|
30th Now into its fourth day, the Wood Warbler seems quite content with its patch of sallows and the company of numerous Willow Warblers, around 50 of which remained on the Estate, while. 2 Green Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier flew N. A Hobby was seen several times, dining at some height on dragonflies, and the local Sparrowhawks were at their most visible for some time as they hunted for food for their young. 29th Decent numbers of birds remained from yesterday, including 60 Willow Warblers, the Wood Warbler, which was still present at mid day half way along the Haven, and 2 Garden Warblers. Otherwise, a Crossbill flew over, heading N. 28th Although the morning had a fresher feel, light overnight rain precipitated a fall of 100 Willow Warblers, accompanied by 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warblers, a Pied Flycatcher and, presumably, yesterday's Wood Warbler, in more or less the same place along the Haven. Elsewhere, Backsand Scrape held 20 Greenshanks, 5 Dunlin and 5 Green Sandpipers and as well as a first summer Mediterranean Gull near the Point at least 17 adults were anting over the Estate late on a humid, overcast afternoon. 27th A calm and humid morning brought the first decent arrival of migrants on the Estate, including 19 Willow Warblers, 7 Blackcaps, 4 Lesser Whitethroats and, predictably enough, a Wood Warbler, flitting about in the Haven sallows and alders. Elsewhere, a flock of 18 Green Sandpipers and a Marsh Harrier were on Worth, a Greenshank flew N and hundreds of thousands of soldier beetles of some sort were pouring along the shore. 26th A Purple Heron and the Quail were reported again over the weekend, but this morning could only produce a handful of migrant waders offshore, including 6 Whimbrel, and 15 Common Scoter, plus a wandering Cetti's Warbler on the Estate. 24th A quiet day bird-wise with only a trickle of hirundines and a Lesser Whitethroat on Worth Marshes of note. 23rd Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler featured on the Estate while Little Ringed Plovers were present on both scrapes. 22nd At Pegwell Bay, again, Little Egrets had increased to 18 with 10 Whimbrel amongst the 342 Curlew. On the Estate there were three Little Ringed Plovers. 21st Backsand Scrape held four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers and 11 Greenshank. At Pegwell Bay in superb evening light, two Peregrine Falcons gave an aerial display amongst the 360 Sandwich Terns present with several of the latter diving into the water to escape. There was also a very juvenile Mediterranean Gull present, quite possibly from one of the Medway colonies. 12 Whimbrels were amongst the Curlew flock. 20th The Quail was calling very early on a glass-calm and humid morning that produced a few migrants, including 6 Whimbrel, a Greenshank and 3 Green Sandpipers on Restharrow Scrape. On the Estate there were 2 Chiffchaffs, a Garden Warbler and 4 Blackcaps and 5 Mediterranean Gulls flew SE or W, while 3 separate Sandwich Terns also flew inland across Worth marshes. Easily the surprise of the day, if not the month, was a Redwing on Worth track in the afternoon. Now, what has that been up to over the last couple of months? Along the river and at New Downs were 12 Little Egrets, 6 Greenshank and an excellent count of 79 Common Sandpipers. 19th A Quail, first heard on Saturday, was still calling near Restharrow Scrape this morning and 4 Mediterranean Gulls were on the nearby turf field. Otherwise, a Coal Tit was on the Estate, 3 Grey Herons drifted N over the Observatory and a Hobby was seen on and off during the morning. 17th The Pectoral Sandpiper is showing off on the middle of Restharrow Scrape giving beautiful views (pm). 16th Bright and breezy after yesterday's gales, today produced a few bits of interest, including an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on Restharrow Scrape, where a Little Egret popped in for a brief visit. An adult Mediterranean Gull flew inland over the Estate and 2 more flew SW over Worth in the afternoon. 14th Although a Common Treecreepr was trapped in the morning - a notable bird at the Bay these days - candidate for Bird of the Month arrived in the shape of a PECTORAL SANDPIPER on Restharrow Scrape (photo by Steve Ray). It was identified just 13th 3 Crossbills flew N early on, followed by 2 Green Sandpipers, of which there were 5 more on Worth and at Backsand, where 5 Greenshanks were also present. As morning rain cleared and the sun came out a Hobby was flying about after hirundines over Worth and a Little Egret flew S. 12th On a heavily overcast morning following overnight rain and thunder 5 Whimbrel flew N and 130 Swifts were circling over the Estate, gradually drifting N. 9th A Barn Owl was seen first thing and a rather unseasonable Grey Wagtail was wiggling its way along the plastic shore of New Downs reservoir. Otherwise, there were early signs of return wader passage, with 3 Whimbrel near the Observatory and, on Backsand Scrape, 7 Green Sandpipers, 3 Greenshanks and a very smart white-ruffed Ruff. 8th A Grey Heron flopped inland from off the sea early in the morning and a Roseate Tern was in Pegwell on the evening tide. 7th A Marsh Harrier flew in high from the NE and one of the Little Grebes on Restharrow Scrape was carrying small fish, presumably for its young. 2 Lesser Whitethroats were seen on the Estate but otherwise it was very quiet. 6th The impression of the onset of movement towards the coast was amplified by the vocal presence of around a hundred Reed and Sedge Warblers on Worth; a good deal more than have been evident previously. A Hobby was again feeding on dragonflies and at least 15 Yellow Wagtails were fiddling about on damp fields near Roaring Gutter. 5th 2 Little Ringed Plovers were on the scrape this morning and a handful of migrants/wanderers included a Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and an overflying Whimbrel. 1st With little on the avian front the main focus of interest was again on insects, though a Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the Oasis, an injury-feigning Grey Partridge in the Cellars suggested the nearby presence of a family and a Ring-necked Parakeet flew along the shore, probably not having arrived from off the sea.
|
prior to mid day and although it gave good views for reasonable periods it was very flighty, disappearing into the distance more than once and the final, Kestrel-induced panic at around 1.30pm appeared to be a disturbance too far.