30th

There may be as many as 8 Lapland Buntings along the Ancient Highway now, but otherwise things were quiet, apart from a female Marsh Harrier over Worth marshes.

29th

6 Lapland Buntings and 14 Snow Buntings were still present, another Dartford Warbler was seen near the Chequers pub along the Ancient Highway and a walk to the estuary added a Short-eared Owl and a Woodcock. The plover flock in Pegwell is still spectacularly impressive.

28th

There were 6 Lapland Buntings along the Ancient Highway early this morning, which accords with reports around the turn of the year. 14 Snow Buntings were on the beach opposite Prince's old clubhouse and further on, opposite their new clubhouse, was the Dartford Warbler, relocated yesterday afternoon, and on Worth marshes were an adult male Marsh Harrier and a Water Pipit.

27th

3 Lapland Buntings, rather flighty at times, were still showing along the Ancient Highway, 14 Snow Buntings were on the beach opposite Prince's old clubhouse, the Tree Sparrow was also seen and a Grey Wagtail over theObservatory was our first of the year. In fact, by late morning it was almost springlike and several species were showing signs of establishing territory around the Estate.

25th

There was very little alteration from yesterday, with the 4 Lapland Buntings, including the ringed individual, showing along the Ancient Highway, a female Marsh Harrier over the adjacent golf course, a Tree Sparrow near the Observatory and 13 Snow Buntings opposite Prince's old clubhouse.

24th

4 Lapland Buntings are still along along the Ancient Highway, with 2 singing Corn Buntings nearby and an adult male Marsh Harrier over the fields inland. Also, a party of 13-14 Snow Buntings has also been present on the shingle opposite Prince's old clubhouse since yesterday afternoon.

23rd

4 Lapland Buntings continue to show well along the Ancient Highway and, offshore, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew N and a Sandwich Tern was fishing with apparent success. There were signs of the sort of shuffling about that is usually associated with late winter, including 126 Fieldfares flying W - the first this month. Huge numbers of Lapwings - about 12,000 - were still in Pegwell, put to flight by a combination of Merlin and Sparrowhawk, 6 Twite flew across to the Shellness side of the estuary and a Black-tailed Godwit was also present.

22nd

On a sunny and fairly calm, if slightly chilly day, 3 Lapland Buntings were still present along the Ancient Highway, a female Marsh Harrier was drifting about over Worth marshes and a steady trickle of birds moving N offshore included 9 Pink-footed Geese, 30 Shelduck and a couple of parties of Knot and Dunlin. 27 Red-throated Divers were also recorded, heading in assorted directions or sitting on the sea, and a female Merlin was seen at the Point.

21st

The Lapland Buntings were still present and back up to 4 once again.

20th

3 Lapland Buntings continue to show well along the Ancient Highway on another dull but dry day, but 13 Snow Buntings, initially on the shingle near Prince's old clubhouse, were very much more elusive. Arguably the bird of the day was Tree Sparrow that appeared with the Chaffinch flock close to the Observatory track.

18th

The Lapland Buntings along the Ancient Highway are now a gang of four (see photo, on the left) and 2 Little Egrets were poking about in an impressively flooded field near the Elms.

17th

An enjoyable splash around Worth marshes before the weather deteriorated was rewarded by a party of 3 Lapland Buntings along the Ancient Highway near Mary Bax.

16th

After yesterday's excesses today was quite pleasant with the morning's dark shower clouds appearing to track along the French coast. A walk to the Point was most rewarding, with Jack Snipe on the 100 acre field and something like 3,000 Golden Plovers and 12,000 Lapwings in Pegwell, all of which were put to flight by a boisterous Merlin that tore out over the flats from inland. A Short-eared Owl gave superb views as it sat in the marram grass and with decent numbers of Skylarks, Reed and Corn Buntings it was a real pleasure to be out.

15th

From Ruff to rough ..... Today featured gale force (or stronger) winds with driving rain. Little could be seen offshore,though a few Fulmars flew by, and a Black-tailed Godwit was on Restharrow Scrape. It's not every day that sheep look at you as if you are idiotic for being out.

14th

With little offshore apart from a Grey Seal, the only thing of note as the unsettled weather continues was a Ruff near the Observatory.

13th

Despite a fresh and strengthening wind 2 Chiffchaffs were found on the Estate and a male Merlin dashed across the fields near the scrape.

11th

As the strong wind and heavy rain that obliterated the morning gave way to a much brighter afternoon a large flock of gulls on fields close to the Observatory was found to contain an imposing first winter Glaucous Gull.

9th

The Estate continues to be fairly quiet, but New Downs held an Avocet and 2 Spotted Redshanks and 6 Bearded Tits were in reeds along the river.

8th

Although it was rather quiet again, the mild conditions seem to have induced some species to look forward to spring - the local Mistle Thrushes and Great Tits were very vocal and 14 or so very frisky Grey Partridges near Restharrow Scrape were doing a passable impression of March hares!

7th

It was very much quality over quantity today, with very little of interest on the sea in a strong SW wind in the morning, but a Shag appeared just offshore and 2 Velvet Scoter flew S in the afternoon.

4th

Although the easterly wind had slackened, there was a substantial influx of over 200 divers, heading south from the Thanet coast, several of which were thought to be Black-throats, plus 5 Little Gulls and the wintering Sandwich Tern.

3rd

Although the bitterly cold easterly wind was characterful, to say the least, and the sea was rather quiet, a first winter Little Gull flew along the shore. Elsewhere, 3 Pink-footed Geese and 2 Whitefronts were flying about over Worth marshes, a Black-tailed Godwit was on Restharrow Scrape and 3 Ruff were poking about with the plover flock near the Chequers.

2nd

Seawatching in a cold easterly wind produced 88 Kittiwakes - a good total for the Bay - and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, while a search of floods on New Downs turned up 2 Jack Snipe and an Avocet. Otherwise, the Slavonian Grebe in Pegwell and the 2 Bewick's Swans on Worth marshes are still present.

1st

Spurred on by the need to New Year List everything in sight, 2008 started off most encouragingly, on a dull but wind-free day. The Slavonian Grebe was still showing well on one of the pools at the edge of Pegwell Bay, with a Sandwich Tern out on the flats and a female Merlin tearing about the saltmarsh, while wader numbers were impressive, including a mixed flock of around 9,000 Lapwings and Golden Plovers. A Woodcock was seen on the Estate and a trek across Worth marshes turned up the 2 Bewick's Swans, a Peregrine, several Cetti's Warblers and a party of 5 White-fronted Geese that flew S overhead. Along the beach, a Dartford Warbler was present in sea buckthorn opposite Prince's, a Short-eared Owl was seen at the Point and 2 Goldeneye were on one of the pools on New Downs.