Tuesday 30th September 2008 Dumpton Thanet

Not much to report, grey skies, westerly winds and intermittent showers for most of they day. Meadow Pipits moving overhead were the only sign of migration early morning, but Robins, Song Thrushes and Redwings in the hedgerows and Old Rose Garden, as I walked home from work, were sure signs that birds are still passing through the area. A huge, juvenile, female Sparrowhawk, posed briefly on the garden fence, allowing me to grab a few pics from the kitchen doorway. (Dylan)

Monday 29th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

I spent an hour walking around the cemetery this afternoon. It was quiet other than lots of Goldcrests (30+), 10 Chiffchaff and 300+ House Martin were wheeling about overhead or moving n/west. Other bits seen included singles of Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart - 3 Wheatear,50 Meadow Pipit,10 Siskin west and 2 Common Buzzards, which were hanging about in the general area often giving very good views as they flew low over the cemetery getting mobbed by the local Sparrowhawks. (Phil M)

Monday 29th September 2008 Pegwell Bay area

Another nice mixed bag of migrant birds today carried on the good spell locally. I expected some vismig this morning with the cloud cover and a light n/westerly but there was very little going over early morning nor very much grounded with just a handful of Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Crests, 3 Wheatear and a few flyover Meadow Pipits, Alba Wagtails, 150+ Wood Pigeon and 9 Song Thrush on my walk around the farm fields and hover pad. A latish Yellow Wagtail also flew over the farm before I left for the Country Park and Stone Lees. It was apparent immediately that many of the passerines were moving north over the area south of the hover port as they have been for the past two weeks. I checked all the bushy habitat with one eye on the sky until 11.30 seeing: 2 Wheatear,1 Redstart, 2 Stonechat, 28 Blackcap,4 Lesser Whitethroat,1 Garden Warbler,19 Chiffchaff and 40+ Goldcrest grounded plus moving overhead 4 Tree Pipit, 260+ Meadow Pipit, 8200+ House Martin, c1000 Swallow, 6 Skylark, 2 Grey Wagtails, 85 Alba Wagtails, 115 Goldfinches, 17+ Redpoll, 150 Siskin and 1 Brambling. Other bits included 1 Common Buzzard, An Osprey s/west at 10.15,2 Peregrine, 1 Merlin, 6+ Sparrowhawk and a group of 4 Pink-footed Geese n/west inland at about 10.00am.Also seen on the incoming tide were 1 Brent, 39 Shelduck, 70 Mallard, 7 Pintail, 22 Teal, 65 Wigeon, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 80 Golden Plover, 2 Greenshank, 230 Dunlin and 1 Little Stint. I forgot to mention on yesterday’s entry that I saw the Common Buzzard again still present near the roundabouts at the Lord of the Manor. It was getting mobbed by a few Crows yesterday evening in the same spot where I first saw it on the 21st of the month. I would presume today’s Buzzard was the same bird as I could see it hunting between the Country Park and Manston on and off from 10.45.The rat eating Grey Heron was still there too.  (Phil M)

Monday 29th September 2008 North Foreland Area  

Much quieter in the area this morning, only a handful of Wheatears about with 2 Whinchat and 1 Common Redstart there was Meadow Pipit, and House Martin moving over the golf course and a few Pied Wagtails in the car park at Joss Bay, other bits observed 20+ Goldcrests, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 17 Robins, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Jay’s, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels,  (Gadget)

Sunday 28th September 2008 Ramsgate and Pegwell Bay

A few bits over the garden before the grand prix included yet another Tree Pipit and a singing Chiffchaff plus a few Meadow pipits and 100+ House Martin south etc. I made the mistake of going down to Pegwell after the race knowing full well from past experience during sunny Sunday afternoons the place is a no go area. After almost getting ploughed down by some idiot on a go kart on the hover pad amongst the rest of the assembled circus I came across a few bits that included a Yellow-browed Warbler which I pished out in Stone Lees. I had been checking some of the areas I'd seen Yellow-brow's in the past and whilst re-opening an old path that has grown over during my recent sabbatical from the area (and after making a right row in the process) I eventually reached the Pfizer’s fence and first 'pish' a Yellow-brow came whizzing towards me so close that I actually identified it with the naked eye! Other migrants included 2 Whimbrel,1 Greenshank,13 Wheatear, 50 Goldfinch north,40 Meadow Pipit N/west,1 Tree Pipit north, 4+ Chiffchaff, 6+ Blackcap, 20+ Goldcrest and 5 Stonechat. The second rarity of the day came in the shape of 12 flyby Canada Geese - well rare for Pegwell anyway. (Phil M)

Sunday 28th September 2008 Dumpton Gap to Broadstairs

I saw a large raptor thermal ling in the distance north of the gap at 11.55am that I thought was probably a Honey Buzzard.......did anyone else see anything around that time?  Also 4 or 5 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail and 3 Meadow Pipits along the cliff top. (Nick Lever)

Sunday 28th September 2008 Ash Area

I welcomed a return to 'proper' birds this am after the last couple of weeks trying to in vain to ID weird Yankee birds! Pelicans - what are they all about, eh?! Just time for a couple of hours on my local Patch near Ash & while I failed to pick up any of the exciting migrants that others have seen in parts of Kent lately, I was still pleased to hear Robins in full song at various points amongst the other common species. A Little Owl glared at us passing as it basked in the weakened sunshine on a hay bale near Brooke Street Farmhouse. It proved to be the highlight of our wanderings, & a Chiffchaff sang repetitively nearby. Still a few butterflies around & 2 Comma & 2 Peacocks spotted as well as several Small Whites. (Ben Ring)

Saturday 27th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland

High hopes for the weekend, quickly dashed by the still and clear conditions. Plenty of Wheatears, Goldcrests, Meadow Pipits and Whinchats but pretty much everything else - Flycatchers/Redstarts/Tree Pipits etc were only present in 1-2s. Enthusiasm quickly waned. (F Solly)

Friday 26th September 2008 Kingsgate area Late News

The early morning pre work birding and three moff traps have become somewhat of a dash with the shorter mornings. Lots of Wheatears, Goldcrests, Robins and Whinchats with a good scattering of Pied/Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, Chiffchaff, the odd Tree Pipit, 1 Willow Warbler and extremely good views of a surprisingly showy Radde's Warbler made the effort worthwhile. (F Solly)

Saturday 27th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

Buoyed by the Reds win over the Blues today (Liverpool FC) I went up Margate Cemetery for the afternoon walk in an awfully good mood. It was beautiful up there as there were no kids or dog walkers which added to the experience. I only had 45 minutes so I whizzed around at top speed. There were perhaps 20 Wheatears and 20 Meadow Pipits around the Horse Paddocks and in the cemetery I came across 1 Common Redstart,1 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 6+ Chiffchaff and 15+ Goldcrest. Numbers of Robins and Song Thrushes were vastly lower than my past two visits. I did an hour up there yesterday afternoon in blustery conditions seeing 12+ Wheatear, 40 Meadow Pipits, 5 Common Redstart, 6+ Chiffchaff,15+ Goldcrest, 2 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Siskin flew n/west. I didn't know there had been a Booted Warbler seen in the morning or else I wouldn't have gone there at all! Today as well as hearing Goldcrests and at least 1 Chiffchaff around the garden I had a Tree Pipit fly north over the back garden when emptying my moth traps. A good bird for my garden  (Phil M)

Saturday 27th September 2008 Ramsgate Beach & Park

At about 1pm myself and my young daughter took a lovely stroll along Ramsgate beach towards Dumpton Gap when my daughter spotted to my surprise a Mute Swan gently swimming along towards Ramsgate then we went to King George v Park Robins and 2 Spotted Flycatchers and trees full of Goldcrest i saw at least 7 at one time but heard them all round.            (S Moulder)

Saturday 27th September 2008 North Foreland Area

At North Foreland this morning 3 Grey Wagtails heading W and 2 Coal Tits moving W along the clifftop, a Hobby heading SW and a Honey Buzzard at 09:31 heading W. Plenty of birds moving overhead such as Meadow Pipits, Siskins, Swallows, etc. In the bushes lots of Goldcrests and a few Chiffchaffs, Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers, about 40 Wheatears in the usual field. (Simon Mount)

Saturday 27th September 2008 Newland's Farm

A quick jaunt around the fields before another weekend of heavy socializing! Still good numbers of Meadow Pipits around, particularly in the cabbages behind Prestedge Avenue. Goldcrest and Chiffchaff encountered along the hedgerows with a Stonechat in the Old Rose Garden and 2 Wheatear on the stubble. A Common Buzzard headed east, high over St. Lawrence College's sports ground at 09.20hrs. A few Redwing, Robin & Song Thrush about whilst odd bunches of Siskin and Swallow passed overhead, but nothing better! (Dylan)

Saturday 27th September 2008 West Cliff to Pegwell Hoverport   

I went for a run on a beautiful morning. Running and bird watching don't really go together....particularly if you wear glasses as I do, as soon as you stop they fog up.  Anyway I did notice the following; 1 Willow Warbler, c10 Chiffchaff, c20 Goldcrest, 5 Wheatear, 3 Reed Bunting and overhead 1 Redpoll, 2 Siskin, 2 high flying Rock Pipits and c20 Swallows. (Nick Lever)

Friday 26th September 2008 St Peters Broadstairs

I had 30 minutes to spare while the girlfriend hassled the doctor so i had a quick wander. The graveyard held my first tit flock of the winter with maybe 8 Long-tailed Tits with a few Blue Tits amongst them and a few Redwings all in the Yew Trees. In Mocketts Wood there were countless Goldcrests amongst other less interesting birds. (Simon Piggott)

Friday 26th September 2008 Pegwell area

Another long gruelling walk between 7.00 and 1.00pm today. Nowhere near as much going on overhead today and a major clear out of grounded stuff barring Goldcrest which were present in good numbers. I bumped into a garden gnome on the cliff top late morning who was trying to take photos of Goldcrests. His amazing lack of height put him at a distinct disadvantage especially so as his camera lens was longer than he was high. Anyway - birds moving overhead included: 1 Crossbill,10 Skylark,150+ Meadow Pipit,1 Tree Pipit, 9 Alba Wagtail, 5 Grey Wagtail, 13 Jackdaw, 1000+ Black-headed Gulls, 6 Redwing, 20 Linnet, 90 Siskin,1+ Redpoll,210 Goldfinch and 1 Common Buzzard. Grounded stuff included:8 Common Redstart, 26 Wheatear, 5 Whinchat, 8 Stonechat, 30 Meadow Pipit, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 1+ Firecrest and 80 Goldcrest. There were quite a few Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the area today (6 - 10?) presumably more wandering birds or migrants? I did have a few looks on the incoming tide this morning where there wasn't much going on but I did see 6 Brent,1 Pintail,1 Eider,3 Sandwich Tern,3 Golden Plover,3 Greenshank,1 Whimbrel and 3 Black-tailed Godwit. There were also 14 Ringed Plover on the hover pad apron at first light. (Phil M)

Friday 26th September 2008 North Foreland Area

An early (for me) walk 8.30- 10.00am with the dog produced, 60+  Wheatears on the paddock field,  5 Goldcrest, 8 Robins, 6 Dunnocks, 8  Meadow Pipits and a flock of 15 Goldfinch. By the Digby, there was another 3 Goldcrest and 1 Firecrest, 30 plus Wheatear on Foreland pitch and putt, 2 Stonechats and another flock of 12+ Mipits. And a lone Med Gull which I've seen twice this week. (John C)

Friday 26th September 2008 Dumpton garden

I'm sure that I should have gone out but, instead, I stayed at home and did a bit of "vismig" from the garden. 217 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redwing, 2 Siskin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 11 "alba" Wagtail, 19 Jay (including a flock of 11), 31 Swallow, 22 Chaffinch and my first Fieldfare of the autumn all passed overhead, whilst 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, 19 Long-tailed, 6 Great & 7 Blue Tits used the garden hedgerow. The most intriguing bird of the morning was a large pipit sp. that flew south, along Vine Close, calling loudly. Indian Tree Pipit (Olive-backed to the Johnny-cum-lately birding crowd) being my best guess! Whatever it was, it doesn't matter - I won't be claiming it !!!! (Dylan)

Friday 26th September 2008 Ellington Park Ramsgate

During my morning jog there were 2 Pied Flycatchers and a Yellow-browed Warbler (presumably the bird from Wednesday) calling from the gardens that back on to the park near the children’s play area. (Nick Lever)

Thursday 25th September 2008 Margate Cemetery 1230 - 1330

7 Redwings, 47 Song Thrushes, 9 Siskins overhead, 1 Yellow Browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest, 2 Redstarts, 25 Robins, 2 Common Buzzards. At the western end of Manston Runway, near the landing light structure I also had a Buzzard that landed in a line of trees, just west of a small roundabout.....looked more resident than migrant? (Sean O'Donnell)  

Thursday 25th September 2008 Pegwell Bay & Margate Cemetery

I trudged the whole area between the Country Park/Stone Lees and the Cliff Top/Farm between 7.00am and 1.00pm.Another good day - nice weather and quite peaceful by Pegwell's lowly standards - quite a lot of birds today too which helped. Visible migration included:5 Common Buzzard, 6+ Sparrowhawk, 29 Jays,1 Redwing,1 Ring Ouzel, 480 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit, 9 Alba Wagtail, 6 Grey Wagtail, 22 Chaffinch, a few Redpolls, 310 Siskin,110 Linnet, 80 Goldfinch,4 Crossbill, 8 Reed Bunting, 4 Skylark and even a few high flying Dunnocks. Most of the passerines were heading north to n/west. Grounded migrants included 50 Song Thrush, 100+ Meadow Pipit, 9 Whinchat, 6 Stonechat, 2 Common Redstart, c100 Robin, 1 continental Coal Tit,12 Blackcap,10 Chiffchaff,1 Lesser Whitethroat,1 Reed Warbler and about 20 Goldcrest. Good numbers of Wheatears were present too with 40+ between the Farm and the Country Park plus another 60+ reported present between Courtstairs and the Harbour. I avoided Courtstairs today as I thought there might be people there! I watched bits of the incoming and outgoing tide too where there were 8 Brent, 53 Shelduck, 1 Eider, 37 Mallard, 84 Wigeon,64 Teal,5 Pintail,14 Sandwich Tern, 350+Oystercatcher, 270 Curlew,120+ Redshank, 3 Greenshank,2 Common Sandpiper, 50+ Turnstone,14 Sanderling, 60+ Dunlin,4 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 7 Knot, 4 Snipe,11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 170 Lapwing, 12 Golden Plover and 13 Grey Plover. Other bits seen included 2 Peregrine, 1 Hobby and 2 Bullfinch. There has been a Grey Heron hanging around in one of the adjoining stubble fields for about 4 days and it had crossed my mind it might be feeding on the rats that inhabit the area in profusion? As I cycled past the bird once again this morning - there it was with a rat in its beak so I was right. After getting back from Pegwell I scrounged a lift up to Margate Cemetery - I only had 50 minutes so it was a rushed visit. There were lots of migrant birds there and I really could have done with a bit more time.  came across 6 Common Redstart, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 6 Spotted Flycatcher, 20 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 50+ Robin, 15 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 50+ Song Thrush, 3 Redwing, 50 Meadow Pipit and I heard both Siskin and Brambling overhead. There was also a Yellow-browed Warbler flitting about near the southern wall about a third of the way into the cemetery. If anyone is interested in looking for it then look in the area roughly level with entrance to the cement works on the other side of the south wall. The bird was quite vocal and mobile and I saw it about 2.00pm or just after? (Phil M)

Thursday 25th September 2008Pegwell Cliff-top

A lunchtime jaunt along the cliff-top proved to be rather quiet until I came across a Great Grey Shrike in the paddock on the north side of Cliffsend Farm - presumably yesterday's Westcliff bird? (F Solly)

Thursday 25th September 2008 R/Gate Cemetery & King G VI Park

I started in the Cemetery from 9.10 to 10.15.  There was a Yellow-browed Warbler in the South East section, 6+ Firecrest, 20+ Goldcrest, 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Redstart, 4 Pied Flycatcher and a few Siskin, Redwing and Meadow Pipits overhead.  On to King George VI Park until 12.10 where the best thing was a continental Coal Tit, also 1 Redstart (a rather smart male), about 6 Pied Fly, 2 Spotted  Fly, 2 Firecrest, 20+ Goldcrest and 6 Chiffchaff.  Overhead, 1 Hobby,  22 Siskin, on the way home I came across another Yellow-browed Warbler which showed really well feeding in a leisurely fashion in a lime tree outside number 45 Vale Square. (Nick Lever)

Thursday 25th September 2008 Sunken Gardens Westbrook.

At 08:30 I saw 7 Redwing & 3 Song Thrush, fly west over my garden which prompted me to have a quick look at the Sunken Gardens which contained 5 Wheatear,  1 Whinchat, 3 Goldcrest, 5 Robin, 2 Redwing, 3 Song Thrush and the usual assortment of Dunnocks etc. I had a good feel with Mipits passing overhead alas though work beckons. (Chris Solly)

Thursday 25th September 2008 Dumpton Thanet

About 12-30hrs today a little flurry of birds dropped into my garden, on inspection 1 Redstart, 2 Chiffchaff, 7 Greenfinch, 5 Goldfinch 3 Goldcrest and 2 Dunnocks. (Gadget)

Thursday 25th September 2008 King George VI Park

Very impressed by Nick's reports, for yesterday, I headed off to the park in search of a migrant or two. Meadow Pipits were passing overhead as I made my way along West Dumpton Lane to the coast. Arriving just before 07.45hrs, it was clear that there were plenty of Goldcrests about. Their calls coming from many of the gardens and hedgerows, as well as the mature trees of the park itself. Bright sunshine, clear skies and a steady N/NE breeze meant that I had to work hard to find any birds and also showed how poor my camera techniques are as I battled with the dappled light of the foliage. I spent just over an hour searching the area, my totals being 1 Common Redstart, 4 Pied & 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 45+ Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 3 Grey Wagtail (over), 7 Chiffchaff and an "acredula - type" Willow Warbler. Robin and Song Thrush numbers were very high, indicating some sort of arrival, whilst odd bits passing overhead included Redwing, Yellow Wagtail and Brambling. A problem with an unruly mutt and its' equally dumb owner curtailed my efforts and I headed for home. (Dylan)

Thursday 25th September 2008 Ellington Park, Ramsgate

A quick jog round the park about 7am produced 1 Redstart, 2 Pied Flycatchers and a few Goldcrests. (Nick Lever)

Thursday 25th September 2008 Fairness Area& Elmwood Avenue

The Fairness area this morning held 27 Wheatears, 14 Goldfinches, 41 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats, 1 Redstart, 1 Robin, 2 Kestrels, 1 Sparrowhawk and 200+ Starlings around at Elmwood Avenue the paddock field held 62 Wheatears, on the fence in the Cabbage field 2 Whinchat, 30+ Meadow Pipits flyovers 2 Swallows and 1 Kestrel. (Gadget)

Wednesday 24th September 2008 Ellington Park, Ramsgate

A Yellow-browed Warbler showed well in the South East corner of the park at about 10.30am while I was on my way to the station.  Also a few Redwing and a Pied Flycatcher heard. (Nick Lever)

Wednesday 24th September 2008 Minnis Bay and Pegwell area

I went back to Minis this morning but the weather conditions were not too good and not much showed. Only singles of Arctic and Great Skua, Little Gull plus a few Gannet, Kittiwakes, Sandwich Tern, Common Scoter, Brent, Sandwich Terns and a couple of Auks were seen. I spent between 12.00 and 3.00pm this afternoon having a walk around the Hover Port, Cliff Top and Farm fields where I came across 4 Greenshank, 33 Wheatear, 2 Common Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap,1 Garden Warbler,10 Goldcrest, 30+ Song Thrushes and 1 Rock Pipit. Overhead 14 Redwing, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Brambling and 2 Crossbill flew over. (Phil M)

Wednesday 24th September 2008 Ramsgate West-cliff

Managed an hour between 9.15 and 10.15am.  Didn't get very far as there was a magnificent Great Grey Shrike feeding by the Croquet Lawns. It showed really well until I left at 10.15am.  Also between there and the park at Courtstairs I recorded 15+ Wheatear, 3 Redstart, 2 Pied Fly, 1 Whinchat, 8+ Goldcrest, 6 Chiffchaff while overhead 8 Crossbill, 10 Redwing and a scattering of Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Song Thrush, (Nick Lever)

Tuesday 23rd September 2008 Minnis Bay and Margate Cemetery

I spent from 6.30 - 11.15 sea watching off Minis this morning. It was very slow for long periods (i.e. for the first hour I saw naff all!) but I did eventually see passing by offshore 2 Eider,10 Common Scoter, 2 Teal, 101 Gannet, 60 Ringed Plover, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 14 Little Gull, 17 Kittiwake, 27 Sandwich Tern,1 large Auk, 50 Great Skua, 1+ Long-tailed Skua and 24 Arctic Skua. I 'may' have seen a tail-less Pomerine passing east mid morning too? Most of the birds passing through were heading east except for the Skuas which were mainly going west, though I did see a flock of 28 Bonxies which appeared from nowhere heading east after one particularly heavy squally shower. There were also at least 3 Wheatear hopping about on the grassy clifftop one of which - a particularly tame juvenile - almost joined me in the shelter I was standing in! It stood two feet from my size 12's for about 30 seconds before thinking better of it! There were also a few Goldcrests holding onto the brick wall of the flats on the opposite side of the road - obviously affected by the bad weather. I could hear a few calling as I cycled home and then when I got home there was a Common Redstart on the top of our garden shed, a Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Chiffchaffs in the cherry tree at the end of the garden whilst I could hear a few Goldcrest calling from the gardens a few doors down! The Redstart and the Flycatcher were new birds for the garden. Realising there had obviously been a drop of migrants I scrounged a lift up to Margate Cemetery this afternoon. A 45 minute walk around the more sheltered parts of the area turned up 20+ Chiffchaff,6 Common Redstart,4 Pied Flycatcher and there were good numbers of Song Thrushes scattered around here there and everywhere. The adjacent horse paddocks held 26 Wheatear too. I really could have done with a bit more time as there could quite easily have been something of better quality lurking somewhere?  (Phil M)

Tuesday 23rd September 2008 Reculver

A good seawatch at Reculver today involved 267 Bonxies (including an impressive flock of 61 birds), 2 Sabine’s Gulls, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 53 Arctic Skuas and various other bits and pieces most of which I’ve already forgotten. (Tim H)

Tuesday 23rd September 2008 Foreness

Spent about 90 minutes seawatching from the pumping station from 10am  this morning 10 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, 3 Little Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, 2 Kittiwake, 1 Fulmar, 7 Common Scoter, 1 Guillemot  and a steady passage of Gannets, on the rocks were 1 Eider and 2 Knot, at the edge of the pitch and putt were 3 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat and 2 Stonechat.      (Nick Lever)

Monday 22nd September 2008 Ramsgate

At Ramsgate this lunchtime, a Grey Wagtail feeding on the rooftops, my first record of the Autumn. Last year the 1st date was 21st September and in 2006 it was 24th September. Interesting `local patch` migrant information for all you locals. (Simon M)

Monday 22nd September 2008 North Foreland

I fancied a change of scenery and as the wind had picked up today I settled for a quick mid-afternoon seawatch off North Foreland. I watched from the pump house between 1.30 and 3.15 seeing: 1 summer plumaged Red-throated Diver, 13 Brent and 9 Shelduck flying north plus a scattering of southward movement with 2 Wigeon,7 Teal,27 Common Scoter,8 Sandwich Tern,17 Kittiwake,10 Little Gull,79 Gannet,1 Balearic Shearwater,2 Arctic Skua and 9 Great Skua. (Phil M)

Monday 22nd September 2008 Pegwell area and Ramsgate

A half hearted look around the northern end of the area between 08.00 and 9.45 produced the following: grounded birds included - 1 Tree Pipit,1 Redstart, 4 Wheatear, 9 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap whilst overhead - 1 Grey Wagtail, 7 Alba Wagtails, 15+ Siskin, 25 Goldfinch passed through. There was a noticeable influx of both Song Thrushes and Robins with about 30 of each scattered around the area between the Hover Port and the Farm. Whilst I walked the Hover Pad the birds were spooked by what I assume was a raptor of some sort? As the waders and Ducks flew around I picked out 180+ Dunlin, a flock of 6 Curlew Sandpipers, 32 Teal and about 80 Wigeon. A Common Sandpiper was heard from the clifftop from the pools below the cliff too. Back home a ridiculously low Common Buzzard went south over the garden at 12.00 - it only just cleared the flats a couple of hundred meters south of my house. (Phil M)

Sunday 21st September 2008 Margate Cemetery

I went to Margate tip about 1 pm today and popped into the cemetery afterwards and found this Red-backed Shrike in the allotments. (Scott)

Sunday 21st September 2008 Thanet farm fields Raptor Watch

I did intend to head down to Pegwell but after seeing 3 Buzzards off the side of the Haine Road as I peddled past on my bike I settled on stopping off in the fields overlooking Pegwell, Manston and South Thanet - a place I have raptor watched on and off over the years. To cut a long story short - before dinner I saw 8 or 9 Common Buzzards (1 - 2 present and 7 n/west) and after dinner another 36 which mainly arrived from the north and headed off west inland or were lost to view as they gained height. The maximum flocks were rather impressive 16 and 11 birds today. I gave up at about 2.30 not having seen a raptor since 13.52.Other 'bits' included 3 Honey Buzzards (2 south - 1 n/east)1 Osprey (north) about 6 Sparrowhawks,41 Golden Plover,3 Sand Martin,7 Siskin and 2 late Swifts flew south. About 50 decked Meadow Pipits and half a dozen Skylarks were scattered around the fields and put to flight by an ever present hunting Common Buzzard. I wonder how long this current Thanet raptor fest will continue? (Phil M)

Saturday 20th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland area & Sandwich

A dawn start at Foreness saw us checking the vegetation around the pitch and putt before stomping through the rough vegetation between the cliff-top and the houses. Weather conditions were warm and still and it became warmer as the sun rose. Many birds had clearly left overnight and we failed to find any Wrynecks or Redstarts.  However, other birds had taken the opportunity to move south and replace those that had left and we recorded 70+ Siskin, 2 Tree Pipits, and 1 Whinchat & 1 Short-eared Owl whilst a Firecrest moved quickly south through the gardens and 5 Wheatear fed on the greens of the pitch and putt. Several Swallows & Chiffchaff were also present. Elmwood Farm had 4 Spotted Flycatchers, a Goldcrest, 2 Blackcaps, 20 Wheatear and 50+ Pied Wagtails and another Tree Pipit. On to Sandwich where the highlights were 3 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Hobbies and 21 Buzzards South from 12.30pm to 1.30pm in the following numbers: 7,2,6,4,1,& 1. As other birds were recorded later on Thanet, it might not be unreasonable to speculate that numbers could have reached 100+. (Andrew Lawson et al)

Saturday 20th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland area

A clear night with a big moon, clear and calm in the morning as expected it was absolutely dire for grounded migrants. Before it came too tiresome to look for migrants, there were 50 Wheatears, 15 Whinchats, 12 Stonechats, a few Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, very small numbers of the usual Warblers, 6 Grey Wagtails, single Short-eared Owl and Firecrest. A scan for Raptors at 11.10 somewhat surprisingly produced 14 Common Buzzards (9.3.2). Obviously I was going to have to endure a Raptor watch. I did three hours 11.10-14.10 and there was actually a decent passage, I had better say that it was good or I will be slated by the bird police - Tim/Dylan. Overall totals were 58 Common Buzzards, 4 Honey Buzzards, 4 Marsh Harriers and 35 Sparrowhawks. (F Solly)

Saturday 20th September 2008 Kingsgate Area

At 14.15hrs a group of 11 Buzzards drifted west over the field opposite Convent Road followed by a group 4 at 14.25hrs (Mike Longdon)

Saturday 20th September 2008 Pegwell Bay

A bit of a raptor fest this morning. After a quick cycle ride around some of the spots on the farm/clifftop hoping something would jump out at me and a quick look for yesterdays Wryneck (I did get off my bike - it wasn't showing) I set up on the Country Park for a look at the sky. It was nearly 10.00am when I set up and soon I started to see Buzzards - at one point I had 9 up in the sky on one scan plus a Marsh Harrier. I settled on a day total of 23 Common Buzzards mainly moving s/west. There’s as much chance of not counting some of the sightings as there was for duplication even though some of the groups did linger for a bit they eventually flew away out of the area. I did see 1 Honey Buzzard fly over the country park (n/west) at 11.30 too. Other bits included 133 Meadow Pipits and 26 Siskin over plus 3 Wheatear. (Phil M)

Saturday 20th September North Foreland Area

A brief look round some of the parts of North Foreland off the usual routes produced 5 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Redstart, 2 Wheatears and a trickle overhead of Siskins and Meadow Pipits. A movement of raptors then started with single Common Buzzards at 11:10 and 11:45 with 2 at 11:55 then an impressive flock of 9 at 13:35. All birds heading SW gaining height in the thermals, initially several of the birds were very low down just appearing suddenly over the clifftop, also a Marsh Harrier at 11:15.(Simon Mount)

Friday 19th September 2008 Pegwell area

A brisk walk was in order - so up at first light, blocked up the old moth traps, rifled down a cup of rosy and brekky and tally ho old beans, I was off! I did come across a few Wheatears, 1 Common Redstart and a Pied Flycatcher early on but there didn't seem to very much going on at first. As I traversed (good word eh?) the hover pad a strange call came from the sky? I didn't get too much time to think about what was making the call as by then the bird - a Dotterel had flown right over my head! I couldn't have been in a better position. It headed quite low across the mud over towards Sandwich Bay. Only a few minutes later and I flushed a Wryneck!! It dropped into a thicket of low bushes and took me another few minutes to get the bins on it as it flew into a nearby hawthorn. There was a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits heading n/west plus the occasional flock of Siskin so after a quick jaunt around the clifftop and part of the farm (which was dead apart from a few Wheatear, Sylvia Warblers and Chiffchaff) I went down to the Country Park where there were quite a lot of Meadow Pipits on the move. I kept one eye on the sky from then on as I first checked the Country Park and Stone Lees (seeing 2 more Redstart on the Country Park) and ended up just taking in the vismig from a vantage point on the Country Park. I don't use words like 'traversed' or 'vantage point' in real life – honest! Quite why I am here is anyone’s business? Anyway I ended up counting 1120 Meadow Pipits and 191 Siskin mostly flying n/west. A few bonus birds included at least 1 Honey Buzzard (south) and 2 Common Buzzards. (s/west) Also over during the morning were 2 Tree Pipits, 4 Yellow Wagtail (or 2 twice?),5 Grey Wagtail, 3 Alba Wagtails, 2 Sand Martin, c60 Swallow, 5 migrant Sparrowhawks and 3 probable migrant Great Spotted Woodpeckers. One of the Woodpeckers was almost a speck in the sky it was so high as it appeared from the n/east. It certainly wasn't a local one anyway. This afternoon I had an hours walk around Northdown Park after cadging another lift. It was quiet there mid afternoon - only 2 each of Redstart and Pied Flycatcher, a dozen Chiffchaff and a flyover Hobby.  (Phil M)

Friday 19th September 2008 Dumpton to Foreness (& back!)

The last day of a weeks holiday, so I went for a long stroll. Conditions overnight were clear and calm, perfect for a mass exodus of migrants and so it proved. I only saw 2 Wheatear along the clifftop between King George VI Park and Foreness Point! Goldcrest numbers were up, small parties being encountered in the gardens and hedgerows along my route. Robins were also very conspicuous, I assume as a result of an arrival of some size. Overhead Meadow Pipits and 135+ Siskin were noted and I watched groups of 3, then 4, Sparrowhawks head out to sea from the point at Kingsgate Castle. 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker were watched coasting northwards. The "pitch & putt" area held 12 Wheatear, 40+ Meadow Pipit, 21 Pied Wagtail and a single Whinchat. A lone Grey Wagtail flew over as I stopped for a chat with Marc Heath. Retracing my steps, I located 2 Stonechat and 1 Lesser Whitethroat before wandering up Elmwood Avenue where 30+ Wheatear, 5 Whinchat and good numbers of Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit were on the paddock. Continuing onwards along Callis Court Road I found several Chiffchaff and a single Pied Flycatcher in the mature trees of the gardens. Aching feet, but happy with the choice of week for a holiday, it would seem that the Thanet migrant fest is over for the time being, at least. (Dylan)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Foreness Area

I've attached the photos of a Whinchat taking off one of the birds from the Foreness bird bonanza, other birds seen Common Redstart, Wheatear I knelt down and waited for the birds to come to me by the fence surrounding the pitch & putt course. I was also fortunate enough to see one of the Wrynecks, but I couldn't get close enough for a decent shot. (Mark Kilner)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Foreness Area

Two Wrynecks still showing well this afternoon, along the pitch'n'putt fence at Foreness along with six Redstarts, four Whinchat  and any number of Wheatear. I can also confirm the sighting of a Red- Breasted Flycatcher, yesterday, along the path by the side of the golf course at Joss Bay. (same one?) (John C)

Thursday 18th September 2008 North Foreland to Foreness

Another early start saw me parking the car at Elmwood Farm just around 07.00hrs. It is impossible to ignore the local birding at present. The Wheatear numbers, in the paddock, have dwindled to a meagre 80+ with a few Whinchats for company. Meadow Pipits were moving overhead in small groups and I counted 16 Siskins moving along the coast. Chiffchaff numbers just made it into double figures and I counted 7 Goldcrest in the Holme Oaks in Convent Road. A couple of Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher were seen, as I made my way across to Foreness. Neil Faulkner informed me that the Wryneck was still on the "pitch & putt" giving fabulous views. Another birder said he thought that there were two birds present, confirmed by Francis I see! At least 5 Sparrowhawk around the golf course and my walk back to the car was enlivened by the discovery of a juv Red-backed Shrike in the hedge besides the 17th fairway. (Dylan)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland area

A late start for me today at Foreness a Wryneck was showing well also 3 Common Redstarts, 26 Wheatears, 17 Goldfinches, 5 Green Finches, 14 Linnets, and 22 Meadow Pipits, and 1 Kestrel quickly through north Down Park only 5 Pied Flycatcher, and 3 Chiffchaff then round to Elmwood Avenue were horse paddock field held 80+ Wheatears, 5 Whincahts, 27 Pied Wagtail and along the side of the road 2 Chiffchaff. (Gadget)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Northdown Park

Late morning I noted 11 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, c10 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap and a juv Hobby Also 2 Pied Flycatcher at the Reading Street allotments (Nick Lever)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Pegwell area

I could only manage a walk around the hover port and farm before my back gave out and I had to come home. Not much going on by the looks of it. Between 6.60 and 8.45 I counted: overhead - 30 Siskin, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Alba Wagtail plus grounded stuff included 15 Wheatear, 4 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler and 22 Chiffchaffs. A few more small groups of Linnet and Blackbirds about this morning too. (Phil M)

Thursday 18th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland area

Only time for a quick whizz around the Foreness/North Foreland area between traps and going to work. 140 Wheatears still present, the selection of the other common migrants were about in very much reduced numbers and an very impressive 4 Wrynecks - 2 together at Foreness and 2 singles on the golf course. A nice juv Barred Wblr at the Digby was a pleasant surprise. Bumped into J Websper at Foreness who informed me that Don Worsfold had a Red-breasted Flycatcher and Richard's Pipit at Foreness yesterday to add to the fine selection (F Solly)

Wednesday 17th September 2008 Grove Ferry

I went down to Grove Ferry this afternoon and amongst all the usual inhabitants was a Bar Headed Goose. Well chuffed because it was a first for me. (Mick S)

Wednesday 17th September 2008 Foreness

There was a Wryneck on Foreness putting green this morning, intermittently showing well. (Neil Faulkner)

Wednesday 17th September 2008 Foreness/North Foreland area

More time than usual spent in the jolly Foreness/North Foreland area. Another large arrival of Wheatears - 300, 60 Chiffchaffs and 40 Pied Flycatchers (mostly arriving late morning) formed the bulk of the migrants, others included; 20 Blackcaps, 14 Tree Pipits, 12 Whincahts, 12 Redstarts, 10 Whitethroats, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 each of Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Wblr and Goldcrest, 2 Garden Wblrs and single Grey Wagtail and Brambling. No 'goodies' until the afternoon, when I came across an Icterine Warbler in the Digby tamarisks. A spell of cloud and a drop in temperature seemed to bring some raptors down; keeping the local Crows busy. Between 1350 and 1415, 2 Honey Buzzards, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Osprey moved south-west through the area. The 3 local Hobbies did their bit in reducing the local Dragonfly population and a Sparrowhawk took a Wheatear. Finally a nice juvenile Red-backed Shrike in the nursery. (F Solly)

Wednesday 17th September 2008 North Foreland area

I didn't arrive at Elmwood Farm until 09.05hrs, immediately bumping into Francis. Nothing much to report, 200 Wheatears on the paddocks and a further 120 over at Foreness - another boring September morning on Thanet then? Oh yeah, Spotted & Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts and Whinchats! Why bother getting out of bed? Oh, Phil has had a Tawny Pipit on the cliff-top at Pegwell. What it must be like to orbit the same planet! Armed with my bins and camera I set off to do a circuit of the North Foreland area. The masses of Wheatears were incredible, my own estimate being closer to 300 birds on the paddock with more on the golf course. I found 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Redstart, 3 Chiffchaff and 17 Whinchat on my wanderings. A constant procession of Swallows passed overhead and I also noted 2 Sparrowhawk and 2 Grey Wagtail. As Francis had reported, "Just another boring September day on Thanet!" (Dylan)

Wednesday 17th September 2008 Pegwell area

Crickey O'Riley - 2 rare moths this week and now a rare bird!! Whatever next! My day started quite early when I awoke to find I could actually move! I've been laid up for a few days with an enormously bad back. Anyway - up .blocked up the traps etc and eventually arrived after a light brekky just after 7.00am.I started off by stomping the hover pad/cliff top/farm area. The hoverport held only a few Mipits and 2 Blackcap though 6 Wheatear turned up just before I left for the clifftop. There were quite a few groups of Chiffchaffs dotted about also 9 more Wheatear,2 Yellow Wagtail, a few Blackcaps,4 Goldcrest and a nice Firecrest.2 Tree Pipits were waddling about near one of the maize fields too. Anyway - after finishing off my loop around the edge of all the farm fields a Dog Walker flushed a bird which flew up somewhere from the edge of the approach road to Little Cliffsend Farm. Immediately I could see it was large Pipit but unfortunately it flew away from me and flew around low in the sky for about a minute before landing back along the way I'd just walked. I thought it had dropped into the mud field along the main road but when I got to the edge of the maize field of the Farm approach road - it went up again and it was as I had assumed a Tawny Pipit. I only had brief views as it flew within about 20 yards of me before it flew off to the south and was lost to view. I did have a look around the weedy ploughed field between the farm and the hoverport which seemed like the only bit of habitat but when I couldn't find it I went back to the spot where I'd first seen it (it wasn't there) and moved on. My next stop was the Country Park and Stonelees where there were actually some more birds! To cut a long story short I came across 6 Whinchat,3 Wheatear,4 Common Redstart,5 Goldcrest,20+ Chiffchaff,25 Blackcap,8 Lesser Whitethroat,1 Pied Flycatcher,2 Spotted Flycatcher and an extremely late Cuckoo which I booted out of a bush in Stone Lees. By mid morning I set up my telescope and watched from the Country Park. The tide was miles out but a steady trickle of hirundines and a few other bits held my interest and I ended up staying until the tide came up. The mud flat was poor migrant wise though I did see a Spotted Redshank,1 Greenshank,1 Whimbrel,1 Black-tailed Godwit,1 Hobby,52 Wigeon,4 Pintail etc and best of all just after 11.00am a Honey Buzzard flew over the Country Park and messed about in the gloom inland for well over 10 minutes. A handful of Siskin plus Meadow Pipits, Swallow and Sand Martin passed over during my stay - 310 Swallow, c15 Sand Martin and 87 Meadow Pipits all heading west or n/west. All in all an interesting day (Phil M)

Tuesday 16th September 2008 Broadstairs

Whilst out and about this evening I found a Yellow-Browed Warbler  calling loudly from a small tree outside 49 Gladstone Rd about  6.20pm, it showed briefly before disappearing into the large Yew  tree over the road. (Nick Lever)

Tuesday 16th September 2008 S end of North Foreland

In addition to everyone’s totals, I had 7 Pied Flycatchers and 6 Chiffchaffs at the S end of North Foreland. There also were a few extra Robins and Song Thrushes around. (Simon Mount)

Tuesday 16th September 2008 North Foreland to Foreness & Dumpton

The area held 70+ Wheatear and 8 Whinchat out and around the Horse paddock field, and around the flint wall at the top of the field 1 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstart 5 Pied Wagtail 3 Chiffchaff, a small flock of 5 Siskin flew over towards the golf course, while 12 + Linnets were in the top field also 4 Swallows went though towards the coast, the cliff at Foreness 11 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtails and behind Dead-man’s 1 Redstart, 2 Chiffchaff, It was good to see Simon M this morning at Elmwood Avenue, back home this lunch time an influx of Chiffchaff, Great Tits & Blue Tits came through the Garden and at 13-10 a Buzzard sp drifted over and down towards Pegwell. (Gadget)

Tuesday 16th September 2008 North Foreland to Foreness

I parked in Elmwood Avenue, just after 07.00hrs, and walked across to the pumping station at North Foreland before following the coastal footpath to Foreness. Quite a few migrants present, this morning, 54 Wheatear, 7 Whinchat, 30+ Meadow Pipit, 11 Yellow Wagtail, 18 Linnet, 13 Siskin, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, several House Martin and a Common Redstart were recorded before 09.15hrs. (Dylan)

Monday 15th September 2008 North Foreland/Foreness area

A return visit to the North Foreland/Foreness area in the evening produced an overall total of 200 Wheatears, 60 Whinchat, 26 Redstarts, 12 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and 3 Tree Pipits. (F Solly)

Monday 15th September 2008 Margate Cemetery & North Foreland

Being on Thanet today, in-between business appointments, I managed to get some brief birding time in, and I saw the following birds: 1 Hobby Margate Cemetery, 3 Redstart Margate Cemetery, 9 Whinchat North Foreland, 120 Wheatear North Foreland (All bright males) (Sean O'Donnell)

Monday 14th September 2008 Pegwell Bay

I walked the clifftop path, from Pegwell Village to the hover-pad, recording 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Wheatear, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and a few Swallows. The hover-pad held a 2nd Spotted Flycatcher but nothing else of interest. The tide was right in, so I wandered across to the reserve at Pegwell. Reed & Sedge Warbler being seen in the reedbed between the hover-pad and the garage. Two juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding on the mud where once the "Garage Pools" held water! The most amazing discovery was the newly erected signs discouraging the launching of Kiteboards. The Thanet Coast Project being responsible for these notices! Why aren't KWT doing something? A massive budget, shiny new, sign written 4x4 vehicles, full time staff and bugger all action! Why bother joining? They certainly don't live up to the spiel in their own publicity brochure! I will be heading up to Oare Marshes, in the near future, to get some pics of the massed ranks of shooters who line the sea-wall besides the East Flood in complete disregard of the laws of the land. They do have the right to shoot below the "Mean High Water Mark" but this is some way out from the base of the sea-wall. What do the KWT do? Bugger all - a familiar theme beginning to emerge here. How best can we protect Kent's wildlife? was a question asked in a recent KWT e-mail survey.  The only sensible answer is to join the RSPB and hope that they will be prepared to take over these sites. You won't see the RSPB back down from a fight - look what they've done with that wasteland at Cliffe. Anyway, back to the birding! As the tide began to recede, 71 Dunlin, 12 Knot, 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Grey & 17 Golden Plover, 63 Lapwing, 1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Brent, 11 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 1 Peregrine, 2 Wheatear and my first Merlin of the autumn. Swallows, Sand & House Martins trickled through, heading north, and a splendid adult winter Mediterranean Gull dropped in amongst the masses of Black-headed and Common Gulls. Potentially a fabulous reserve, it just lacks a management strategy to ensure that the laws, already in place, are upheld so as to protect the wildlife that uses Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve over the course of a year. (Dylan)

Monday 15th September 2008 North Foreland & Fairness

This afternoon the Horse paddocks field Elmwood Avenue held 47 Wheatears, 7 Whinchat, 5 Meadow Pipits, 9 Pied Wagtail and over 500 mixed Gulls Herring Gulls dominating, around the clifftop and the old putting green another 17 Wheatears, 5 Pied Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 Whinchat, and 1 Kestrel hunting the scrub. (Gadget)

Monday 15th September 2008 Westbrook Car Park & Sunken gardens

On the sea 10 Eider heading East, on the Clifftop 21 Wheatear,  3 Whinchat 3, Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail  & single Redstart. (Chris Solly)

Monday 15th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

3 Redstart one of which was a superb male, supporting cast a little disappointing being, 10 Chiffchaff 1Blackcap, with a Hobby hawking overhead, the usual Jays & Woodpecker numbers.  (Chris Solly)

Monday 15th September 2008 Kingsgate Area

A brief look around Kingsgate after doing the blown out moth trap produced 80 Wheatears, 15 Redstarts, 12 Whinchat, 9 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Tree Pipits and a scattering of the usual Warblers. (F Solly)

Monday 15th September 2008 Minnis Bay

Nice to see a few migrants this morning, with 14 Redstarts, 6 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 5 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 5 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Whinchat, 6 Wheatears and 1 Stonechat around the Stables and along the first half of the railway embankment. A few other bits included 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 1 Knot, 2 Little Gulls, 25 Siskins and 2 Sparrowhawks.  (Tim H)

Sunday 14th September 2008 North Foreland

At North Foreland this morning:- 1 Redstart, 1 Whinchat, 3 Wheatears, 10 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 1 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrests and a Marsh Harrier heading SW at 08:10. A flock of 11 Cormorants flew in off the sea from far out to the East, circled twice over the cliff and then headed inland SW. (Simon Mount)

Sunday 14th September 2008 Minnis Bay to Shuart Area

This morning I walked from Minnis Bay to Shuart, Netherhale and Brooksend and back to Minnis Bay in sunny but increasingly breezy conditions. A few bits were moving on the sea, including 2 Balearic Shearwaters E, 5 Eider, 1 Guillemot, 18 Common Scoter, 5 Bonxies, 2 Arctic Skuas, 17 Teal, 40 Sandwich Terns, 30 Common Terns, 6 Little Gulls and 25 Gannets. Waders included 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Knot, 1 Common Sandpiper and 80 Dunlin, whilst odds and sods seen involved a Barn Owl, a Long-eared Owl, 12 Siskins, 3 Wigeon, 32 Canada Geese, 65 Greylags, 3 Kingfishers, 8 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears, 5 Jays, 18 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Sparrowhawk and 10 Little Grebes. A few bits seen by Derek Smith and Micky Baldock at the Reculver end included 4 Avocets, 1 Black Tern, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Redstarts, 1-2 Firecrests, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Garden Warbler. (Tim H)

Saturday 13th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

An hours walk around the cemetery this afternoon turned up half a dozen+ Chiffchaffs am I'm pretty sure I heard a Firecrest calling at one point but couldn't get a visual on it unfortunately.4 Wheatears were hopping around the horse paddocks. (Phil M)

Saturday 13th September 2008 North Foreland

At North Foreland today 12 Siskins heading West along with a few Swallows, at 14:45 a Common Buzzard and a Hobby heading South. (Simon Mount)

Saturday 13th September 2008 Newland's Farm

Trouble with the car resulted in me walking across the fields, not in the best of moods! The discovery of a juv Red-backed Shrike in the "Old Rose Garden" lifted my spirits somewhat. Once the car was sorted out, I returned to area with my cameras. Sadly there was no sign of the shrike, but I did find 3 Whinchat, a Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat. These birds moving purposefully along the hedgerows, Overhead were a few Meadow Pipits and a couple of Swallows. (Dylan)

Saturday 13th September 2008 Swalecliffe

Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola) at Swalecliffe (Andy Lawson)

Friday 12th September 2008 Pegwell Bay

I went down this afternoon when the rain stopped and had a look at the mud (it was brown) and the sky. (It was grey with occasional blue) There were a few new-in bits of wildfowl with 4 Brent, 90+ Wigeon, 75 Teal and a single Garganey present. Lots of common waders as you'd expect by mid September but hardly any migrants - only 3 Whimbrel and a Greenshank, When the sun came out a few raptors showed including 2+ Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 1 Hobby and a Marsh Harrier which flew across from inland and flew up and down across the mud flat before making its way off. A trickle of vismig overhead included a few Meadow pipits and Swallows plus a Grey Wagtail, 20 Siskins and a surprise Crossbill which flew s/west over the Country Park. Other bits included 26+ Little Egrets, 13 Common Tern and 11 Sandwich Tern. (Phil M)

Friday 12th September 2008 Reculver to Minnis Bay

I had a stroll from Reculver to Minnis Bay along the seawall this morning, and then back to Reculver along the railway embankment. Some bits seen in the rain included 2 Black Terns, 140 Common Terns, 35 Sandwich Terns and 62 Common Scoter flying E and 6 Teal, 3 Wigeon, 89 Siskin and 1 Grey Wagtail flying W. Birds knocking around included 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Knot, 3 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Snipe, 82 Dunlin, 270 Oystercatchers, 210 Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Plover, 2 Golden Plovers, 60 Lapwings, 22 Sanderling, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Merlin, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Sedge Warblers, 4 Whitethroats, 161 Mallard, 1 Shoveler, 1 Gadwall, 2 Kingfishers, 6 Sand Martins, 40 Swallows, 20 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Stonechat, 60 Coot, 1 Tufted Duck, 13 Little Grebes and 9 Wheatears. (Tim H)

Thursday 11th September 2008 Ramsgate Cemetery

 All I could manage today was a quick walk around the Cemetery. It felt sort of 'birdy' a lightish wind and cloud cover, midges all over the place etc. How wrong can you be? The only migrants I could find were a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff which I didn't even see (a 'weet' from a leafy tree only) whilst about 50 Swallows went over flying mainly south and s/west. At least it was peaceful up there? (Phil M)

Wednesday 10th September 2008 Whiteness Green, Kingsgate Late News

My golfing colleague tells me that there was a Hoopoe on the front lawns at Whiteness Green, Kingsgate at 09.100 on Monday. (Brian Short)

Wednesday 10th September 2008 Pegwell area

Yet another ultra irritating session which did more to remind why I stopped going down to the area rather than give me any enjoyment or inner peace. Anyway - I went down early again, arriving to have a look at the mud flat at 6.15am.Straight away I got a personal best ever in the entire universe peak Pegwell count - calm down people, it was only 25 Canada Geese but it's the biggest group I've ever seen in the area. Martyn Wilson's got the PB Pegwell Canada count - with his miraculous 43 birds seen one weekend about a decade or so. Another legendary tale from Thanets number one dog toilet where Canada Geese are scarce but creatures with four legs and tails and the things they inevitably leave behind are present in profusion. Things went downhill after the first scan of the morning as you might expect after seeing 25 Canada Geese before you've even got off your bike! Migrant waders were scarce today - 8 Greenshank and 2 Whimbrel the pick of the bunch. There were also 1 Snipe, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Knot, 3 Shoveler, 17 Teal and a flyby Kingfisher was noted before I went for a little jaunt around the Country Park, Stone Lees and then the Hoverpad/Clifftop. A reasonable scattering of Sylvia Warblers and Chiffchaffs about today (c20 Whitethroat, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 15+ Blackcap and 20+ Chiffchaff) plus there was a Bullfinch in Stone Lees. Overhead other than a low level trickle of Swallows there were 30 Meadow Pipits,1 Tree Pipit,1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail and a group of 6 Siskin. Other bits included 2 Peregrine, 1 Hobby and a Whinchat. (Phil M)

Tuesday 9th September 2007 North Foreland

A lunchtime seawatch at North Foreland today produced 48 Gannets heading South and a single Great Skua, on the fields, 9 Wheatears. (Simon Mount)

Monday 9th September 2008 Minnis Bay

Bored with our normal afternoon walking route we decided to waddle up to Minnis Bay today. I haven't been past the sea watching shelter there for quite a few years. We decided to wander up as far as the Horse paddocks where I rather jammily flushed a Wryneck, which after a while I got stunning views off as it landed right in the middle of one of the paths. I also have professional quality video coverage of a brown smudge flying into a bush if anyone’s interested? Should win an award if it goes public? Far too good for this Mickey Mouse website anyway - I'll sell the rights to the highest bidder out there. Not much else going on mid afternoon - a handful of Swallows moving west, a few Meadow Pipits, 8 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Wheatear. More gnats and bushes too - I really can't make out why no-one else is reporting them? (Phil M) (Sober)

Tuesday 9th September 2008 Newdowns Area & SBBOT

Took a trip to Newdowns this morning on my bike very little to report a few Swallows over the golf course and 1 Kestrel hunting a Grey Heron took flight heading to Worth, 22 Lapwing on the fields, distant views of 60 Possibly Brent or Canada Geese flying over heading North a Whitethroat and a Green Woodpecker along the track, back at the Obs 1 Hobby giving the Swallows the run-around a very pleasant morning out on the bike. (Gadget)   

Tuesday 9th September 2008 Pegwell Bay

Up with the Lark today so after blocking up the moth traps and a quick cuppa I popped down Pegwell for a rarity fest. I went down far too early (I arrived at 06.20) and managed to check the clifftop and the hover port though my planned trip to the dreaded Country Park fell short as enthusiasm waned within the first hour and a half. The clifftop can suck the life out of even the most over enthusiastic of birders at the best of times. I did find a Wheatear, 3 Chiffchaffs and best of all a Common Redstart on the clifftop - otherwise just a single Grey Wagtail overhead and a handful of Swallows. Down on the hoverpad there were 3 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Kingfisher and a single Sparrowhawk. Out on the mudflat amongst all the general common waders and Gulls I picked out 2 Greenshank, 150+ Redshank, c 70 Dunlin, 40 Lapwing and about a dozen or so Little Egrets. There were only about 10 Sandwich Terns present this morning. (Phil M)

Monday 8th September 2008 Pegwell Bay

My evening tide attempt today was spent with two Solly's!! And we in Thanet know that one Solly is more than enough don't we? One - a local Thaneteer with zero enthusiasm and girly hair down to his waist - the other the polar opposite, set free from a life of indulgence across the river Stour somewhere at a place known as Sandwich apparently? Anyway - birding was slow early on with very few small waders and Terns on view though both of these did pick up a little as the evening drew near. Only a 'little' - mind. I would like to say 'A wonderful evening spent in good company in a fantastic part of East Kent' but as Hairy was there and I was in Thanet, I just can't spin this entry anywhere near this far. Birds included - 11 Bar-tailed Godwits,1 Ruff,1 Curlew Sandpiper,3 Whimbrel,3 Greenshank,c30 Ringed Plovers,85 Dunlin,19 Little Egrets,1 Peregrine,60 Commic Terns and about 40 Sandwich Terns. Offshore I did see a few more distant Terns plus 6 Gannets and group of 5 Little Gulls flew south. I did have an hour plus walk from Sandwich quay down around the edges of the golf course earlier on in the day - seeing a Hobby, a gnat, a bush, a Kingfisher, a Turtle Dove and a thing. over and out – (Phil M)

Monday 8th September 2008 Foreness area

Good heavens, a scarcity in the Foreness area! Out for a late evening 'fitness' cycle after a particularly dull evening tide at Pegwell (or perhaps it was just the company), I came across a Wryneck along the fence near the flint folly at Whiteness - jolly exciting, Other than that just a few Wheatears although there wasn't much light. (F Solly)

Monday 8th September 2008 Wantsum Carpark to Bishopstone & Back

Out and about with my electric bike today, start point Wantsum Carpark over to the sea wall up to Reculver and on to Bishopstone and back, birds noted on the way were, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Whinchats, 21 Wheatears, 17 Yellow Wagtails, 9 Pied Wagtails, 26 Meadow Pipits, 5 Goldfinches, 9 Green Finches,  30+ House Sparrows,120+ Starlings, 7 Swallows, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Moorhens, 1 Mute Swan,17 Redshank, 5 Oystercatchers, 3 Grey Plover, 10 Golden Plover, 7 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls & Herring Gulls in good number 9 Cormorants and 1 Stonechat. (Gadget)    

Monday 8th September 2008 North Foreland

An afternoon stroll with the dog around North Foreland produced, 12  Wheatears, 3 Hobbies, a Sparrowhawk and a male Kestrel trying to  catch a Wheatear! Boy can those birds twist and turn when they need  to, and the Kestrel wasn't bad either. (John C)

Monday 8th September 2008 Dumpton

I awoke to the sound of Curlew and Oystercatcher calling somewhere in the darkness. It was 04.50hrs! The dawn was grotty, yet there was a trickle of migrants passing over the garden. Between 07.00 - 09.15hrs I recorded 23 Swallow, 11 Meadow Pipit, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Sparrowhawk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, moving overhead plus single Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat in the garden hedgerow. (Dylan)

Sunday 7th September 2008 Ramsgate Harbour

Not too much to add to other recent visits to the harbour, although I did find a Wheatear around the boatyard and amongst the Herring gulls was the C / Red bird A3GX, which has been seen many times previously having been ringed by the RSPCA back in 2005 down in East Sussex. (Jerry Lanfear)

Sunday 7th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

I fancied a quiet walk and after cadging a lift popped up Margate Cemetery for an hour. Virtually nothing in the cemetery other than the resident things and very few even of those other than Green Woodpeckers though I did get good views of 2 Sparrowhawks, an albino Squirrel and best of all a four inch Leopard Slug. There were 3 Wheatears in one of the horse paddocks and that was very much it! At least it wasn't raining for once. (Phil M)

Sunday 7th September 2008 North Foreland & Pegwell Bay

An early morning session on the clifftop at North Foreland produced very little. 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Gannet, 2 Common Scoter and a single Arctic Tern amidst a trickle of Sandwich and Common Terns, Simon Mount and Phil Berate were also present, thus ensuring a few laughs, if precious little else! An afternoon session at Pegwell was a little more rewarding. Watching the rising tide resulted in my recording 3 Black-tailed & 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 34 Shelduck, 13 Knot, 1 Green Sandpiper and a juvenile male Sparrowhawk. Swallows, Sand & House Martins passed by in very low numbers for a September date but,  pride of place must go to the juvenile Osprey (with a white C-R on its' left leg) that appeared above the bay at 13.40hrs before drifting off back over Ramsgate Harbour. Other bits included 15-ish Little Egret, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher. (Dylan)

Sunday 7th September 2008 Sandwich Bay & Restharrow Scrape

Three juvenile Red-backed Shrikes were located around the bay this morning and an influx of Wheatears, down on Restharrow Scrape the only bird noteworthy was a Common Sandpiper, (Gadget)

Sunday 7th September 2008 Ramsgate Harbour & N Foreland Late News

On Friday in Ramsgate Harbour, a Kingfisher (1st sighting of Autumn) and also 2 Seals in outer harbour, Yesterday at North Foreland and Foreness, 24 Wheatears. (Simon Mount)

Saturday 6th September 2008 Ramsgate Harbour

Just wanting to get something for the website, I headed out to the harbour whilst Bev had a wander around the shops. The strong southerly wind pushed the clouds across the sky producing a mixture of sunshine and showers. A juvenile Kingfisher was by the central sluice and a Rock Pipit behind the Maritime Museum, hardly inspirational birding! Other bits included 11 "sinensis" Cormorants, 17 Great Black-backed, 3 Lesser Black-backed and 170+ Herring Gulls and a juvenile Shag, my earliest ever harbour record. A chance encounter with Greg McLeish provided a chance to learn about a little bit of local history that is part of our National Heritage. He and a team of volunteers is restoring one of the "little boats" ML New Britannic that was involved in the 1940 Dunkirk rescue. For more information on this project please see my posting on our non-avian page. (Dylan)

Friday 5th September 2008 Margate Cemetery

We had a bit of driving around to do this afternoon and one of our stops was Margate tip so I decided to have a look around the cemetery - I haven't visited the place for well over a year, The weather turned out just lovely (gales and driving rain - mid afternoon too) so I didn't expect to see much and of course I didn't! There was a nice female (Gentile?) Sparrowhawk sitting aloft one of the tombstones right out in the open in the Jewish part of the cemetery - noteworthy as the weather was diabolical at the time, It must have been soggy as hell when it flew off, The only migrants I saw were about 8-10 Wheatears and 2 Whinchats around the horse paddocks just outside the cemetery, where there were also a few weather affected Swallows flying about, I did hear the 'peep peep' of a flyover Oystercatcher at one point not the sort of thing you might expect to hear so far inland during daylight hours, Even though the weather was as appalling as it was it was quite nice to be out doing a bit of birding if I'm honest. (Phil M)

Wednesday 3rd September 2008 Pegwell Bay NNR

Driving past Pegwell bay NNR, this morning, with disbelief on what I saw out in the bay I decided to pull over to take a photograph of the two bait diggers in the reserve one digging on the edge of the saltmarsh at low tide, with no birds to be seen, bewildered I left to continue over to Sandwich Bay, returning to Pegwell Bay this afternoon to do the tide out I spent two + hours from 15-00hrs to 17-30hrs the tide was still high when I arrived I set up outside the hide with my scope, scanning over to point where 300+Oystercatchers, 64 Sandwich Terns a number of Great Black Backed Gulls and Cormorants were roosting but little else, the entertainment was supplied by two Sail-boarders which launched form the Garage area and proceeded out over to the point and back numerous time resulting with displacing the birds that were roosting on the point each time, not to be out done four Kite-boarders set from the old hoverport with pretty Green, Red, Blue and Purple coloured kites flying out over the bay, the entertainment was spectacular, it will not be long before we will have to pay for such delights, as the tide receded some bird began to return to the saltmarsh in small numbers Redshanks, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Ring Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 130+ Curlew, at this point a lady dog walker allowed her dog to go in front of the hide were it became stuck in the rocks, so she had to go in front of the hide onto the rocks to retrieve her dog, all this excitement had raised my blood pressure to a danger levels, at this point I decided to leave. (Gadget)    

Tuesday 2nd September 2008 Fowlmead Country Park

I spent a couple of hours walking around the park the part that looks out over Worth marshes, I got bit carried away watching and got locked in! must remember gates close 17 00 birds spotted 15 Long-tailed Tits, 20 Linnets, 4 Common Whitethroats, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Kestrel, 1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 10 Magpies, good numbers of Wood pigeon & Carrion Crow, 2 Moorhen with 2 Chicks, 2 Coots, and a flock of 9 Mallard, one was part albino head and neck normal the body white. (Mike D)

Monday 1st September 2008 North Foreland

An unexpected start to the day was the result of a juv Honey Buzzard flying over the Sericol yard, at 06.30hrs, The accompanying bunch of Rose-ringed Parakeets making a loud din as they forced the bird to the North. Sea-watching for 90 minutes from North Foreland was fairly dire, although the company of Richard Collins, helped make the session more enjoyable. Sizeable groups of Sandwich & Common Terns were parading along the coast and 3 Wheatears were feeding around the pumping station. A Common Swift arrived in/off at 15.45hrs and an extremely distant Bonxie (Great Skua) was seen at 16.14hrs. It, or another, was watched flying steadily south at 17.00hrs and about sums up the session. (Dylan)