Birding Herne Bay Downs

Another day and feeling better by the day, the energy levels are slowly picking up and what better remedy than a bit of birding to make you feel good. I had a look at sea at 8:30 for an hour or so and then had a walk up to the pier to see what was about. Birds noted included 1 Black Redstart at my seawatch site which was hanging around the sailing club buildings. I managed to get a few record shots before it flew off west towards the houses. A little later, I was checking the rocks and seawall behind the Neptune car park near the pier when I found 2 Black Redstart. I suspect the one I had earlier had flown this way and joined the second bird? With the sun now out I managed to get a few pleasing images of one of the birds which are my first shots of this species on the patch. After a while, they both flew together gaining height before landing on the Herne Bay Association Club building before I lost them. Other birds noted included 223 Brent Geese, 17 Woodpigeon, 35 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, c15 Black headed Gull, 7 Great Black backed Gull, 11 Great crested Grebe, 16 Red throated Diver, 3 Gannet, 57 Cormorant, 2 Peregrine, 11 House Sparrow, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit and 2 Rock Pipit. I returned briefly to Bishopstone tonight to put the recorder out and hear 1 Grey Partridge calling at dusk. 

Black Redstart