PLODDINGBIRDER: Bee-eater jinx broken!

Wednesday 29 July 2015

Bee-eater jinx broken!

First thing this morning I was pleasantly surprised to find plenty of moths in the trap, even more surprised to find my first Black Arches, a superb looking beastie and quite scarce on the peninsular.

First Black Arches in the Plodland trap

A few seconds later and the Bee-eater was gone!

After clearing the moth trap I went straight to the ARC, I walked up to the pines finding my first 3 autumn Willow Warblers, several Lesser and Common Whitethroats, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, and 2 Marsh Harriers, in the screen hide the Swallows were busy feeding there second brood. I then made my way to Hanson, either side of the track several Cetti's Warblers were chacking and Reed Warblers chuntering. From the hide rather disappointingly just 2 Black-tailed Godwits, a little-ringed Plover and a Dunlin among c150 Lapwing along with usual wildfowl. As I got back to the car park I met Pete and Pam, while chatting I noticed a bird sitting on the wires the other side of the car park and said whats that, Pete who was not even looking in that direction said Bee-eater, I raised my binoculars and said it is a Bee-eater, I'm not sure who was more surprised. I raised the camera to get some record shots and saw it fly off as I looked through the view finder, a few seconds after spotting it and it was gone, but at least I broke my terrible run of missing Bee-eaters at Dungeness, 11 opportunities last year and 3 this year. We had look around for it seeing 2 Hobby's a Sparrowhawk, a Marsh Harrier and dead juvenile Kestrel.

Departing Bee-eater

My first Willow Warbler of the Autumn

Sparrowhawk over the ARC

Painted Lady at the ARC

A lunchtime visit to Scotney found 3 Little Owls around the farm, the 2 Spoonbills were still present and were actually awake and feeding, also 6 Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Sandpipers, many Yellow Wagtails and Linnets a few Corn Buntings and some Skylarks.