29th

Another windy day but the birds were obviously passing through as trips around the Estate produced two Spotted Flycatchers, a single Pied Flycatcher, plus assorted warblers. Suprisingly the afternoon rain induced a female Black Redstart to take a shower on the observatory roof! Elsewhere there were Marsh Harrier, Hobby and Turtle Dove.

27th

3 Cuckoos are still present on the Estate, also 4 Blackcaps and early morning a male Peregrine flew through. Flocks of Starlings can been seen on the fields with their numbers increasing as the juveniles fledge and that's about it, unless you'd like to know about the Canada Geese on Restharrow Scrape with 6 youngsters.

24th

A sunny day but not much about, a female Marsh Harrier came in off the sea, 2 Avocets dropped in on Restharrow Scrape, 3 Little Egret and a single Redshank out on Worth.

23rd

Very little to note - until today; a Spoonbill flew over the observatory heading for Pegwell just before 14.00hrs. Coverage was good despite Ian being on holiday, it appears Worth was the place to be as sightings included: 1 Peregrine, 1 Turtle Dove, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Cetti's Warbler, good numbers of Reed, Sedge Warbler, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and 1 Yellowhammer. Across the whole recording area 7 Cuckoos were recorded.

20th

Warm, humid and overcast, the morning brought very little apart from an increase in numbers of House Martins over the Estate, busily reducing the zillions of St.Mark's flies that were everywhere. The afternoon was hot and sunny and the torpor was suddenly relieved by a Purple Heron, flushed from a ditch on Worth marshes. Unfortunately, it flew towards Deal and out of sight, probably into another reedy ditch. Otherwise, a Little Egret, a species that hasn't been common this spring, flew over the Observatory.

18th

Early mist lifted to reveal a lovely, sunny day. Before sea mist rolled in just after mid day a Common Buzzard flew over the Observatory and 4 Cuckoos were calling around the Estate. Migrants, however, were as scarce as would be expected in such conditions.

17th

On a bright morning with a gentle NW breeze at least 200 Swallows flew N, mostly over the sea, and although other migrants were few and far between there has been an obvious influx of female Common Whitethroats over the last few days and 4 Cuckoos were audible around the Estate and Worth.

15th

It's getting warmer! Starts of the show today were 3 Marsh Harriers, a Hobby and our first Spotted Flycatcher of the spring, while at least 100 Swifts were evident.

14th

Calm with warm sunshine today produced an influx of House Martins, of which nearly 30 were circling over the Estate, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and a few more Reed Warblers, while 180 Woodpigeons flew N early on.

13th

A slight but perceptible change in the weather brought some long-awaited warmth as the pernicious NE wind slackened at last. In addition to good numbers of butterflies and the first significant emergence of day-flying moths totals on the Estate and Worth included 6 Cuckoos, 11 Reed Warblers, which are still slow to arrive, 27 Swifts, 11 Yellow Wagtails and a Firecrest, while a gentle procession of hirundines along the coast was the first for the best part of two weeks.

12th

The last two days have been extremely quiet, though today felt a little warmer than yesterday, and to celebrate the impending onset of normal temperatures a Common Buzzard flew over the Observatory at 14.45.

10th

Despite the continuing NE wind today brought a few migrants, beginning with a Little Egret N over the marshes and 2 Wood Sandpipers N over Restharrow Scrape. The Crane had been reported at two or three points north of Hacklinge during the morning and although a search of Worth marshes failed to reveal its whereabouts a Whinchat was seen and a Hobby was hunting hirundines and swifts in the distance.

8th

There was some cheer on another chilly, gloomy day in the shape of a Common Crane on Worth marshes, where a Marsh Harrier and a Merlin were also seen, while a boat trip down the Stour produced a Barn Owl, 13 Greenshanks, 11 Common Sandpipers and 37 Whimbrel.

7th

With the wind stuck in the NE there was little hope of an improvement in the birding and so it proved to be, although decent numbers of warblers are singing along Worth track, suggesting that things might not be quite so grim as they appear to be.

6th

Today, by contrast, was definitely not a better day than forecast, with a cold NE wind driving spring backwards; in fact it felt more like early March. In the circumstances a Common Sandpiper at a pond on the Estate was a welcome bonus.

5th

It was a better day than forecast, with a light E/NE breeze and, after an overcast start, some decent sunshine. The Merlin was seen again, flying along the beach, 3 Whimbrel flew in off the sea and over Worth, where at least 20 Swifts were feeding, and there was evidence of a small influx of Reed Warblers.

4th

On a bright morning punctuated by frequent showers, driven on by a cold N breeze a female Merlin flew along the beach, a Hobby was chasing hirundines near the Observatory and a Turtle Dove ventured briefly out of the Elms before realising the error of its ways. A Green Sandpiper was taking advantage of re-flooding of parts of Restharrow Dunes, rising noisily from a flash near the road, but it was otherwise very quiet.

2nd

The Purple Heron was seen again on New Downs before heavy rain arrived to wash out the remainder of the day.

1st

The month kicked off nicely with a Hobby amongst a few bits and pieces in the morning, then a Purple Heron on New Downs in the afternoon and late news of a Spoonbill on Restharrow Scrape at mid day for half an hour.