With some fog forecast for this morning, I didn't go out until 06:30 but on arrival at Bishopstone, there was no fog! It did slowly appear a little later but was soon burnt off with the warming sun. With only a few hours out this morning, I spent an hour or so seawatching before a walk around the Glen. Despite searching before and after work on a few days and at weekends, I still can't find a Yellow browed Warbler. Either just bad luck or they are not there. Hopefully one will appear in the next week. Birds noted this morning in still mild conditions were 13 Wigeon west, 29 Teal west, 1 Tufted Duck (141) west with some Teal, 1 Common Scoter, 4 Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 1 Arctic Skua west, c250 Black headed Gull, 9 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull and 1 Lesser Black backed Gull. There were 3 'commic' Tern, 14 Sandwich Tern, 13 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret, 8 Skylark west, 1 Stock Dove, c40 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 10 Magpie, 26 Rook west, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 1 Firecrest, 2 Wren, 59 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 2 House Sparrow, 12 Meadow Pipit west, 7 Chaffinch and 3 Linnet. Nocmig recording Saturday night produced 1 Barn Owl, regular Ringed Plover calls and 1 Green Sandpiper (142) over calling at 21:30, a good bird to get here. 

Green Sandpiper

I was out just after 5am this morning where I spent an hour listening into the darkness for any thing calling. In lovely still conditions, I did see 1 Barn Owl, heard 2 Golden Plover, 1 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, a few Ringed Plover, 1 Red legged Partridge (139) heard calling twice, a scarce bird here and 2 Skylark. After picking up the recorder as it was getting light, I spent an hour or so seawatching on a calm sea before having a look around the bushes at Bishopstone. Birds noted included 13 Brent Geese, 36 Wigeon west, 8 Teal, 9 Common Scoter, 74 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 51 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew, 4 Turnstone, 35 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 30 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 18 Sandwich Tern, 2 Red throated Diver, 1 Gannet, 14 Cormorant and 3 Little Egret. There was 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 4 Swallow, 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Long tailed Tit, 1 Firecrest, 34 Starling, 2 Dunnock, 9 House Sparrow, 2 Pied Wagtail, 16 Meadow Pipit, 31 Chaffinch west, 33 Linnet west and 2 Reed Bunting (140) were in bushes at Bishopstone. The only birds of note on the 'Nocmig' recorder last night were 1 Moorhen, 1 Grey Heron and a few Ringed Plover calls.  

A seawatch Sunday morning and then a walk around the bushes at Bishopstone produced 2 Shelduck, 16 Woodpigeon, 1 Curlew, 4 Turnstone, 2 Arctic Skua, 18 Black headed Gull, 6 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 4 Common Tern, 32 Sandwich Tern, 11 Cormorant and 1 Marsh Harrier high west over the sea. A look around Bishopstone failed to find any Yellow browed Warblers but I did see 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 27 Starling, 11 House Sparrow, 3 Pied Wagtail, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch and 22 Linnet. A brief look at the sea Tuesday night (29th) produced 3 Turnstone, 71 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 41 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 26 Sandwich Tern west, 2 Great crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 1 Robin and a surprise male Common Redstart flycatching on the rocks below Herne Bay sailing club. Nocmig recording Tuesday night produced some Gadwall calls and plenty of Ringed Plover heard. 

Ringed Plover

With the wind due to go round to a WNW direction this morning, I opted for a seawatch in the hope a few birds would be on the move. Although quiet for periods of time, it ended up being a nice session with a few good birds seen including two patch ticks. The first was a Purple Sandpiper (135) which flew west quite close in with 1 Turnstone at 07:13 and a few minutes later at 07:16, 2 Ruff (136) flew west. Other birds seen included 1 Teal, 6 Common Scoter, 27 Oystercatcher, 4 Turnstone, 7 Arctic Skua west, 1 Pomarine Skua (137) west, 1 Razorbill (138) west, 29 Black headed Gull, 10 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, c250 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 14 Sandwich Tern, 1 Red throated Diver east, then back west, 10 Gannet, 15 Cormorant, 6 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine, 1 Raven mobbed by Crows over the cliffs at Bishopstone, c40 Starling, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock and 33 House Sparrow. Hopefully I will get the recorder out during the week in the area to see what's flying over during the night. 

I was out at 6am this morning where I had an hour or so having a seawatch in drizzly conditions before a walk along the Downs and back along the seawall. Birds noted this morning included 1 Mallard, c25 Woodpigeon, 5 Collared Dove, 45 Oystercatcher east, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 4 Bar tailed Godwit east, 3 Turnstone, 3 Arctic Skua flew west distantly, 1 Auk species, 52 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 12 Sandwich Tern, 16 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier with wing tags flew high west over the houses, 1 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 5 Carrion Crow, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Sand Martin west, 107 Swallow west, 639 House Martin west, 27 House Sparrow, 2 Grey Wagtail and 18 Meadow Pipit west. 

Sandwich Tern

Turnstone

On a rainy morning, I had a brief look at the sea before walking along the Downs to check some of the bushes before venturing back along the seawall. Birds noted included 1 Shelduck, 15 Oystercatcher, 7 Turnstone, 16 Black headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, c80 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 28 Sandwich Tern east, 28 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 7 Blue Tit, 6 Great Tit, 38 Swallow west, 1 House Martin, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, c30 Starling, 1 Blackbird, 4 Robin, 4 Dunnock, c30 House Sparrow, 2 Pied Wagtail and 2 Goldfinch. 

It's back to weekend birding again unfortunately now as I'm back to work so I had a couple of early sessions yesterday and this morning. A brief look at the sea Saturday morning produced 2 Common Scoter, 3 Whimbrel, 4 Bar tailed Godwit west, 32 Black headed Gull, 50 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 35 Sandwich Tern, 8 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel and 1 Peregrine. I was out early this morning at 05:35 where I spent some time listening into the darkness for anything calling. I did hear 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Grey Heron and 2 Golden Plover but no Owls seen or heard. I then moved on to the sea for a look before taking a walk along the seawall and back. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 4 Common Scoter, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 1 Knot on the beach, a good bird to get here. There were 2 Arctic Skua including 1 pale phase bird east, 44 Black headed Gull, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 120 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, 76 'Commic' Tern east, 83 Sandwich Tern east, 1 Great crested Grebe, 7 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 1 Common Buzzard and 1 Marsh Harrier circling over the sea together, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Hobby in off the sea, 2 Peregrine, 2 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 24 Starling, 5 Dunnock, 32 House Sparrow, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit and 4 Goldfinch. I also saw a few Migrant Hawker, 1 Common Darter and 3 Clouded Yellow butterfly. 

Knot - juvenile