Tuesday 30th September 2003
Did the cliff-top from Pegwell to the Hoverpad, bumping into Francis in
the process. Birds were conspicuous by their absence; There were no
migrants anywhere. The Hoverpad provided a bit of encouragement, as there
were hundreds of Swallows moving through, with a few bonus House Martins
for company. A Firecrest was heard, as was a single Goldcrest, but that
was about it. Phil went to do the tide; I went back to the undercliff from
the Chine to the Harbor. Plenty of Oystercatchers and Turnstones to see,
but nothing much else to report.
Best sighting of the day was of a very "Pale" Clouded Yellow
butterfly that I flushed from vegetation along the cliff-top. If I had
been in Spain I would have called Pale Clouded Yellow, but feel that it
was almost certainly a "helice" race Clouded Yellow.
Tuesday 30th September 2003 Pegwell Bay am
and tide in
17 Little egret, 28 Cormorant, 2 Brent, 11 Shelduck
c100 mallard, 3 teal, 9 Wigeon, 1 Peregrine, 6 Sandwich Tern
1 Common Tern, 11 Black-t Godwit, 17 Bar-t Godwit
2 Greenshank, 12 Lapwing, 79 Golden Plover, 44 Grey Plover
48 Ringed Plover, 6 Knot, 160 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint
3 Turnstone, 1 Snipe, 3 Curlew Sandpiper
c1100 Swallow {mainly west}, c20 House martin {mainly west}
1 Grey wagtail {west}, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Wheatear
1 Firecrest, 2+ Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler
also a few gold crests around - plus a few meadow pipits and
Reed bunting on the move.
Monday 29th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
15 Blackcaps, 1 Redpoll, 3 little stint, 5 Curlew
Sandpiper
13 Black-t Godwit, 12 Little Egret, 12 Sandwich Tern
12 Brent Goose, 7 Wigeon
Monday 29th September 2003
A tour around the local sites this morning produced
Northdown Park 29th September 2003
Blackcap 3, Goldcrest & Chiffchaffs very numerous. Lesser
Whitethroat 1, Firecrest 1 (nr the house) A flyover Siskin
and a Brambling heard only. Also there were House Martins
about, but although I could hear them, I never saw a thing!
North
Foreland / Fairness 29th September 2003
Little Egret 1, imm male Eider 1, several small groups of
Goldfinches moving north and a male Kestrel perched very
nicely on a clifftop fence post. A single Brambling was on the
golf course, with a group of grounded Meadow Pipits feeding amongst
cabbages on the opposite side of Elmwood Avenue.
Ramsgate Cemetery 29th September 2003
Very quiet, just the usual tit flock with a few chiffchaffs and Goldcrests.
Meadow
Pipits continue to pass overhead, but numbers are nothing special.
Sunday 28th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
10 little egrets, 8 Brent, 15 Shelduck, 42 Wigeon
3 gadwall, 14 teal, 1 Peregrine, 15 Black-t Godwit
50 Grey plover, 12 Ringed plover, 2 Curlew Sandpiper
17 Knot, 133 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint
Saturday 27th September 2003 Fields
Dumpton
The Farmer started Plough
in the field
behind my house this morning resulting in 200+ Gulls descending on
the field following behind the plow, wile scope in the Gulls which
consisted of Heron Gulls 180+ ,B/h Gulls60+, Lesser black backed Gulls
5, Black backed Gulls 2, Common Gulls 3, I also came
across Meadow pipits 20+ Linnets 24 House Sparrows 60+
Starlings120+ , 60+ collard doves, Woodpigeons 90+ Greenwood peckers
2, Kestrels 3, Sparrowhawks 2, a walk along the railway embankment
across the fields produced Blackcap 3, Chiffchaff 2, Dunnock 4,
Wren 2, Blue tits 5, Great Tits 7, Long-tailed Tits 9,
Saturday 27th September 2003 Pegwell
Bay {tide out}
11 Little Egrets, 13 Teal, 19 Wigeon,
14 Eider,5
Sandwich Tern, 1090 Oystercatcher, 286 Curle14 Black-t Godwit, 9 Bar-t
Godwit,1 Greenshank
59 Lapwing, 46 Golden Plover, 40 Grey Plover12 ringed Plover, 9
Knot, 50 Dunlin,1 Sanderling
Friday 26th September 2003 Fields Dumpton
Once again, very little to report.
A Tree Pipit with Meadow Pipits was a first for the garden
as I emptied the Moth Trap. A Scarce Bordered Straw was the best moth of
the day. Several times the gulls got up, but I failed to spot anything of
note. Two
Swallows went south, a Grey Wagtail north and a single Lapwing
had a look to the south before turning around and heading back north. A Chiffchaff
was in the hedge first thing and the Robins remain very vocal.
Friday 26th September 2003 Grove Ferry 12-45pm - 2-15pm
A walk around Grove Ferry midday was very pleasant
views from the ramp showed good numbers of Birds: Graylag, Teal, Gadwall,
Wigeon, Mallard, Snipe, Ruff, Lapwings, Golden Plover, Pintail, Grey
Heron, Coots, Moorhens, etc: after a little time spent looking over the
mud I picked up on the pectoral Sandpiper also a Water Rail, the
Beaded
Tits were very mobile over the reeds had two groups one of 5 and one of 7
as I was leaving a Sparrowhawk came over the marsh.
Friday 26th September 2003 Hoverpad & Country
Park Stonelees
Got down at 7.45 and trudged the whole area -barring
one half of the country park. The odd small group of Meadow Pipit
{60 west at 8.45 the only decent flock} plus quite a few Chiffchaffs but
little else save more Robins and Song Thrushes than
there have been of late. A single Firecrest in the Hover port
Cypress trees also an influx of Great-spotted woodpecker
these past few days.{ Migrants/dispersals?} The wader numbers were very
low today - and what’s happened to all the hirundines lately? I
haven’t seen a decent movement of Swallow all
autumn. Not much except for a few Chiffchaffs and 6 blackcaps
in Stonelees.
Friday 26th September 2003 7.45am -12.00pm Pegwell Bay
1 Wheatear, 3 Grey Wagtail {2 west and 1 north}
110 Meadow Pipit {west}, 1 Tree Pipit {west}, 16 Reed bunting, 1
Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest, 1 reed warbler
1 Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 36 Chiffchaffs
4 Great-spotted woodpecker, 10 Sandwich Tern
16 Black-t Godwit, 20 Bar-t godwit, 5 Greenshank
4 Golden Plover, 38 Grey Plover, 71 Ringed Plover
6 Knot, 80 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling, 1 Little stint,1 Turnstone
1 snipe,4 Curlew Sandpiper,14 Little egret,104 mallard
34 Wigeon,17 Eider,1 Pintail,16 Teal,1 Hobby
Thursday 25th September 2003
4-15pm - 5-30pm
Late
afternoon walk around North-Foreland bushes produced:
5,Greenfinch, 2 Chiffchaffs, 20+Meadow pipits, 2 Goldcrest,
1 Redstart, 1 Kestrel, 2 Greenwood
peckers , 1 wren,
Thursday 25th September 2003
9-30am
- 5-30pm Fields Dumpton
Grey Wagtail - 2 North,
Meadow
Pipit - a few overhead in all directions, probably grounded birds
moving due to disturbance? Pied Wagtail - 1 North Sparrowhawk - 1 migrant female West @
11.35hrs + 1 male North @ 15.40hrs - probably the Cemetery bird! House
Martins today, but less than 10 in total, in three groups heading
South-West. Several
Robins were giving it the "Big'un" this morning, quite
probably youngsters of continental origin?
Thursday 25th September 2003
Pegwell Bay 7.30am2.00pm:
A little too much east in the wind for a raptors today though there may
have been a few migrant Sparrowhawks.
15
Little Egrets, 1 Pink-Footed Goose {south},1 Brent goose
9 Shelduck, 83 Mallard, 7 Wigeon, 3 Eider,1 Pintail
c4 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, 13 sandwich Tern, 1 Whimbrel
26 Black-t Godwit, 13 Bar-t Godwit, 6 Greenshank
50 Lapwing, 20 Golden Plover, 47 Grey Plover
50 Ringed Plover, 20 Knot, 80 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling
1 Turnstone, 2 Little Stint, 6 Snipe, 6 Curlew Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Swallow {north}, 1 Redstart
4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail {south}
1 Yellow Wagtail {south}
160 Meadow Pipit {120 present + 40 west}, 1 Rock Pipit
6 Tree Pipit {2 present and 4 south}, 1 Siskin {north}
12 Goldcrest, 1 Reed Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff
1 Guillemot {offshore}
Thursday 25th September 2003
Early morning update:
A couple of Chiffchaffs along the back hedge and still a few Meadow
Pipits overhead. The Starlings over at Newlands Farm got up
and I found this Male Merlin perched in the top of the biggest
tree. Not a stunning image, but at least the light was in my favor.
I'll keep my eyes open and hopefully might
get a Buzzard!
Wednesday 24th September 2003
Did a quick stroll around Grove after I finished work, about two hours.
Went to work at 02.00hrs, had a nice surprise when a Badger crossed
the road near Chilham, then I saw two Barn Owls along the A28 nr
Ashford!
Grove Ferry on my way home had a few bits.
Little Egret – 3, Green Sandpiper
– 2, Ruff
– 12, Kingfisher
– 1 Reed
Warblers & Bearded Tits were still quite active, though I only saw 2 Sedge
Warblers. Water Rails and Cetti's Warblers were very vocal, but
remained hidden within the dense reed beds. Bird of the day was a juvenile Pectoral
Sandpiper that I found from the ramp. I did manage to get a couple of
record shots,
Wednesday 24th September 2003 Pegwell
9.00am 3.00pm
157 Lesser BB Gull, 554 Great BB Gull,68 Sandwich Tern
4 Common Tern, 347 Curlew, 20 Black-t Godwit, 18 Bar-t Godwit, 11
Greenshank, 120 Lapwing,40 Golden plover
50 Grey Plover, c120 Ringed Plover, 6 Knot, 140 Dunlin
6 Sanderling, 2 Snipe, 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 20 Swallow {north} 2 House
Martin {north} 2 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat
120 Meadow Pipit {west}, 2 Tree Pipit {west}, 6 Sedge Warbler, 1 Redwing,
7 migrant Grey Heron {north}
11 Little egret, 3 Mute Swan {west} 38+ Pink-Footed goose
22 Brent goose, 41 Shelduck, 94 Mallard, 52 Teal
23 Wigeon, 4 Eider, 3 Pintail, 1 Red Kite {west}
7 Common Buzzard {mainly west} 1 Marsh Harrier {west}
3 Sparrowhawk {2 north/1 south}, 1 Peregrine, 1 Hobby
Wednesday 24th Foreness/North Foreland 3.30pm 4.45pm
A
quick walk around late afternoon 1 Juv. Dartford Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff,
6 Goldcrest 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Redstart,100+ Meadow
Pipit
Tuesday 23rd September 2003
A walk around Stonelees this morning produced.
12 Blue Tit, 6 great Tit, 19 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Sedge
warbler
6 Blackcap, 10 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldcrest, 1 Green
woodpecker
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
A
few bits from the fields at Dumpton.
Pied
Wagtail
- 1N, Meadow Pipit
- 106 SW + 120(ish) grounded on stubble field, Woodpigeon
- 150+ early morning on stubble, then a steady influx from the east -
possibly another 500 birds?
Greenfinch
- a small movement early morning (20 birds max)
House Martin
- 2 SW the only hirundines of the day
Rook
- surprisingly rare birds around Dumpton - 13 birds feeding with Carrion
Crows on the stubble, Kestrel
- 3 migrants south during the morning, plus the resident pair, Sparrowhawk
- 1 female south at 12.30hrs
Tuesday 23rd September 2003 Pegwell Bay
7.00am - 1.30pm
15 little egret, 90 Mallard, 14 Teal, 37 Wigeon, 13
eider
1 Pintail, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 13 Sandwich tern 1240-oystercatcher, 15 black-T godwit, 4 Bar-t
godwit
15 greenshank, 10 Lapwing, 16 grey plover, 60 Ringed Plover
8 Knot. 150 Dunlin, 37 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 4 Curlew sandpiper, 1
Whinchat, 2 Pied wagtail west,2 Grey Wagtail {1 west/1 south}, Meadow
pipit 20 present/50 west, 1 Tree Pipit {west}, 150 linnets ,
60 Goldfinch, 12 Redpoll {west} 12 goldcrest,1 Greenish Warbler
{9.30-9.50}
3 Whitethroat, 20 chiffchaff, 20 Blackcap.
Monday 22nd September 2003
Early morning apple picker in the garden Starling,
Also the escaped Eagle Owl was seen on a roof up at High field
estate Ramsgate about 9.50am
Nothing much to report, but I have been outside since early morning and
had the following migrants over:
Swallow 11 south ( west ?) House Martin 70+
Meadow Pipit 160 - ish ( all directions - some may have been grounded on
stubble beyond the garden?)
Sparrowhawk - 3 south between 08.50 & 09.28 hrs
Hobby - 1 Juv south @ 09.15 hrs
Long-tailed Tit - 2 north, then 7 south through garden.
Grey Wagtail - 2 south Good
numbers of Wood pigeons going east early on, but everything went quiet
once the wind got up.
Had a walk
around North Foreland this after noon very windy along the cliff top,
Still had 3 Swallows, 12+ Linnets,
2 Meadow Pipits, over the fields.
2 Curlew, 14+ Oystercatchers with a variegation of Gulls on the rocks, and
at 16.50pm (1) Swift over the sea about
300
yds from the cliff top heading south.
Monday 22ndSeptember 2003 Pegwell
Bay
5700
Starlings {off north to roost} 2 Little Egret, 180 Mallard
4 Teal, 8 Wigeon, 3700 Herring Gull, c100 Lesser BB Gull
540 Great BB Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern, 3 Black-t Godwit
8 Bar-t Godwit, 6 lapwing, 15 Golden Plover, 22 Grey Plover
100 Ringed Plover, 1 Knot, 200 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling
1 Curlew Sandpiper
Sunday 21st September 2003 Pegwell Bay
15 Little Egrets, 70 Mallard, 35 Teal, 25 Wigeon,
11 Eider
1 {drake} Scaup offshore, 1 Sparrowhawk
1 Adult Mediterranean Gull, 9 Sandwich Terns, 7 Com Terns
1 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 11 Black-t Godwit, 17 Bar-t Godwit
11 Greenshank, 10 Golden Plover, 12 Grey Plover
80 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 120 Dunlin, 25 Sanderling
4 Little Stint, 1 Turnstone, 1 Snipe, 2 Curlew Sandpiper
460 Meadow Pipits {southwest}
Saturday 20th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
30
egrets, 62 lesser bb gull, 7 sandwich terns, 138 mallard
32 Wigeon, 13 teal, 113 ringed plovers, 42 golden plover
27 grey plover, 9 black t godwit, 22 bar t godwit
5 Little stint, 7 curlew sandpiper, 161 dunlin, 21 Sanderling
1000 avocets at cliff today - lets hope they pass
through Pegwell.
Friday 19th September 2003 Pegwell
Bay
31 Little egrets, 23 cormorant, 1 Whinchat, 124 Great BB Gull
12 sandwich tern, 122 mallard, 8 Wigeon. 5 Teal, 13 Eider
62 Ringed plover, 22 grey Plover, 12 Golden plover
18 Bar Tailed Godwit, 8 Sanderling, 1 Curlew Sandpiper
424 Curlew
Thursday 18th September 2003
Out the back of the house over the fields today we
had two Hobbies and one Sparrowhawk hunting the 80+ Starlings,
40+Sparrows 12 Linnets, about 11.15 am, do not think that
the 40 Gulls or100 Woodpigeons were at risk form the Hobbies
or Sparrowhawk, I do believe thesis are the same birds from the
Ramsgate Cemetery one of the Hobbies drop out of the sky onto a Juv-Starling
on the ground, this is the first
time that I have ever seen this sort of behavior from a Hobby. At
about 7.20 pm we had two Green Woodpeckers and about 380 Parakeets go over
the field.
Thursday
18th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
27 Little Egret, 180 Mallard, 1 Teal, 7 Wigeon, 3 Eider
1 Sparrowhawk, 1Adult Yellow Legged Gull, 25 Sandwich tern
1 Common Tern, 380 Curlew, 3 Black T Godwit
17 Bar T Godwit, 8 Greenshank, 4 Lapwing, 20 Grey Plover
45 Ringed plover, 2 Knot, 120 Dunlin, 2 Curlew Sandpiper
17 Sanderling, 1 Sand martin {south}, 3 Whinchat
Wednesday 17th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
21 Little Egret, 120 Mallard, 3 Shoveler, 15
Teal, 13 Wigeon
2 Eider, Probable Honey Buzzard {circling 1.50pm}
1 Hobby, 1 Whinchat, 1 Redstart, 1 Spotted Flycatcher
3 Goldcrest, 52 Lesser BB Gull, 160 Great BB Gull
31 Sandwich Tern, 1 Avocet, 1260 Oystercatcher,
278 Curlew, 1 Black T Godwit, 12 Bar T Godwit, 15 Knot
6 Greenshank, 6 Lapwing, 190 Golden Plover, 29 grey Plover
50 ringed Plover, c100 Dunlin, 20 Sanderling
1 Curlew Sandpiper
Tuesday 16th September
2003
A
quick walk around Grove Ferry at mid-day.
Good numbers of Bearded
Tits were very obvious, calling and flying low over the reed beds.
Five Ruff, three Green Sandpiper, three Common Snipe
and a Golden Plover were amongst a large number of Lapwings
resting around the pools.
Several Yellow Wagtails
were in the fields with cattle and a Little Egret was flushed from
the pool next to the "Green" hide. Water Rails were
surprisingly vocal, but none seen amongst the masses of reeds.
Cetti's
Warblers were still singing their explosive songs from deep within the
vegetation and a few Goldfinches were enjoying the thistle seeds
next to the ramp. Still loads of assorted waterfowl, with Graylag Geese
dominating the scene.
Tuesday 16th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
60
Swallow {south}, 4 Wheatear, 6 Whinchat, 6 Redstart,
2 Yellow Wagtail {south} 1 Grey Wagtail {south}
60 Meadow Pipit {south} 6 Blackcap, 30 Chiffchaff
26 Little Egrets, 230 Mallard, 12 Teal, 17 Wigeon, 4 Pintail
4 Sparrowhawk {2 north} 1 Hobby {south} 1 Merlin
11 Sandwich Tern, 2 Black T Godwit, 13 Bar T Godwit
14 Greenshank, 20 Lapwing, 6 Golden Plover, 36 Grey Plover
71 Ringed Plover, 8 Knot, c250 Dunlin, 22 Sanderling
2 Little Stint, 3 Curlew Sandpiper
Monday 15th September 2003
Walk in the cemetery mid/late morning, it was very nice. Two Goldcrests,
several Chiffchaffs and the Hobby family all on display. A
juvenile male Sparrowhawk joined the Hobbies for a while
circling overhead, but really quiet on the whole. Bird of the day was a female/imm
Redstart that led me a merry dance until perching in the open, hence
the photo! Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers remain very vocal
and Jay numbers seem to be up. Robins also seem to be very
numerous,
Another good day. I didn't start until nearly 9.00am and there was
quite a bit of stuff around the bushes mainly along Chiltern Lane bushes
and off the nearby cycle path bushes/trees. Bird of the day was the
reasonably late wood warbler normally August birds in thanet and
even then they are unusual away from the Cemetery's and Foreness. I haven't
seen an autumn bird in the area for many, many years. A good
scattering of Chiffs,Blackcaps also a few Redstart and single
Pied and Spotted Fly's. Craig spotted 4 Buzzards
circling near Richbough Towers at 11.55 - 3 of which flew west also a Honey
Buzzard which flew southeast over Sandwich Bay at 12.00. We had a mad
15 mins - at
least 4 Buzzards, a Honey and 2 Marsh Harriers between 11.55
and 12.10.Afterwards nothing until 2.45 - when I spotted a single
Buzzard flying northwest as I cycled home. {did you see it Craig? It
was near the Lord of the manor} It's been the best autumn period for
Buzzards ive known. Anyway here's the counts:
Monday 15th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
2nd
Yr. Mediterranean gull 1, Sandwich tern 12, Bar T Godwit 6,
Greenshank 6, Redshank 340, Lapwing 109, Grey Plover 25,
Ringed Plover 12, Knot 2, Dunlin c200, Little Stint 1, Turnstone 2,
Curlew Sandpiper14, Swallow 50 {north} Wheatear 2, Whinchat 2,
Redstart 3, Pied Flycatcher 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1,
Yellow Wagtail 1 {south} Grey Wagtail 1 {east}
Meadow pipit {30 present/40+ south} Chiffchaff 30+
Goldcrest 1, Wood Warbler 1, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Blackcap 12
Willow
Warbler 1,
Sunday 14th September 2003
I called in at
Grove Ferry on my way home from work. Very misty first thing, but the sun
soon burnt it off and I spent about an hour on the ramp. Loads of
assorted ducks and a good number of Lapwing - 300+. An immature
Marsh Harrier flew across from Stodmarsh and headed off towards
Pluck's Gutter. Lots of Bearded Tits calling and watched
flying over the reedbed, which was full of Sedge and Reed Warblers.
A young Stonechat was in the field next to the gateway and there
were good numbers of Reed Buntings around. A Sparrowhawk was
chasing Starlings as I left and there was a pair of Red-legged
Partridges in stubble between Sarre and Monkton. Very pleasant for
an after work session.
Sunday 14th September 2003 Pegwell Bay
Swallow 30 {west} Wheatear 1 Whinchat 3
Yellow Wagtail 2 {south} Grey Wagtail 1 {west}
Meadow Pipit 20, Treecreeper 1, Firecrest 3, Little Egret 27,
Mallard 120, Teal 8, Wigeon 27, Eider 18,
Honey Buzzard west 10.55 and west 11.12
Common Buzzard 11 mainly west - 1 at 9.50 and 8 at
10.55 and singles west 11.15 and 11.20.
Marsh harrier 1, Sparrowhawk 8 heading mainly north/n/west Peregrine 1,
Hobby 1 north, Short-Eared Owl 1 south,
Kingfisher 1, Sandwich 11, Black
T Godwit 1,
Bar T Godwit 12, Greenshank 10, Lapwing 8,
Golden Plover 62, Grey Plover 33, Ringed Plover 21
Knot 14, Sanderling 8 , Little Stint 3, Turnstone 4
Curlew Sandpiper 2,
Saturday 13th September
2003
A Walk from Pegwell Village along the cliff top to the Hoverpad. Good
number of Chiffchaff in the bushes with the odd Blackcap and
Common Whitethroats, There was a Pied Flycatcher in
the hedge next to Little Cliffsend Farm, bushes along the undercliff had
over thirty Blackcaps feeding on elderberries with a lone Wheatear,
along the tideline. Lots of waders in the bay with good number of Little
Egrets feeding in the pools. got home about 11.00hrs to see Whinchat
fly catching from the apple tree in back garden.
Saturday 13th September
2003 Pegwell Bay
1 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat, 2 Yellow Wagtail (south) 17 Teal, 24 Little
Egret, 28 Shelduck, 57 Mallard, 14 Wigeon, 2 Hobby, 3 Sparrowhawk, 1
Merlin, 19 Sandwich Tern, 3 Avocet, 1 Whimbrel, 11 Black Tailed
Godwit, 15 Bar tailed Godwit, 8 Greenshank, 1 Lapwing, 4 Golden Plover, 11
Grey Plover, 30 Ringed Plover, 5 Knot, 250 Dunlin, 6 Sanderling, 35
Turnstone, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpiper.
Friday 12th September 2003
Went across to North Foreland at 07.00hrs this morning very Quiet Three
Common Scoter going south, a few Fulmars patrolling the
cliffs with a trickle of Meadow Pipits overhead Went over to the
Ramsgate Cemetery Hobbies and Sparrowhawks were very active,
Pied Flycatcher was still by the Chapel very mobile and elusive.
Friday September 12th
2003 Pegwell Bay
120 Swallows (north) 2 Swift (southwest) 2 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 1 Grey
Wagtail (west) 2 Rock Pipits, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (Stonelees) 22 Little
Egret, 62 Mallard, 39 Teal, 41 Wigeon, 18 Eider, 9 Pintail, 7 Knot 1 Juv,
Marsh harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine,20 Sandwich Tern, 1 Whimbrel,
1130 Oystercatcher, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 26
Greenshank, 3 Golden Plover, 41 Grey Plover, 69 Ringed Plover, 3 Little
Stint, 350 Dunlin, 19 Sanderling, 2 Turnstone, 25+Curlew Sandpiper, 2
Ruff.
Thursday September 11th
2003
Cliff top at Pegwell and the Hoverpad lots of common migrant warblers feeding on
berries, Blackcaps were particularly numerous. also many Common
& Lesser Whitethroats, etc, at least three new Whinchats
along the sea wall where Pete Forrest flushed a Wryneck at 07.50hus
I stayed until 11.00hus but failed to see it, Two late Swifts went through
with good numbers of Swallows and house martins. There were
two Grey Wagtails over with a steady passage of Meadow Pipits
also noted Goldfinches
were everywhere with a high proportion of young birds, indicating a good
breeding season, Starlings were having a feast on the elderberries
this attracted the attention of two Sparrowhawks at least twelve Little
Egrets feeding on the pools by the Hoverpad.
Thursday September 11th
2003 Pegwell Bay
2 Grey Heron,15 Little Egret, 27 Cormorant, 56 Teal, 3 Eider, 158
Wigeon, 2 Sparrowhawk, 20 Grey Partridge, 380 Curlew, 11 Sandwich Tern,
1110 Oystercatcher. 6 Greenshank, 28 Black Tailed Godwit, 9 Bar Tailed
Godwit, 330 Redshank, 11 Knot, 16 Lapwing, 14 Grey Plover, 20 Ringed
Plover, 270 Dunlin, 12 Sanderling, 1 Juv Curlew Sandpiper, 8 Sand Martin (
west ) 1100Swallows (c300 north and c800 west ) 450 House Martin (200
north and 250 west) 2 Swift (north) 1 Wheatear, 5 Whinchat, 2 Grey
Wagtail (west) 60 Meadow Pipits (present) 1 Wryneck (main path/sea wall
7.50am)
Wednesday September 10th 2003
A walk around Ramsgate Cemetery today and there are still two
juvenile Hobbies present, also two Goldcrests and a single Pied
Fly-Catcher, There was a Sparrowhawk feeding on a young Blackbird,
but it was flushed before I could get close to it. Pegwell bay late
afternoon juvenile Whinchat and 2nd yr male Marsh Harrier in
the distant.
