Birding Herne Bay Downs

With a fresh NE wind blowing throughout most of the day, I had a couple of seawatches for a few hours early morning and around lunchtime, and then another visit in the afternoon where I walked along the seawall from Bishopstone. Birds noted early morning included 2 Common Scoter, 1 Curlew, 8 Turnstone, 33 Mediterranean Gull east, 4 Common Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 3 Great crested Grebe, 1 Gannet and 1 Blackcap singing. A visit again over high tide lunchtime produced 15 Common Scoter, 2 Turnstone, 4 Mediterranean Gull east, 1 Gannet and 1 singing Chiffchaff. A walk along the seawall for an hour or so mid afternoon produced 82 Mediterranean Gull east, the largest single flock being 30 birds. That took the daily total to 119 Mediterranean Gulls with nearly all the birds being summer plumaged adults. Such a great sight seeing so many and hearing them calling too. Not surprising that this is my best total for this species on the patch in one day. Also seen were 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Swallow, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Chaffinch and 1 Linnet. A few shots below from today to give you a flavour of the passage of Mediterranean Gulls east today. 

Mediterranean Gulls