 10 Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Little Stints, 1 Yellow-legged Gull and 1 Little Tern. When the rain stopped we set up on the Knoll (Edmonds) to try a bit of vismig. There were still a few Thrushes moving inland plus amongst ever increasing numbers of small passerine visible migration we noted 1 Lapland Bunting, 50 Skylark, 100 Siskins, 2 Redpoll and 9 Crossbills flying north and 160 Meadow Pipits went s/west. (Phil M)

Saturday 8th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I initially started off at first light on the Country Park to await the incoming tide whilst watching for any vismig (from my usual spot) and whilst there was quite a bit going on down there with wildfowl and waders arriving from offshore and a slow trundle of vismig which did include a single flock of about 50 Crossbills flying very low n/west I was forced to relocate after seeing a mass arrival of Thrushes arriving, through my telescope I might add, on a line between the Viking Ship and Chalk lane (up to one quarter of a mile north of where I was standing) so after eventually pitching up on the cliff top I enjoyed two and half hours of continual Thrush flocks heading west and s/west ... I didn't see anything unusual (well except for Francis who'd anticipated the extravaganza and decided to join in the fun when his inbuilt Thrush detector went off whilst looking around Foreness this morning) but it was certainly by far the best day of autumn so far up here. Between 09.00 and 10.00am 10,500 birds (mainly Redwings) passed through, then another 10,900 in the next hour and 3800 between 11.00 and 11.30 by which time things slowed down quite a bit so we decided to call it quits and come home. Quite how many birds in total is anyone's guess as I didn't notice any passing over my vantage spot down the other end which was away from their route travelling west but no doubt I must have missed quite a few or even quiet a lot? Mixed in amongst the throngs of Redwings were quiet a lot of Song Thrushes, 10+ Mistle Thrushes, plus a few Blackbirds and Fieldfares and at least 3 Ring Ouzels. I settled on around 1000 Song Thrushes to go with the 24,200 Redwings which gave me quite a hectic 150 well spent minutes. All the Bramblings, Mipits and the Thrushes were moving up on the cliff top where all the Crossbills were only seen moving from the Country Park. It's just a shame that both ends couldn't have had some coverage this morning. On top of this lot there were also 3 Little Stints, 6 Pink-footed Geese flying west and amongst the wild fowl singles f/juvenile Tufted Duck and a nice drake Scaup which was seen to fly in amongst a flock of Wigeon before landing offshore ... I can't remember the last time that I saw a drake Scaup? Amongst my many other notes for the day were 181 Brent, 28 Shelduck, 205 Wigeon, 26 Teal, 12 Gannet, c200 Dunlin, 11 Sanderling, 2 Knot, 60 Lapwing, 80 Golden Plover, 46 Grey Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 3 Avocet, 780 Oystercatcher, 19 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Alba Wagtail, 27 Meadow Pipit, 9 Skylark, 121 Siskin, 3 Redpoll, 12 Brambling and 71 Crossbill. (Phil M)

Saturday 8th October 2011 Dumpton Thanet

while I was working in the garden this morning, I noted a big movement of Thrushes mainly Redwings heading West / South West, the field behind my house had a little influx of about 12 Meadow Pipits and 4 Pied Wagtails, this being the best movement over my house this Autumn, (Gadget) 

Friday 7th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

A stiff n/west wind today so I set up for some vismig today, ignoring the cliff top and settling down on the Country Park where after a few stops I finally settled where I could get to the source of the birds which were moving mainly north in dribs and drabs. I eventually ended up right down where the old hide used to be, both to get out of the wind and as many of the birds could be seen flying north towards Shellness (prior to crossing the river and heading west - n/west across towards where I was set up) this was about as close as I could get to where much of the action was going on. It was slightly frustrating to see many birds gaining height once they crossed the river and not being seen once they got into Pegwell proper but that's just the way it goes. Quite a few birds were also arriving from the north and heading s/west too which caused me no end of headaches as to where to pitch up my stuff and watch from? I also had a quick look around some of the bushes between Stone Lees and the Country Park and watched the tide come in and go back out again before leaving at 11.30. My notes included 6 Greylag, 4 Brent, 44 Wigeon, 15 Little Egret, 1 male Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Common Buzzard, 2 Hobby, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 64 Dunlin, 4 Little Stint, 2 Knot, 180 Lapwing, 120 Golden Plover, 8 Grey Plover, 6 Sandwich Tern, 640 Great Black-backed Gull, 60 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull, 112 Meadow Pipit - 87 s/west and 25 n/west, 1 Tree Pipit - n/west, 11 alba Wagtail - north, 29 Skylark - n/west, 120 House Martin, 20 Swallow, 2 Sand Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, c12 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 11 Tree Sparrow - north, 46 Chaffinch - s/west, 125 Linnet - north, 2 Redpoll - north, 254 Siskin - north, 103 Goldfinch - north, 83 Crossbill - 5 s/west and 78 n/west, 49 Reed Bunting - 34 n/west and 11 s/west and 1 Snow Bunting - south. One last thing, 135 Ring-necked Parakeets flew south over the Country Park this morning - the most I've ever seen down at that end of the area. (Phil M)

Friday 7th October 2011 Fowlmead Country Park

I walked to Fowlmead from Deal along the bridle path birds noted. Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, all in fair numbers, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 chaffinch, 15 Goldfinch, 1Jay, 1 Kestrel, 3 Blackcap, 5 Goldcrest, House Martin, Swallows, all feeding on the wing, plus all the usual Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Woodpigeon, not many Starlings about on this patch. It was nice to be out in the afternoon sun. (Mike Divito)

Friday 7th October 2011 Pegwell cliff top

Not much of note over the last 2 days. Most of the Wheatears were gone yesterday leaving only 2 present. A few more Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes. Usual flyover finches. (Scott)

Thursday 6th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I arrived at much colder, windy bay at 06.50 and hung it out until 11.00. A 'bit' of vismig went on for a couple of hours before dying away as the cloud thinned but I also kept an eye on the dropping tide too. The highlights were 14 Little Egrets, 5 Pink Footed Geese - present on the mud - still there when I left, 34 Wigeon, 3 Little Stint, 215 Golden Plover, 1 Hobby, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, 1 Swift - south, 8 Sand Martins - west, 1 Raven, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 6 Redpoll, 89 Siskin and 1 Lapland Bunting flew north. (Phil M)

Thursday 6th October 2011 Ebbsfleet & East Minster Marshes

I took a walk around the marshes this afternoon, birds noted: 5 Skylarks, 15 Linnets, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 Robins, 5 Goldfinches, 6 Mallard, 1 Cormorant, 7 Mute Swans, 1 Grey Heron, cc60 Mixed Corvids, and cc400 Woodpigeons on my return walk to the car I noted a Barn Owl hunting the fields, (Gadget)

Wednesday 5th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

I watched between 06.45 and 12.00 today in cloudy conditions with an ever strengthening s/west wind. There were a few more birds today and although there was a trickle of vismig today it never really got going properly. I checked most of the area between the Country Park, Stone Lees, the Cliff Top and Hover Port seeing: 1 Red Throated Diver (which landed on the mudflat), 6 Little Egrets, 1 Canada Goose, 5 Brent, 4 Wigeon, 5 Teal, c50 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint, 1 Sanderling, 1 Knot, 8 Lapwing, 4 Grey Plover, 195 Golden Plover, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Snipe (west), 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 20 Chiffchaff, 30+ Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler and c6 Goldcrest. There were also lots of newly arrived Blackbirds plus about 30 Song Thrush and 4 Mistle Thrush. The visible migration totals were: 600 House Martin, 14 Skylark, 384 Meadow Pipit, 19 Alba Wagtail, 21 Chaffinch, 27 Goldfinch, 5 Redpoll, 155 Siskin, 20 Crossbill and 19 Reed Buntings. I also had nice views of a Raven flying north at 09.20. (Phil M)

Tuesday 4th October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Cloud early on raised anticipation (a bit) but it came to little on the vismig front even though we did get quiet a few Crossbills (including a flock of 31) and a few other bits and pieces aside. We watched between 06.45 and 11.00 seeing: 6 Little Egrets, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Lapwing, 50 Golden Plover, 4 Grey Plover, 32 Dunlin, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Little Stint, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Redstart, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 12 each of Blackcap and Chiffchaff etc. Overhead visible migration included: 50 Meadow Pipits, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtails, 34 Pied Wagtails, 5 Skylark, 14 Redpoll, 33 Crossbill plus a few Siskin, Reed Buntings etc. (Phil M)

Tuesday 4th October 2011 Pegwell Cliff Top area

Sorry for the lack of reports lately. It's been hard going in the heat and I haven't seen much - just the odd Wheatear and Whinchat plus a few everyday warblers and invisible flyover finches. Yesterday I saw my first 2 Redwings of the autumn, plus a Firecrest. Today was better with cloud, not much sun and cooler. From 9:30 to 2:30 I had a total of 25 Wheatears (6 together on the field just north of the Cliffsend housing estate at 10am, 6 scattered around the usual clifftop fields, 3 in the horse paddocks and 10 on the hover-port rocks around 1pm). Best bird was a Raven just before midday over the cliff top, mobbed by smaller corvids. The Crows etc. were so busy with the Raven they failed to notice a Common Buzzard heading strongly west at the same time. Flyover birds were actually viewable today with 3 Redpolls, 4 Siskins and 13 Crossbills all south. (Scott)

Monday 3rd October 2011 Pegwell Bay

Another lovely morning with wall to wall sunshine and flat calm too until around 8.30 when the s/west breeze started to pick up. I arrived at 06.40am and after a quick look at the dropping tide from the hover pad had a many hour wander around the entire area. Grounded migrants were hard to find except for a few Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Goldcrests etc but I did come across a Firecrest in the Country Park car park, a Redwing on the Hover Port and there was a definite increase in Jays today with perhaps ten birds present and 2 high flying migrants noted before I left at 11.15. Vismig numbers included 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 190 Swallows, 710 House Matins, 1 Sand Martin, 24 Pied Wagtails, 5 Grey Wagtails, 15 Skylarks, 44 Meadow Pipits, 10 Tree Sparrows, 15 Greenfinch, 14 Chaffinch, 20 Redpolls, 41 Siskin, 23 Crossbills and 7 Reed Buntings. Other bits and pieces included singles of Hobby, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Whitethroat plus there were 2 Bullfinch in Stone Lees. The mud flat was poor with very few waders out there at all save 56 Golden Plovers. (Phil M)

Sunday 2nd October Sandwich / Grove / Reculver

Due to the long foggy starts at Grove over recent weeks a change of tact was called for so, Adam, Mark and I met at Restharrow Scrape in Sandwich at 6.00 this morning hearing both Tawny and Little Owls as we pulled up. The Scrape held 3 Moorhens, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Snipe, 12 Teal and 1 Little Egret. Also a Cetti’s Warbler was heard. We then had a quick look around The Elms, not expecting to see Friday’s Yellow-browed Warbler, but, a Flycatcher of some sort would have been nice. The Elms was fairly quiet although we did find a mobile flock containing Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, several Chiffchaffs, 2 or 3 Goldcrests and 1 Firecrest. Leaving Sandwich we headed to our ancestral home, arriving at Grove Ferry just on 8.00am. The main pool was almost void of birdlife with just a few Teal, the odd Lapwing and 1 Dunlin to be seen. We made our way to the Feast hide for breakfast noting 3 Little Egrets and 5 Ring-necked Parakeets along the way. The hide was also  anon event with just 1 Pochard and a couple of Coots. Joined by Steve Ashton and Tim Gutsell we decide to try and photograph the Bearded Tits that are now in plentiful supply but, no sooner had we set up camp, so to speak, a call to Chiddy alerted us to an Osprey at Reculver that was showing well on the Oyster Farm. As this would be a new bird for Adam and, good photo opportunities for the rest of us we made our way over. At Reculver we caught up with Phil Parker who was also twitching the Osprey and we soon connected with this magnificent bird prey, sadly though it was at least 300 yards out in the middle of the Oyster Farm and it stayed perched for a good couple of hours. When it finally decided to take flight it flew away from us and gained height as it disappeared to the south west. Phil, who had already left phoned just as the Osprey was being lost to sight to say a Yellow-browed Warbler had been found at Bishopstone Glen, another new bird for Adam as well as Chiddy, so off we went soon locating the bird in the south west corner clearing from the car park. A few photos later we were all content and just after midday we made our way home after a good weekend in great company. (Martyn Wilson)

Saturday 1st October 2011 Newington Ramsgate

Whilst out in the back garden for about half an hour on and off whilst taking photos of a few moths in heat-wave conditions 4 Redwings and a Grey Wagtail passed south over the house. The Redwings have to be candidates for the hottest conditions Redwings have ever been recorded during autumn surely? (Phil M)

Saturday 1st  October 2011 Grove Ferry

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Glossy Ibis

27th October 2011

Goldcrest

18th October 2011

Great Grey Shrike

17th October 2011

Grey Phalarope

13th October 2011

Yellow-browed Warbler

2nd October 2011

Osprey

2nd October 2011