Monday 31st October 2005 Minnis Bay /
Very grey this morning, with occasional mainly light rain, and a
reasonable amount going on. I walked along the sea wall from Minnis Bay to
Coldharbour and the Oyster Farm, then back again, between 09:00 and 12
noon. There was quite a variety a duck moving west, albeit in small
numbers, including 3 Redhead Goosanders, 1 Red-breasted
Merganser (plus 2 more E), 7 Pintail, 7 Gadwall, 2 Pochard,
26 Teal, 48 Wigeon, 3 Shelduck and 1 Shoveler.
A flock of 13 Little Gulls flew east and a juvenile Arctic Tern
was feeding in Minnis Bay, whilst 6 Red-throated Divers, 28 Common
Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 120 Brent Geese were
sitting around offshore. A few waders moved west including 1 Ruff,
3 Snipe, 44 Lapwing and 14 Dunlin, whilst a Knot
flew east and 114 Ringed Plovers, 4 Curlew and 62 Grey
Plovers were roosting on the beach. Other bits included 1 Black
Redstart, 78 Chaffinches W, 1040 Starlings W, 3 Redpolls
W, 1 Yellowhammer E, 6 Stonechats, 100 Meadow Pipits,
60 Greenfinches, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons W, 7 Little
Grebes, 1 Redwing, 2 Water Rails and 8 Corn Buntings.
Derek Smith saw a Yellow-browed Warbler on the railway embankment
between the riding stables and Chamber’s Wall. (Tim Hodge)
Sunday 30th October 2005 Kingsgate
area
All south:
Great Northern Diver
1 Red-throated Diver
8 Gannet 1260 Leach's
Petrel 1 Sooty Shearwater 3 Scoter
110 Great Skua 8 Pomarine
Skua 2 Little Gull 23 Kittiwake 40 Auks 48 Hen
Harrier 1 west off sea. (F Solly)
Sunday 30th October 2005 Foreness / Northdown
Park
I
arrived at Foreness, well before sunrise - a consequence of the twice annual
fiasco surrounding the change from British Summer-time to Greenwich
Mean-time and vice versa! Despite a small amount of overnight rain, the
dawn was very clear and any birds that had been forced down had already
departed. I did manage to record 2 Swallow, 5 Brambling and
2 Grey Wagtails amidst a small movement of Chaffinch, Greenfinch
and Meadow Pipits as they moved eastwards along the cliff-top. A
walk down onto the beach revealed 7 Purple Sandpipers on the apron
below the pumping station and a steady procession of Gannets
passing by, east, out at sea. A walk across to Northdown Park was a frustrating
waste of time. I did record a few birds, yet the constant activity amongst
the dog-walking fraternity made it impossible to find any quiet areas to
work thoroughly. 20+ Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Redwing,
5 Mistle Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a flyover Grey
Heron did cause me to raise my binoculars, but I really struggled,
however, this is in no way meant as a complaint! I am really glad
that there are people enjoying the facilities of the Thanet district - I
just wish they could do it at times when I wasn't there! (Dylan)
Saturday 29th October 2005 University Campus
Canterbury
At least 40 Goldcrest around campus today, and
15 Brambling. A small mobile group of Redpoll, other
sightings included 6 Green Woodpecker, 14 Mistle Thrush, 6 Redwing,
and 25+ Fieldfare. The Barn Owl has been hunting most
evenings this week. (Ashley
P)
Saturday 29th October 2005 North Foreland to Foreness
I parked the car on the cliff-top at North Foreland shortly before 07.40
hrs. Heavy grey clouds obscured the dawn and, as such, the light was
awful! The first sign of vis-mig was provided by a nice flock of Woodpigeons
(1,350) that headed out to sea to be followed by several smaller groups
that eventually took my tally to around 1,700 birds. Chaffinch,
Greenfinch and Goldfinch were moving along the coast in small
numbers and I also recorded 2 Brambling and 13 Tree Sparrows
as I walked towards Foreness. 21 Swallows and 2 House Martins
were feeding over the green by Foreness pumping station and I counted 32 Meadow
Pipits foraging around the spoil heaps of the new pipeline. A group of
20+ Linnets were feeding on a weedy patch within the main compound
and a scan of the gulls revealed 3 Mediterranean that included an
un-ringed adult. By walking back along the beach I managed to relocate
both of the colour-ringed Turnstones that I had seen in September.
The Canadian bird wasn't particularly co-operative with my attempts at
photography, but the Dutch bird allowed me to record a few pics before it
departed to the roost site along the beach. (Dylan)
Friday 28th October 2005 Foreness
With negative news of the Penduline Tit at Pegwell, we decided to
have a wander around Foreness, in the hope of locating the Mediterranean
Gull (White - 1HC). It was a very pleasant afternoon out in the
sunshine. We located 3 Mediterranean Gulls, but they were the
regular birds, OHA, 3EV0 and the 2nd winter. Plenty of other stuff to keep
us amused. Sanderling and Ringed Plover were actively
feeding amongst the exposed chalk reef of the shoreline. By walking out
along the outflow pipe, below the pumping station, we found 4 Purple
Sandpipers quietly feeding amidst a small group of Turnstones.
Odd Curlew and Oystercatcher were also noted out on the
rocks. A careful scan of the gulls revealed a 1st winter Great
Black-back with a Norwegian colour-ring (JL9J), so the effort had
not been in vain. A lone Swallow flew south along the beach and we
noted a few Meadow Pipits around the "pitch & putt"
as we made our way back to the car. (Dylan & Frank)
Thursday 27th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
Pete Forrest phoned me this afternoon to say he’d just found a Penduline
Tit in the reedbed just to the south of the hoverpad at Pegwell, so I
dashed down there, met Francis, and we both got brief but nice views of
the bird before it flew south into the late afternoon sun. It might just
have landed back in the reedbed, or it might have gone. (Tim Hodge)
Thursday 27th October 2005 Minnis
Bay to Reculver
A long walk today (07:50-13:15) from Minnis Bay along the railway
embankment to Brook, then over to Reculver and back along the sea wall. A
very warm if somewhat breezy day, and whilst not quite as much about
generally as yesterday, still quite a few bits of interest. A redhead
Goosander was feeding offshore at Reculver before flying off east,
whilst westerly visible migration included 1 Woodlark, 2,460 Chaffinches,
48 Brambling, 42 Siskins, 6 Redpolls, 2 Tree
Sparrows, 2,600 Starlings, 2 Fieldfares, 12 Skylarks
and 15 Reed Buntings. Other bits included 2 Black Redstarts,
1 Wheatear, 1 Goldcrest, 60 Greenfinches, 52 Mute
Swans, 11 Gadwall, 18 Wigeon, 8 Little Grebes, 3 Sparrowhawks,
1 Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Peregrine Falcon,
2 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, 420 Lapwings,
120 Sanderling, 60 Turnstones, 2 Dunlin, 2 Curlews,
42 Grey Plovers, 52 Ringed Plovers, 4 Redwings, 41 Gannets
E, 4 Little Egrets, 95 Brent Geese, 63 Mallard, 110 Teal,
6 Stonechats, 30 Common Scoter, 97 Coot and 2 Tufted
Ducks. A Bullfinch was near the railway crossing at Chamber’s
Wall, an unusual locality for this species. (Tim Hodge)
Wednesday 26th October 2005 Chamber’s Wall / Minnis bay & Coldharbour
I had a pleasant wander from Chamber’s Wall along the railway
embankment to Minnis Bay then back along the sea wall to Coldharbour this
morning. Quite a few birds about, including 4 Ring Ouzels, 3 Wheatears,
1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 5 Stonechats, 4 Tree Sparrows,
1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Short-eared Owl, 4 Rock Pipits,
2 Water Rails, 1 Ruff W, 130 Reed Buntings, 5 Yellowhammers,
12 Corn Buntings, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Pintail, 42 Wigeon,
104 Teal, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Merlin, 17 Stock
Doves W, 550 Lapwings, 8 Brambling W, 16 Siskin
W, 12 Redpolls W, 14 Redwings, 80 Chaffinches W, 2 Sparrowhawks,
2 Jays, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker
and 2 Little Egrets. A further walk around Brooksend, Netherhale
and Shuart and back to Minnis Bay in the afternoon added 3 Black
Redstarts, 2 Eider, 35 Common Scoter, 41 Greylag
Geese, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Merlin, 1 Common
Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harriers, 31 Corn
Buntings, 2 Chiffchaffs and 87 Sanderling.
(Tim Hodge)
Wednesday 26th October 2005 Ring Report
Mediterranean
Gull Code 1HC 21st October 2005
Tuesday 25th October 2005 Late News
Sorry
it's a bit late news; we had a trip to Kent last week from Cambridge and
finished up in the Thanet area on Friday, 21st, for the morning (before
the deluge!). At Foreness point there were 4 Med. Gulls; two
adults, both ringed, on the green as we approached the area from Palm Bay,
then we went down to the beach looking at waders. After the tide pushed us
back up we encountered 2 adults again, but one was unrigged, the second
one now close enough to read the white plastic leg ring as 1HC, we
have been told this was ringed as an adult in 2000 in Belgium, and has not
been recorded in the UK before. There was also a 2nd winter bird present
at the time - so 4 in total. Round at North Foreland we managed to find 3 Purple
Sandpipers. Both sites had a smattering of Swallows (20 +
Foreness, 5 + N Foreland) and there were a couple of House martins
at Foreness. (Vince Lea & Louise Bacon)
Monday 24th October 2005 Ramsgate harbour
This afternoon, the dreary grey skies, frequent showers and strengthening
southerly winds all pointed to the prospects of a few gulls, sheltering on
the pontoons, over high water. So it proved. After finishing my shift, I
was on my bike and away to the harbour but, sadly, the only
colour-ringed individual I located was the regular Cormorant -
Red T/O! 50+ Great Black-backs were assembled on the central
pontoon in the outer harbour, accompanied by 9 Cormorants (all of
the race "sinensis" - the southern sub-species, including 2 with
BTO-type rings!) and 3 Lesser Black-backs (1 x 3rd yr & 2
x 1st winters). Herring Gulls were still numerous (200+),
although it was interesting to note that the vast majority (75% - ish)
were immature birds. Turnstones, Rock Pipits and a lone Kingfisher
provided the padding for my notebook entries - but it really was rather disappointing
not to find a colour-ringed Great Black-back in the prevailing
conditions and the lack of small gulls was a complete mystery?
(Dylan)
Monday 24th October 2005 Late News
21st
to 23rd October 2005 Thanet locations
I took Friday off and had a long weekend, managing to get out and about a
fair bit. Friday morning got off to a good start with a Ring
Ouzel in a neighbor's tree, which I watched from my kitchen window
from about 7:35 until 8:00 in the early morning gloom. I got to King
George VI park at around 9. Only a few Goldcrests in the
plantations and a couple of Redwings poking about in the leaf
litter near that big building. In the afternoon, after the heavy
rainfall during lunchtime, I did a circuit from home to Nethercourt Park,
Pegwell, Courtstairs Park and home again. In brighter conditions, a
flock of Chaffinches in N'court park had 2 Brambling in it
(m&f) and there was a Peregrine over the bay, scattering Woodpigeons. On
Saturday afternoon I went to N'court park again - just a few Goldcrests
and on to Northdown Park which held more Goldcrests, Redwings, a
Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaffs. All a bit ho-hum after recent
days but the park was alive with autumn colors. A short early
morning session back at King George VI on Sunday was pretty much the same
but was enlivened by a single surprise Swallow and 5 Crossbills
flying low overhead. (Scott)
Sunday 23rd October 2005 North Foreland &
Foreness
An early start was rewarded with nice views
of a Short-eared Owl hunting the golf course as I parked in
Elmwood Avenue. 2 Stonechats were perched prominently in bushes
besides the cycle path and a flock of 13 Stock Doves flew over
heading for the continent. The first of several Redpolls called as
it passed overhead and a reaction from the local gulls allowed me to watch
2 Long-eared Owls arriving in/off the sea. Vis mig was mainly Greenfinches,
but a few Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Linnet and Redpoll
were also noted. I bumped into Simon Mount, at Foreness, and we were
entertained by a couple of Black Redstarts feeding on the excavated
area of the "pitch & putt". Down on the beach, as Simon had
already found, there were 5 Mediterranean Gulls (4 adults & a
2nd winter). One of the adults was wearing a large metal ring, suggesting
Czechoslovakian origins, but this is purely a guess based on some
information from the Essex Bird Club and a study conducted around
Southend. A Sparrowhawk was hunting the newly excavated pipeline
and there were a nice group of 20+ Swallows feeding around the
grassy area, resting occasionally on the wire fence. Another Stonechat
was by the Captain Digby as I made my way back and there were still a few Goldcrests
and a single Firecrest in the Holme Oaks at the end of Convent
Road. (Dylan)
Saturday 22nd October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I
spent 2 hours on Saturday afternoon walking around Pegwell Bay Country
Park. Two pairs of Stonechats were showing nicely about halfway
between the car park and the hide. In a bush on the right just inside the
entrance to the ENR, a Bearded Tit showed brilliantly for several
minutes. A Redpoll and Corn Bunting were spotted in the same
area. (John R)
Saturday
22nd October 2005 North Foreland & Foreness
A
very enjoyable stroll along the coast, this morning. Vis mig was reduced
to just a trickle of Siskins, Gold & Greenfinches with
the added bonus of 3 Tree Sparrows over and another 2 decked near
the Captain Digby. Meadow Pipits and Song Thrushes were
quite numerous and I recorded 2 Wheatear and a male Stonechat
along the cliff-top at Foreness. A Redwing arrived in/off the sea
and rested for a few moments in a garden at Whiteness before continuing
onwards. Although I made no effort to count them, Robins and Pied
Wagtails seemed to be very conspicuous along my route and arriving at
the Foreness pumping station, I was delighted to see a large flock (100+)
of Swallows hawking insects over the cliff-top and along the
beach. I walked back along the shoreline and discovered a Norwegian
colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull, but was unable to get close
enough to read the code. Waders were quietly picking about on the weed
covered rocks and included Turnstone, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Curlew,
Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Dunlin. Apart from the odd Cormorant,
I didn't notice anything moving out at sea, but this is probably more to
do with my constant scanning of gulls legs than a true reflection of what
was happening. (Dylan)
Thursday
20th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
Pegwell turned up today: 2 Ring Ouzel, 1 Firecrest, 119 Brent,
80 Wigeon, 1 male Hen Harrier, 210 Grey Plover, 1390 Lapwing,
1300 Golden Plover, 115 Turnstone, 6 Little Egret etc.
(Phil M)
Wednesday 19th
October 2005 Kingsgate
3 Yellow-browed Warblers
and a Pallas's Warbler on this morning's round. 3 Short-eared
Owl, 1 Long-eared Owl and a Merlin flew in off the sea
during the course of the morning. Vis mig was unremarkable, the usual
finches - Redpoll/Siskin/Brambling etc in small numbers and a flock
of 11 Crossbill south. Others of at least some note included: 2
Black Redstart, 3 Wheatear, 4 Stonechat, 1 Ring
Ouzel and 1 Tree Pipit. Only about 50 Goldcrests and the
odd Chiffchaff and Blackcap (F Solly)
Wednesday 19th October 2005 Ramsgate Cemetery
A 'whiz' round the cemetery before work this morning
turned up the following species of note, over and above the commoner
stuff: 1 Brambling, 1 Siskin, 12+ Goldcrests, 8 Redpolls,
2 Swallows, 1 Woodcock, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Fieldfare
and a single Ring Ouzel. Not too bad for just over half an hour!
(Phil B)
Tuesday 18th October 2005 Kingsgate
One Richard's Pipit
flew West along the coast, a Dartford Warbler in the Cliff-top
scrub and 2 Woodcock flew in off the sea. (F Solly)
Tuesday
18th October 2005 Murston & Reculver
I went twitching this morning to see if the Great White Egrets
seen on the Swale opposite Murston yesterday afternoon were still there.
If they were, I didn’t see them, but did see 36 Little Egrets, 1 Slavonian
Grebe, 29 Great Crested Grebes, 40 Little Grebes, 1 Common
Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 60 Avocets, 21 Greenshank,
a flock of 19 Little Gulls flying S inland, 3 Redpolls, 1 Water
Rail and 1 Cetti’s Warbler, plus thousands of ducks and
waders feeding on the Swale, including Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Teal and
Black-tailed Godwits. A seawatch off Reculver included 15 Bonxies
W, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 probable Pomarine Skua, 10 Little
Gulls E and a few Brent Geese, Gannets, Common Scoter, Teal, Tufted
Ducks and Red-throated Divers. Ten Eiders and 2 Black
Redstarts were seen before I arrived. A Ring Ouzel flew in off
the sea, 2 Swallows flew east and c100 Goldfinches flew
west. I didn’t look for it, but a Yellow-browed Warbler was still
present in the caravan park. (Tim Hodge)
Tuesday
18th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
The stiff easterly breeze made most of the birding quite awkward this
morning - there did seem to be quite a lot of Crests about (audible
not visible) also a couple of Chiffchaffs plus a few Thrushes
and Finches over with 20 Redpolls (north) being the pick of
a rather poor bunch. A flock of 13 Pink-footed Geese flew n/west
mid-morning as I went down for the
incoming tide. On the tide - 12 Egrets, 141 Brent, 2 Gadwall,
59 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 30 Common Scoter (south) 650 Oystercatcher,
280 Curlew, 11 Bar-T Godwit, c300 Lapwing, 1430 Golden
Plover, 204 Grey Plover, 55 Knot, 11 Sanderling,
330 Dunlin, 150 Redshank, 1 Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean
Gull, 1 Peregrine, etc. (Phil M)
Tuesday
18th October 2005 King George VI Park, Ramsgate
A quick check around the park was all I could manage this morning. Amidst
the massed ranks of Goldcrests there were still two Yellow-browed
Warblers, one by the entrance next to the tennis courts and the other
over by the cafe. Nothing else of note apart from a Grey Wagtail,
that flew over West Dumpton Lane, as I walked home. (Dylan)
Monday 17th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I popped back down in the afternoon and as I was a bit early for the
dropping tide so I checked out the most likely leaf warbler spots on the
Country Park and Stonelees. The second area I checked showed up a
stunning Pallas' Warbler, which performed for a while before flying
across the cycle path into the roadside bushes/trees. Also in the same
plantation there were 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, which were showing
well at,
12.45 and then again at 2.30pm when I went back for another look. I
couldn’t relocate the Pallas' unfortunately. A third Yellow-brow
was heard calling in the fenced off bit 30 meters east of the horse field.
Very little else - a few Crests, the odd Redwing plus a Fieldfare,
10 Siskin and 2 Brambling over. The dropping tide wasn’t
much cop - the wader numbers are still extremely low and there continues
to be very little wildfowl except for Brent’s of which there were
67 present this afternoon plus a flock of 45 north. I didn’t count many
of the wader species except for 330 Curlew, 6 Bar-T Godwit,
3 Sanderling, 360 Dunlin, 45 Knot plus there were 10+
Egrets present. (Phil M)
Monday 17th October 2005 Ramsgate Cemetery Late News
Saturday 15th 07:30-09:00 With all the Yellow-browed
Warblers reported from other parts of Thanet and the County it was
surely only a matter of time (and perseverance) until I found one here. A
misty, murky kind of morning with a lightest ESE breeze. Skylarks
and Mipits heard and seen passing overhead (in all sorts of
directions!) The usual couple of Sparrowhawks were causing panic
amongst the Woodpigeons and keeping the Carrion Crows
amused. Other migrants included a few more Redwings, even more Song
Thrushes and an increased number of Chaffinches. Goldcrests
were well distributed around the site with calls coming from many areas of
trees and shrubs and it was whilst looking at these that the Yellow-browed
made its appearance along the boundary next to the allotments. Fly-over
included small groups of Brambling, Redpoll, Goldfinch, 2 Grey Wagtails
and a couple of 'albas' as well as a nice flock of 9 Crossbills.
(Phil B)
Monday 17th October 2005 Ramsgate Synagogue
& K/G/VI Park
We had a short walk around the circuit, from Dumpton
to the park then onto Ramsgate Synagogue (Montefiore NR) before
making our way back home. A Yellow-browed Warbler was calling as we
approached the park entrance, but we couldn't locate it in the high canopy
of the sycamores besides the tennis courts. A nice flock of Chaffinches
had a male Brambling in their midst and Goldcrests remain
very evident, despite a massive reduction in their numbers around the
park. We found a smart male Blackcap in the middle plantation,
along with another Brambling and a few fly over Siskin.
Montefiore NR held very similar numbers of birds, although the noise from
the adjoining building site made locating calling birds quite challenging!
Lots more Goldcrests and a smart male Great Spotted Woodpecker were
the highlights, although a Blackcap called from the dense
vegetation it remained unseen! (Dylan & Frank)
Monday
17th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
A nice but amazingly damp morning with not an awful lot going on other
than decent amounts of Crests, a few Thrushes and the
occasional Finch flock over. I checked between the west cliff down to the
Hoverpad between 8.00 and 11.00am seeing: 60 Song Thrush, 50 Redwing
and
2 Ring Ouzel over - plus another 50 grounded Redwing - also
2 Firecrest, c40 Goldcrest, 16 Brambling, 11 Redpoll,
5 Siskin, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 Wheatear and 40 Brent
Geese. (Phil M)
Sunday
16th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
Very little going on today - a little flurry of Thrushes and Finches
at dawn closely followed by very little else! I got bored and left at
9.30am.I received a text to say there was a Yellow-browed Warbler
in the sunken garden this afternoon (thanks Chris) I heard it at about
8.00am this morning but couldn’t be bothered to hang around for it to
show as it was a bit blustery on the clifftop this morning. The pick of
today’s count were: 6 Egret, 75 Brent, c50 Wigeon,
16 Pintail, 500 Lapwing, 1000 Golden Plover, 90 Redwing
(west) 6 Fieldfare (west), 1 Grey Wagtail, 60 Meadow
Pipit, 1 Swallow, 5 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, 40 Goldcrest
plus 6 Brambling, 45 Greenfinch, 100 Linnet, 20 Goldfinch,
20 Chaffinch, 5 Redpoll - all flyovers plus a decked Corn
Bunting. (Phil M)
Sunday
16th October 2005
King George VI Park, Ramsgate
A very pleasant session around the park, early morning. Great to see
other birders about, enjoying the thrill of searching through the hoards
of Goldcrests in the hope of locating an "eye-striped
companion". The clear overnight conditions meant that many of the
birds had moved away from the area, but there were still good numbers of Redwing
and Brambling present at first light. Siskins and Greenfinches
made up the bulk of the early morning "vis mig”, but I did record 3
Grey Wagtail, 1 "alba" Wagtail and a few Chaffinches
as well. There were a minimum of 3 Yellow -browed Warblers in the
park and both Chris Gibbard & myself, had tantalizing glimpses of a
bird that was probably a Pallas's Warbler - the thrills of bird
watching - you can't clinch 'em all!
A couple of Blackcaps and 3 Firecrest made up the
supporting cast, yet the day, again, belonged to the masses of Goldcrests
that were feeding in amongst the dense foliage of the parkland trees. I
found 8 more corpses along the undercliff - just how many birds died
around the Thanet coastline? Yet equally as important is "How
many more birds were involved and have made it onto the next leg of their
journey?" (Dylan)
Saturday 15th October 2005 Minnis &
Reculver
Lots of birds about today. I did a walk from Minnis Bay, along the
railway embankment to the White Poplars then across to the sea wall and
then a wander around the Reculver area, including a brief look at the sea.
Sightings included 300 Goldcrests, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler
in the caravan park (with another seen by others at Shuart), 2 continental
Coal Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Yellow
Wagtail, 1 Ring Ouzel, 3 Fieldfares, 15 Redwings,
60 Blackbirds, 30 Song Thrushes, 65 Brambling W, 7 Siskin
W, 4 Redpoll W, 80 Goldfinches, 250 Chaffinches, 3 Wheatears,
3 Red-throated Divers, 340 Brent Geese W, 17 Pintail
sitting off the Towers, 10 Wigeon W, 2 Teal E, 3 auks
E, 25 Gannets E, 2 Little Egrets, 20 Mute Swans, 2 Sparrowhawks,
11 Snipe in off, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Water Rails, 80
Lapwings W, 36 Great Black-backed Gulls, 25 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls, 1 Common Tern, 2 Swallows, 4 Grey
Wagtails, 4 Rock Pipits, 4 Stonechats, 100 Reed
Buntings and 12 Corn Buntings. (Tim Hodge)
Saturday 15th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
Craig phoned at the crack of dawn reporting lots of birds on the move over
Ramsgate. As I drunk my cup of early morning tea I saw a few Goldfinch,
Brambling, Chaffinch - lots of Redwing/Song Thrush and a single
Crossbill all flying south over the back garden plus 3 Little
Egrets flying north! I arrived on the farm at 7.15am - and there was a
steady trickle of vismig - mainly Thrush's plus the occasional Finch
flock etc. Pride of place went to the 'sibe' arrival on the clifftop.
A smart Pallas' Warbler flew up out of the sunken garden into the
clifftop scrub - showing down to about 20 feet before being lost to view.
Then 2 Yellow-browed Warblers came through the same area heading
east before settling in the corner of Chiltern Lane. There were at least 2
birds - they were calling to each other at about
8.00am. I wouldn’t be that surprised if there was a third bird calling
to the left of them in the tall sycamores of the sunken garden at one
point? I stayed until 11.00am checking the Farm/clifftop plus the
Hoverport and the west cliff seeing - many 100's of Thrushes - lots
of Song Thrush and Redwing earlier on mainly Redwing later
in the morning, 70 Greenfinch, 45 Goldfinch, 32 Siskin,
150 Brambling, c300 Chaffinch, 20 more Crossbill
including 3 that landed in the tall tree along Chiltern Lane - 2
Fieldfare, 50 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 1 Blackcap,
12 Chiffchaff, 40 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail, 130 Meadow
Pipit plus 125 Brent all which flew north out of the rather
misty Bay. There were also quite a few Sparrowhawks about this
morning. (Phil M)
Saturday 15th October 2005 King George VI Park, Ramsgate
Went there this morning from about 7.45. Tons of Goldcrests
everywhere and a few Brambling and Redwings.
Unexpectedly, a flock of 15 or so Siskin landed and I got some good
views. I bumped into Craig and we checked the plantations,
trying to pick out some gems among the Goldcrests. I found a Yellow-browed
Warbler in the first plantation (from the Ramsgate end) and went to
get Craig who was in the second plantation. Luckily, the Yellow-browed
Warbler was relocated and we both watched until it was lost to view.
That's the third one I've seen this year! Overhead there were Song
Thrushes, Redwing, Siskin and Redpoll. There
was only 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap (m&f) found.
(Scott)
Saturday 15th October 2005 North Foreland
I
was away from Dumpton just before 07.00hrs and drove over to North
Foreland. The dawn was a strange affair, as the sunlight struggled to
overcome the murky grey sky and the veil of mist that cloaked the entire
coastal strip. It soon became obvious that there were still large numbers
of Goldcrests present, their calls emanating from most patches of
vegetation be it coastal scrub or clumps of hawthorn. Overhead a steady
procession of Linnets, Gold, Green and Chaffinches were accompanied
by large numbers of Meadow Pipits, a few Song Thrush and Redwings.
An adult Mediterranean Gull flew north past Joss Bay and I arrived
at Whiteness Point having noted 7 Redpoll and a Brambling
flying south along the cliffs with a Black Redstart by the
ruined tower near the Captain Digby. More Meadow Pipits and
several Reed Buntings were decked around the grassy area and I
found a large mixed flock of Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Brambling
feeding on the "pitch & putt" beside the newly excavated
pipeline route. What a mess! Loads more Goldcrests plus the
discovery of three tiny corpses, the price that some of these birds pay
for their migration strategy. I also watched a male Kestrel
take two others, hunting like an owl - it perched on the blue wooden
fencing and dropping down onto its' unsuspecting prey. Nature in the raw.
A Yellow-browed Warbler called loudly, from a private garden in
Kingsgate, as I retraced my steps back to my car. Loads of birds to
be seen, I just never found that special one to make the session perfect!
(Dylan)
Friday October 14th 2005 K-G-VI Park
& Ramsgate Harbour
An early finish (13.00hrs) meant that I was able
to get out for a walk to the harbour. I phoned Frank and he agreed to tag
along. A steady northerly breeze and grey skies didn't bode well, but I
was just happy to be out birding. The park was fairly predictable, with a
few Goldcrests mixed in with the usual flock of Long-tailed,
Blue & Great Tits and we had nice views of a migrant Grey
Wagtail as it perched on the flint wall by the gatehouse. Song
Thrushes were present in good numbers and a nice flock of 70+ Redwings
dropped into the sycamores, by the tennis courts, before moving off north.
We made our way to Winterstoke Steps, being aware of lots of Goldcrests
in the cliff-top vegetation. Something was going on! Our walk to the
harbour, along the sea wall was accompanied by the constant calls of "crests".
They were everywhere, in the gardens, car parks and even on the chalk
cliffs! The harbour failed to produce any colour-ringed gulls, although
we did spent a fair time scanning through them. Frank getting to grips
with the finer points of the gull moulting sequence and aging -
particularly of the resident Herring Gulls. A couple of Rock
Pipits were feeding around the slipway and the second Grey
Wagtail, of the session, dropped into the old dry-docks briefly.
We could still hear Goldcrests and found a small group feeding
around the moored boats in the marina. A couple of guys were leaning on
the railings of the dry-dock and beckoned us over. There were 3 Goldcrests
hopping around the concrete walls, with others feeding amongst the parked
cars - it was brilliant. These tiny bundles of feathers were everywhere
and new birds were arriving all the time. Walking back towards the park we
witnessed many more feeding on the paths and cliffs, plus actually
watching several birds fly in off of the sea. Dog walkers and others were
fascinated by these birds and we were constantly being asked what they
were, where were they from and where are they going? It was great
privilege to be able to share the experience with so many other,
non-birding, people. A truly memorable session. (Dylan)
Friday October 14th 2005 Pegwell Bay
I tried a little vismig then went down for the dropping tide. Overhead a
few Redwing (100+) also 150 Goldfinch and 50 Linnets
then when I went down for the tide a Purple Heron flew southeast
near the bird hide
at 11.00am towards Sandwich. It appeared to keep going (i.e. not looking
like landing)- I’m not sure as I passed on my scope to another birder
who couldn’t find the damned thing. The tide turned up 13 Egrets,
2 Yellow-Legged Gull, 16 bar-T Godwit, 420 Dunlin,
c1500 Golden Plover, c1000 Lapwing, 130 Grey Plover,
14 Brent etc plus 5 Gannet and a pair of Common Scoters
passed by offshore. (Phil M)
Friday October 14th 2005 Westgate
I had a look at the sea for an hour from 09:30 today. One of those
annoying sea watches where there’s enough of a trickle to make you think
you ought to stay, but not enough to stop getting bored. As usual, I took
the give up early option. Bonxie 1 W, Little Gull 2 W, Gannet
71 E, Common Scoter 22 about, Eider 2, Red-throated Diver
3 E, Auk 6 E, Wigeon 15 W, Teal 5 W, Brent 1
W, Kittiwake 5 E, Skylark 6 E, Golden Plover 7 E and Sandwich
Tern 2 E. (Tim Hodge)
Thursday
13th October 2005 Westgate to Minnis Bay & Reculver Towers
I had a quick look along the front at Westgate this morning and saw 2 Black
Redstarts, 1 Peregrine and 2 Eider. This was followed by
3 hours at Minnis Bay from 9:00 until noon, and included 690 Chaffinches
W, 26 Siskin W, 2 Redpoll W, 1280 Starlings W, 5 Brambling
W, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 40 Blackbirds,
22 Song Thrushes, 156 Reed Buntings, 3 Corn Buntings, 2 Stonechats,
2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Eider, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Brent
Geese, 3 Little Egrets, 90 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 19
Teal, 1 Water Rail, 120 Meadow Pipits, 32 Ringed
Plovers, 30 Lapwings present + 24 W, 70 Goldfinches, 60 Linnets,
40 Greenfinches, 2 Mistle Thrushes and 130 Skylarks.
The wind turned to the north at lunchtime, but a 45 minute seawatch off
Reculver Towers only revealed 1 Razorbill W, 1 Common Scoter
E and 15 Gannets E. (Tim Hodge)
Thursday
13th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
A rather limp wristed attempt at checking the area today after the rain
abated turned up: 620 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, 6 Egret,
13 Brent, c40 Wigeon, 8 Goldcrest, 1 Blackcap,
2 Stonechat plus the odd group of flyover stuff c50 Goldfinch,
10 Siskin, 20+ Chaffinch, 15 Reed Bunting etc. Awful!
(Phil M)
Tuesday 11th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I did a two hour session from 07.15 this morning covering the
clifftop/Farm and Hoverport only as it was so poor bird wise I got fed up
and came home. Very little about - a Corn Bunting on the Farm and 2
Yellowhammer on the clifftop the best of a poor bunch. A few Redwing
and Finch's passed by overhead - 10 Linnet, 4 Chaffinch,
38 Greenfinch, 54 Goldfinch, 1
Brambling, 6 Siskin also 3 Mistle Thrush, 6 Redwing,
2 Grey Wagtail etc. The bushes were virtually devoid of migrants
barring lots of Robins and a few Blackbirds the odd Chiffchaff
& Blackcap and a handful of Goldcrest. (Phil M)
Monday
10th October 2005 Pegwell Bay & Stonelees
I popped back down after lunch to have a look at the incoming tide plus
check whether or not the Yellow-browed
Warbler was still in Stonelees. It was but was hard to see in the more breezy
conditions today. It was favoring the sallow plantation just inside the
'fruit and veg' gate. The tide was once again uneventful there were: 17 Egret,
24 Brent, 5 Wigeon, c50 Mallard, 1 Sandwich Tern,
111 Grey Plover, c100 Golden Plover, c200 Lapwing,
390 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 26 Knot, 1 Black-t
Godwit, 5 bar-T Godwit etc. Awful! (Phil
M)
Monday 10th October 2005 Pyson's Road &
Newland's Farm
As
I was walking home from Pyson's Road, just after 14.00hrs, there was a Yellow-browed
Warbler calling continuously from the sycamores around the Newland's
Farm paddocks. I flushed a female-type "Greenland" Wheatear
from besides the footpath as I rushed to get home in an attempt to get the
Yellow-browed Warbler on my garden list! I failed dismally -
despite standing on the garden picnic table to get a better angle!!
(Dylan)
Monday 10th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I checked the entire area between the west cliff and the Hoverport this morning
(between 08.00 and 11.00) seeing - 7 Tree Sparrow (east) 3 Grey
Wagtail, 4 Coal Tit, 12 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 3
Chiffchaff and 2
Blackcap plus a bit of westerly finch passage turned up 17 Siskin,
5 Redpoll, 49 Greenfinch and 3 Brambling. (Phil M)
Monday 10th October 2005 Beacon Road to Kingsgate
Starting
from home 16:00 to 17:30 a walk through Beacon Road to the sound of Goldcrest.
The fields along the road to Joss Bay revealed many Mistle
Thrushes along with three Grey Partridge. Along the edge
of the golf course and on to Kingsgate. From the cliffs opposite the
Fairness could be seen the following on the beach, it was high tide. Oystercatcher,
Turnstone, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Pied Wagtail with the
usual Black Backed and Herring Gull. I am 99% sure
there were fourteen Redshank there too having trawled through
my book. I still need some guidance on wader recognition. If you saw them
and came to a different conclusion let me know. No sign of the Egret
today that I have seen on the rocks below the Captain Digby lately.
(Simon
P)
Sunday
9th October 2005
Northdown Park
There was a single Yellow Browed Warbler in the Northeast corner
of Northdown Park this afternoon. Also three Blackcap
and a few Chiffchaffs & Goldcrests present. (Andy)
Sunday
9th October 2005
Duncan
Road Ramsgate Thanet
A
Yellow-browed Warbler has spent today in back gardens of Duncan
Road Ramsgate Thanet Also 1 Chiffchaff. (Nick Lever)
Sunday
9th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
The day started off with a 'biggie' when a continental Coal Tit
landed briefly in the Cherry tree in my back garden before flying off
s/west over the houses. Pegwell turned up: 15 Egrets, 21 Brent,
2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 1 juv Marsh Harrier, 3 Black-T
Godwit, 4 Sandwich Tern, 1 Ring Ouzel, 3 Lapland
Bunting, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler and 1 Firecrest in
amongst a lot of lesser birdies. The Lap's were in the salt marsh
on the reserve and the Yellow-brow Warbler, Ring Ouzel and Firecrest
in Stonelees. (Phil M)
Sunday 9th October 2005 Grenham
Bay Thanet
I
know these birds are more common now but i have just watched 4 Little
Egrets feeding at Grenham Bay (next to Minnis bay on the Margate
side!) I have often seen them in the Sandwich area and even one at Deal,
but this is the first time i have seen them locally.
(Barbie from Birchington)
Sunday 9th October 2005 King George VI Park Thanet
I managed to successfully negotiate an early morning session at King
George VI Park today, arriving just after 7am and leaving just before 9am. A
(or the) mixed flock of Tits/Crests etc. was in the first
plantation this time and contained several Goldcrests, about 3 Chiffchaffs
(including a very yellow one), 2 cracking Firecrest, a Yellow-browed
warbler (which allowed excellent close views) and a continental Coal
Tit. I was just standing in the plantation and the birds were
all around me. Great stuff. Elsewhere in the park there was
still a mixed Chaffinch/Brambling flock by the rifle range, a few
more Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps (m & f). (Scott)
Saturday 8th October King George VI Park & Friday 7th
Went there last night after work for a couple of hours 4-6pm. A
mixed flock of Chaffinches and Brambling were feeding in the
trees near the rifle range. As I was watching them (well, the Brambling)
a mixed flock of Tits and Goldcrest came by which contained
at least one "continental" Coal Tit. Went
back lunchtime today and relocated the Tit/Crest flock, and
heard a Yellow-browed Warbler in the same area but could not
get on it. (Scott)
Saturday
8th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I did a shorter session today (07.15-10.30am) only checking the Farm /
hoverport and the clifftop I couldn’t be bothered to check the west
cliff or wait for the incoming tide today. Today’s highlights were a
flock of 6 Woodlark flying s/east over the Hoverport at 08.10 plus
another heard calling overhead soon after (unseen) and yesterdays Lapland
Bunting still present in the big ploughed stubble field. Overhead - 2 Tree
Sparrow, 88 Song Thrush, 88 Linnet plus a handful of Siskin,
Redpoll, Chaffinch etc plus Franny heard a Coal Tit calling on
the clifftop. (Phil M)
Friday 7th October 2005
Shuart/Reculver Caravan Park/Chamber’s Wall
There were at least 13 Yellow-browed Warblers in the area today,
with 6 at Shuart, 4 in Reculver Caravan Park and 3 in the Chamber’s
Wall/Railway Embankment area. Other bits included 2 Firecrest, 1 Ring
Ouzel, 1 Redstart, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser
Whitethroat, 25 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 40 Goldcrests,
120 Swallows, 500 Goldfinches, 270 Linnets, 120 Song
Thrushes, 80 Skylarks, 70 Siskins, 15 Redpoll, 10
Brambling, 3 Grey Wagtails, 70 Wigeon, 8 Teal,
4 Tufted Ducks, 1 Ruddy Duck, 2 Continental Coal Tits,
15 Little Grebes, 12 Grey Herons, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Snipe,
8 Gannets, 3 Marsh Harriers, 3 Peregrines, 2 Sparrowhawks,
1 Merlin, 35 Golden Plovers, 75 Stock Doves, 1 Little
Owl, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Rock Pipits, 8 Stonechats, 1 Fieldfare,
3 Cetti’s Warblers, 60 Chaffinches, 100+ Reed Buntings
and 2 Corn Buntings. There were also 5 Continental Coal Tits in
my back garden in Westgate at lunchtime. (Tim Hodge)
Friday 7th October 2005 Foreness & North Foreland
I didn't get out until after 09.30hrs and headed off to Foreness to check
for migrants. I had already recorded 1,200 Song Thrushes, 74 Swallows,
3 Siskin, 67 Goldfinches, 31 Redwing, 23 Blackbirds,
4 Brambling, 32 Meadow Pipits, 11 Skylarks and an
immature male Peregrine in an hour or so, just standing in the back
garden! I knew that there had to be a few birds about. Foreness was
relatively quiet, just 30-ish Goldcrests and a calling Yellow-browed
Warbler along Convent Road. Song Thrushes, Redwings and Blackbirds
continued to move overhead. Continuing across to North Foreland
Lighthouse, after a tip-off, I was able to catch up with the 1st year Great
Grey Shrike that Francis had found the previous day. It was feeding in
and around the Lighthouse garden, using the various trees and bushes as
look out posts. A cracking bird, although extremely mobile, I
was able to get a nice series of pictures as it sat up on various vantage
points around the area. Vis-mig continued with Thrushes dominating
proceedings, but I also noted 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Grey
Heron along with fair numbers of Goldfinches, Siskin and Meadow
Pipits. (Dylan)
Friday
7th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I started at 07.30am - almost immediately picking up a flyover Hawfinch
which went low overhead at about 07.32am!A very good start to the day even
if it was a flyover as it's only the forth area record as far as I know?
Once again grounded migrants were at a premium - though there were 50+ Meadow
Pipits on the Hoverpad and a Redstart on the chine, but a
steady trickle of vismig during the morning turned up: 9 Mistle Thrush,
60+ Song Thrush, 6 Redwing, 12 Jackdaw, 10 Grey
Wagtail, 32 'alba' Wagtails, 65 Meadow Pipit, 120 House
Martin, 1140 Swallow, 3 Tree Sparrow, 2 Brambling,
62 Greenfinch, 38 Linnet, 47 Chaffinch, 1230 Goldfinch
(plus
another 250+ present) 161 Siskin, 9 Redpoll and 18 Reed
Buntings. A group of 3 Lapland Buntings flew west at 07.45 plus
there was another one settled on the edge of the fields near the cycle
path with a small group of Linnets about an hour later. I didn’t
wait for the tide to come in but I did pick up 12+ Egrets, 29 Brent,
260 Wigeon, 27 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 260 Lapwing and
280 Golden Plover scanning from the chine. There was a Yellow-browed
Warbler in the isolated Sycamores (near the Witch Elm on the cliff) in
the park on the west cliff, showing well at 10.30.In the afternoon I went
over to Northdown Park to see how many Yellow-brows were in there
and was surprised to find NONE! (Phil M)
Thursday 6th
October 2005 Bockhill Farm NT, St. Margaret's
A strange day, the still air and murky grey skies never lifted and,
although warm, everywhere appeared dull and lifeless. Frank provided the
wheels and we went along for the change of scenery. A Black Redstart,
in Gadget's back garden, got things off to a bright enough start. I
got much better when we turned of the Dover Road and headed across towards
St. Margaret's Village and had an encounter with a young male Red Deer
- see the non-avian page. Parking by the monument, we walked down the
track to Farm Wood. All very quiet apart from a couple of calling Goldcrest
and a Firecrest. Other birders reported a Yellow-browed Warbler
(possibly two?), but we headed off beyond the Freedown to survey the
fields around Hope Point. 22 Grey & 7 Red-legged Partridges
were on the hillside below the golf course and a large mixed flock of Swallows
(250+) & House Martins (40 ish) were feeding in a most unusual
fashion. They were alighting on the newly tilled soil and taking insects
from the surface, picking around amidst small groups of Meadow Pipits.
None of us could recall seeing this behaviour previously. Skylarks
were present in healthy numbers; some birds were in full song. We noted a
couple of Chiffchaffs feeding in a small remnant section of the
hedgerow by the Freedown fence. Walking back to Farm Wood we eventually managed
to record 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaff
and a Firecrest plus 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Brambling
and a small number of Chaffinches. We then walked up the lane to
McSwiggan's, seeing a couple more Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests
and a superb Firecrest. The paddock held 3 Stonechat (2m
& 1f) and we flushed a Kestrel from the hedgerow. Apart from
the odd Redwing, there were 50+ Song Thrushes around the
hedgerows, with others passing overhead, and Robins seemed
particularly numerous, although we made no effort to count them. (Frank,
Gadget & Dylan)
Thursday 6th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I arrived at 7.30 - it was gloomy and there wasn’t much going on other
than lots of Song Thrushes and Goldfinches plus the very occasional
Finch flock going over. However eventually my efforts were rewarded with
poor views of an extremely skulking Barred Warbler on the cliff
near the Farm at 08.20 and good flight views of a Richard's Pipit
which flew west along the chine
at 10.00am.I did recheck the area where the Barred Warbler was 3
more times but couldn’t get it to re-show. I walked the entire area
(every bit!) until 11.00am - seeing: 1 Wheatear, 3 Grey Wagtail,
52 'Alba' Wagtails, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Tree Pipit, 30 Skylark,
60 House Martin, 920 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 6
Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaffs, 15 Goldcrest, 2 Brambling,
63 Chaffinch, 670 Goldfinch, 58 Siskin and 10 Redpoll.
I made an effort to try and count the Song Thrushes, which came out
at 350 birds. There were also a few Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrushes
and a single Fieldfare. The incoming tide was once again very poor,
though there were 3 Avocets, 130 Turnstone, 1 Black-T
Godwit, 120 Golden Plover, 17 Egrets, 61 Brent,
170 Wigeon, 114 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler
and 86 Teal. Tim phoned about dinner time to tell Me there was
quite an arrival of Yellow-browed Warblers on the north Thanet
coast so on my way home I re-checked all the likely Yellow-brow spots. I
came across naff all until I got to the west cliff where I came across 1 Yellow-brow
Warbler showing in the sycamores near the windy road (at 1.20pm) plus
there was another calling it's head off from the grounds of Court Stairs.
(Phil M)
Thursday
6th October 2005 Kingsgate Thanet
Another morning off birding in
the Kingsgate area. No wind this morning but surprisingly even less in the
bushes, mostly Song Thrushes with a scattering on Chiffchaffs
and Goldcrests. A substantial movement of Song Thrush with
400 present and 2500 s/sw - would have been a lot more - they were very
high and I often wasn't looking for them. The
usual finches - Goldfinch/Linnet/Redpoll/Brambling etc (10 Brambling
also decked) were moving although not in particularly noteworthy numbers
although as with the Thrushes I didn't do much vis-mig. A
single Woodlark flew West along the Cliff-top and a Ring Ouzel was
briefly present. One of yesterday' s Yellow-browed Warblers was
still present. A fine trio of birds within 50 yards of each other - a very
obliging Great Grey Shrike, a Red breasted Flycatcher and a
decked Richard's Pipit (it had a tatty tail so was presumably
different to yesterday's 'neat' tailed fly through) (F Solly)
Wednesday
5th October 2005 Ramsgate Cemetery & King George VI
Park
My first Brambling and Redpoll, of the autumn, flew over
the garden as I was hanging out the washing - "Oh the joys of
domestic drudgery!" I quickly completed my task and headed across to
Ramsgate Cemetery. Apart from a steady trickle of migrant’s overhead,
the place was rather quiet. Save for a few Goldcrests everything
else was much as expected, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jays,
Mistle Thrushes, Parakeets, Sparrowhawk, etc. Overhead Redwings,
Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches and Goldfinches made up the bulk of
the vis-mig with another Brambling and 3 Song Thrushes to
keep me on my toes. Onwards to the rather grandly named Montefiore Nature
Reserve (formerly the area around the Ramsgate Synagogue!) with very
much the same outcome. Plenty of Goldcrests, but nothing else to
fill the spaces in my notebook. King George VI Park was another
disappointment, but I did manage to find a lonely Chiffchaff in the
middle plantation and a couple of Swallows were hanging around in
the shelter of the mature trees in the centre of the park. Walking back
along West Dumpton lane I counted a nice flock of 37 Redwings
heading SW towards Pegwell and a few Meadow Pipits flying in the
opposite direction. (Dylan)
Wednesday
5th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
I did a 10.00 till 1.30 session today. Very poor around the bushes yet
again but a little bit of vismig with 120+ Redwing, 1 Fieldfare,
1 Tree Sparrow, 3 Brambling, 140 Goldfinch, 17 Siskin,
1 Redpoll, 1 Grey wagtail etc over plus another 270 Goldfinch
present - 150+ feeding on the salt marsh and 120 around the Country Park.
Other bits included 20 House Martin and 70 Swallows
lingering or north plus 4 Wheatears in the top fields. The tide was
fairly quiet though there were 121 Knot, 330 Golden Plover,
63 Grey Plover, 63 Brent and 11 Egrets on the
mudflat. The Spoonbill was spotted flying south over the marsh at
about 12.00. (Phil M)
Wednesday 5th October 2005 Kingsgate
Thanet
Took the morning off to flog
the Kingsgate bushes in the NE breeze - unfortunately just strong enough
to blow out about half the area. Very little in the way of regular
migrants in the bushes and mostly Robins, Song Thrushes, Chiffchaffs
and Goldcrests. The more notable things were 2 Yellow-browed
Warblers, a Richard's Pipit flying South, 2
Lapland Buntings and perhaps the best bird - at least for Thanet, a
Hawfinch. The cliff-top was populated by 6 Wheatears, 3 Stonechats
and about 100 Mippits and not forgetting billions of Dog-walkers.
Vismig was mostly Goldfinches -
1000 sw/s with a small number of Siskin, Redpolls and the odd Brambling.
I didn't do any sea-watching as such, just odd scans revealing Gannets,
Scoters and the occasional Skua. (F Solly)
Tuesday
4th October 2005 Pegwell Bay
Very few grounded migrants again today only a few Chiffs, Blackcaps
and Crests to show for a very long, tiring, boring walk around the
area. I did get a few things flying over early on - mainly Thrushes (15
Song Thrushes and 6 Redwing over) plus the first Brambling
of the Autumn. Most of the vismig didn’t pick up though until I reached
the Country Park where a trickle of Finches, Mipits etc went over
either north or west. Totals between 7.10 and 12.00 were: 3 Grey
Wagtail, 25 'Alba' Wagtails, 37 Meadow Pipit, 3 House
Martin, 21 Swallow, 3 Brambling, 8 Chaffinch, 30 Greenfinch,
32 Linnet, 275 Goldfinch (plus another 210 present) 6 Redpoll
and 89 Siskin the latter boosted by a flock of 30-40 birds
flying n/west by far the biggest flock I’ve seen all autumn. I did have
a jaunt around the Country Park where I came across a latish Whinchat,
2 Blackcap and a decked Brambling. On arrival on the Country
Park for the tide there were lots of Gannets flying south - very distantly
but the light was very good. They were going through in groups of up to 25
birds and I recorded 305 birds with most of the action before 10.00am when
they slowed down considerably. I also picked up a quite close bonus Sooty
Shearwater that flew north at 10.27 at about
Harbour range. Only the second Sooty I’ve ever seen in the Bay. Other
bits over the sea included 39 Brent, 2 Divers, 2 Great
Skua's, 2 Arctic Skua's and a handful of Terns and Scoter.
There were other bits of Wildfowl, which were too far out for ID. Present
in the Bay: another 78 Brent, 90 Wigeon, 27 Teal, 2 Pintail,
15 Egret, 300 Golden Plover, 47 Knot etc. and about a
dozen Sandwich Terns. (Phil M)
Monday
3rd October 2005 Late News
Leeds
Castle - Renault Open Day (no we're not advertising) Report
Monday
3rd October 2005 Grenham Bay /Shuart/Chamber’s Wall/Coldharbour and Bockhill
I sea watched off Grenham Bay yesterday morning, seeing much of what
Phil’s already reported, plus an extra juvenile Long-tailed Skua,
although I did see the dark-rumped Whimbrel which flew past at
10:55, presumably a Hudsonian Whimbrel. There was a bit of visible
migration around the Shuart/Chamber’s Wall/Coldharbour area today.
Between Mat Hindle, Derek Smith and me we saw 250+ Goldfinches, 2 Crossbills,
4 Brambling, 11 Redwings, 30 Redpolls, 40 Siskins,
6 Grey Wagtails, 8 Stonechats, 20 Chiffchaffs, 6 Goldcrests,
1 Merlin and 1 Buzzard. I also popped down to Bockhill in
the afternoon and got great views of the Radde’s Warbler there. I
felt that after having seen 9 Dusky Warblers, it was about time I saw a Radde’s
Warbler, and a very nice bird it was too.
(Tim
Hodge)
Monday
3rd October 2005 Hoverpad/Chine/Farm
I started off just before 8.00am - checking the Hoverpad/Chine/Farm seeing
very little. The odd Siskin and Redpoll over plus 30 odd Goldfinch
etc. Grounded migrants were very scarce with only a handful of Chiffchaffs,
Blackcaps and Goldcrests. At 9.30 I went down to Pegwell for
the incoming tide where a bit of westward vismig started - 19 Siskin,
40 Linnets, 140
Goldfinch, 14 Reed Buntings, 19 Skylark and 66 Meadow
Pipits went west plus 16 Swallows and 2 Sand Martin flew
north. Out on the mud all the regular stuff plus 1 Black-T Godwit,
2 Whimbrel (normal birds) 1 Curlew
Sandpiper, 8 Egrets and the Spoonbill. Quite a bit more
wildfowl present since my last visit with 33 Brent present and 12
more south, 175 Wigeon, 185 Teal, 2 Pintail plus a
bonus of 3 Pink-footed Geese which flew into the Bay from the east
before veering off to the south over the sea at 10.05am. Other bits seen
included: 1 Merlin, 2 Peregrine, 5 Sparrowhawk and 2
Sandwich Tern. (Phil M)
Sunday
October 2nd 2005 Minnis Bay & Pegwell
I did another weird thing today - a seawatch off Minnis Bay. Don’t ask
Me what's going on as I don't know? Up early - 30 minute bike ride and I
was off, just before 7.00am.It was very slow for the first hour and a half
(luckily I had someone to have a chinwag with) but around 8.30-9.00am it
picked up with quite a lot of Great Skua's (150 west between
9.00 and 11.00am) plus the odd Sooty/Manx and a juv Long-tailed
Skua, which showed reasonably well in the autumn sun. I left at 1.45pm
seeing: 185 Great Skua, 55 Arctic Skua, 1 Long-tailed
Skua, 6 Sooty Shearwater, 6 Manx Shearwater, 1-200 Gannet,
c100 Sandwich and c100 Commic Terns, 22 Kittiwake, 9 Auks,
21 Brent, 1 Shelduck, 10 Wigeon, 100+ Common
Scoter, 1 Velvet Scoter, 2
Red-throated Divers plus a few other bits and bobs. I may have
overlooked 1-2 Pomarine Skuas also?? Most of the Skua's were
heading west as were the wildfowl (save 100+ Scoter which were
sitting offshore and another 100+ going each way) The Terns and the
odd Skua/Shearwater were heading east. One of the other watchers
reported c30 Egrets, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Bar-headed and
9 Brent’s at Pegwell on the incoming tide this morning. I must
have overlooked this Whimbrel, which flew through the area this
morning. (Phil M)
Saturday 1st October 2005 Pegwell, point & Backsand Scrape
I have been meaning to get across to watch the dawn at Pegwell for some
time, so I left Bev, well akip, and was away at 05.20hrs. I parked by
Manwood's School and walked to the point. It is a fabulous time of day, as
the sky brightens from the East and flocks of gulls move inland from their
nighttime roosts out in the bay. Dawn was beautifully calm and bright with
the added bonus of the juvenile Spoonbill feeding in the mouth of
the River Stour. High tide was at 10.17hrs, so I had a long wait. Good
numbers of birds in the bay, yet nothing much to raise the adrenalin
levels. Waders included 450+ Oystercatcher, Redshank, Grey Plover,
Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, 1 Black-tailed
Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Greenshank. A pale phase Arctic
Skua was harassing Sandwich Terns off of the point and there
were at least 7 Little Egrets around the site. 4 Swallows
headed north and a small group of House Martins followed the same
route later in the morning. I made my way back, via Backsand Scrape where
I counted 62 Redshank, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Wigeon
& 78 Teal. A juvenile Stonechat was along the fence-line as I
walked back towards the Polly Tunnels with a scattering of Golden
Plover and Lapwings on the ploughed fields besides the river
walk. (Dylan)
Saturday 1st October 2005 Grove Ferry
Been down Grove Ferry again this morning at about 12-30hrs a Grey Heron
flew across the pool at the green hide and caught a Little Grebe
after a half hour it eventually swallowed it. To the distress of onlookers
it took the Grey Heron sometime to subdue the Little Grebe,
by trying to drown it and stabbing it. This took place across the far side of the
pool so my image is not very good, as it had to be enlarged to get a
reasonable image. Thought it might interest you, as I have never seen a
heron take a bird this size before. I rather like the audience of
mallards.
(Don W)
