The morning started off at 5am where I had an hour looking at the sea which produced 20 Woodpigeon, 34 Swift west, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Black headed Gull, 11 Mediterranean Gull east, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 7 Cormorant, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Whitethroat, 42 Starling, 2 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Linnet. I then left for an hour to Nethergong where I noted 5 Red Kite moving North towards Reculver and wondered if I returned to Bishopstone, whether I may be able to see them from there, as I needed them for the year. I soon returned and tucked myself behind a bush with the scope and scanned the area to the south. It wasn't too long until I could see 5 Red Kite (127) slowly making their way west distantly. They seemed to be milling around and occasionally flew west, only then to come back east again. After a while with the weather warming they made their way west a little nearer giving good scope views. When I returned to the car after an hour or so, 2 Red Kite flew over the picnic site much nearer where I managed to grab a few shots. Not a bad session with 7 Red Kite noted going through the patch. No doubt with the high numbers seen today, that a few more would have passed today. Also seen there were 10 Swift west, 2 Black headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 7 Cormorant, 1 Marsh Harrier, 7 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, 2 Skylark, c50 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Chaffinch and 1 Corn Bunting. 

Red Kite

I was out again at 5am where I had an hour or so looking out to sea before driving over to Bishopstone for a walk and then along the seawall and back. It was fairly quiet this morning but birds noted were 3 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, 1 Stock Dove, 13 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 7 Swift, 1 Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, 1 Whimbrel, 22 Black headed Gull, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 110 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Fulmar, 6 Gannet, 2 Cormorant and 1 Grey Heron east at sea. There were 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 2 Peregrine seen carrying prey back to the pier, 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, c40 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 3 Wren, 47 Starling, 1 Song thrush, 9 Blackbird, 4 Robin, 2 Dunnock, 13 House Sparrow, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 5 Chaffinch, 6 Linnet and 1 Goldfinch. The highlight of the morning however was bumping into a couple (sorry, I don't know your names) who I often see when I'm on the Downs. She had been walking at Bishopstone on the 24th May and around 07:20, heard a GOLDEN ORIOLE (126) singing close by. What a bird to get on the patch and despite missing this one, gives me some hope that in the future that I may well hear one. I can only hope. Many thanks for informing me this morning, much appreciated although I did go and have a quiet cry on the cliff top afterwards!!

I was out and about at 5am where I spent a few hours watching the sea in a light NE wind. Birds noted included 2 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 5 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 17 Swift over Herne Bay, 1 Avocet (125) flew east quite close in, 1 Oystercatcher, 48 Black headed Gull, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 80 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 3 Lesser Black backed Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, 4 Great crested Grebe and 26 Gannet mostly flew east. There were 2 Magpie, 2 Carrion Crow, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 35 Starling, 1 Dunnock, 5 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail and 2 Linnet. 

Birding Saturday morning on the Downs produced 5 Shelduck, 24 Common Scoter east, 1 Pheasant, 1 Stock Dove, 28 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 10 Swift over Herne Bay, 17 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, 7 Black headed Gull, 11 Mediterranean Gull, 40 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Common Tern (123) flew west with a fish in its bill, 2 Great crested Grebe, 1 Fulmar east, 10 Cormorant, 1 Peregrine, 6 Magpie, 12 Carrion Crow and 2 Blue Tit. There were 7 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 2 Reed Warbler, 40 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Long tailed Tit, 3 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 20 Whitethroat, 2 Firecrest, 4 Wren, 35 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 10 Blackbird, 1 Spotted Flycatcher (124) was seen gaining height before flying inland, a new patch bird. Also noted were 2 Robin, 10 Dunnock, 26 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 4 Chaffinch, 22 Linnet, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Corn Bunting. 

I was out just after 5am where I spent an hour looking out to sea before a walk along the coast to Bishopstone before returning along the seawall up to the pier. In cloudy conditions with light winds and a sea mist forming, I noted 6 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, c30 Feral Pigeon, 24 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 23 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 6 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Gull, c90 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Great crested Grebe, 2 Gannet, 13 Cormorant and 1 Little Egret. There were 2 Hobby chasing Sand Martins over Bishopstone for c30 minutes, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Rook, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 1 Reed Warbler (121) singing in the glen, a scarce bird to get here in the spring, c30 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler (122) singing at Bishopstone, my first spring record of this species here. Also seen were 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 20 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 8 House Sparrow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Chaffinch, 10 Linnet and 4 Goldfinch. 

Hobby

I was out of the house this morning at 04:45 where after collecting my recorder, I started walking along the sea wall in the growing light. I walked as far as the pier and made my way back via a number of bushes back to Bishopstone. Birds noted this morning were 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler (119) on the Downs at 05:15, 4 Shelduck, 2 Pheasant, c40 Feral Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 35 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 18 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper (120) were flushed from the shore line, 1 Redshank, 2 Black headed Gull, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 90 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, 15 Great crested Grebe, 1 Fulmar west over the Downs, 4 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Hobby were together chasing Sand Martins over the colony and 1 Jackdaw. There were 2 Rook, 2 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 63 Sand Martin, 46 Swallow west, 1 House Martin, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 28 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 12 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 8 Dunnock, 17 House Sparrow, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit west calling, 2 Chaffinch, 11 Linnet, 1 goldfinch and 1 Corn Bunting. the past few night of 'Nocmig' recording has been very quiet. Just a Redshank last night. 

Grasshopper Warbler

I struck the jackpot on Thursday night when I sound recorded a Night Heron (116) flying along the coast at 02:18. After all the quiet nights, it certainly is a nice feeling to get something good. I was out at 5am this morning where I spent a couple of hours on the clifftop watching the sea and hoping a few birds would also pass by over the land, before I then took a quick walk around the Bishopstone end. In lovely sunny weather with little wind I recorded 4 Mute Swan west, 11 Shelduck, 2 Stock Dove, 12 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 3 Swift west, 7 Black headed Gull, 9 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 70 Herring Gull, 11 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Great crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Hobby (117) were chasing each other offshore. There were 4 Magpie, 2 Rook, 26 Carrion Crow, 3 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 80 Sand Martin, 21 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 4 Wren, 4 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 5 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 4 House Sparrow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit (118) flying west calling, 2 Chaffinch, 4 Linnet, 1 Redpoll and 6 Goldfinch. 

Night Heron

Yellow Wagtail