Spoonbill!

With a NE wind blowing overnight and the temperature dropping, it was not surprising that the moth trap was disappointing this morning. After going through the meagre catch I made my way to the sea watch hide where I joined AJG for an hour.
09.00-10.00
Common Scoter: 1E  1W
Gannet: 29E
Cormorant: 9 around
Little Egret: 1 in
Mediterranean Gull: 4 around
Sandwich Tern: 2E
Common Tern: c10 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Hummingbird Hawkmoth: 3

Spot the Little Egret which came in, flew around The Patch a couple of times before disappearing off over the power station.

 At the ARC a Spoonbill was on a small island in front of Hanson Hide, most of it's time was spent in usual Spoonbill pose asleep, but it did a have a fascination for a stick and would pick it up and move it around.

 2 Greenshank, a Ruff, 2 Redshank, several Oystercatchers with Chicks and a Little Gull were also viewable from Hanson as well as all the usual Marsh Harriers and wildfowl. A visit to the fishing boats this afternoon saw another 7 Mediterranean Gulls feeding off shore and a party of 8 Common Scoter.

On Burrowes this evening the highlight was 5 Black-tailed Godwits, the Spoonbill was still on the ARC. Nearby the Serin is still singing in the conifers at Littlestone.

 Tree Sparrow nesting in the engine of an old crop irrigater

I spent 4 hours yesterday wandering out the back of Scotney without seeing another person, plenty of birds but nothing unexpected. Yellow and Pied Wagtails, Linnets Reed and Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows were in the fields and bushes with1,000s of boisterous young Starlings, Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards, a juvenile Cuckoo and c80 Sand Martins on the move, best of all a distant hunting Barn owl. 

 Juvenile Yellow Wagtail

 Corn Bunting

 Juvenile Pied Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

 Little Ringed Plover from Firth hide last night

 Juvenile Black Redstart at The Patch this morning

 4 juvenile Black Redstarts at The Patch hide this morning

An unexciting but pleasant in the warm sunshine sea watch from the fishing boats this afternoon with AJG.
14.15-15.30
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Gannet: 5E     4W
Kittiwake: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E (2nd summer)
Sandwich Tern: 4E
Common Tern: c10 around
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
Grey Seal: 1
100s of Swifts moving SW over the peninsular on and off throughout the day.

 Plumed Fan-foot only the second for my trap this morning

Cynaeda dentalis probably my favourite micro

Black Tern!

 Heath Fritillary East Blean

When I finished my appointments at Canterbury Hospital yesterday, I visited East Blean woods in the hope of catching up with a Heath Fritillary. I did mange to see them but they were very flighty in the strong blustery wind, consequently I didn't get the images I really wanted.

White Admiral East Blean

 This Cuckoo was watching the Reed Warblers at Cockles Bridge yesterday evening

 The first juvenile Sandwich Tern I have seen this year, dropped into the roost in front of Firth hide yesterday evening.

 The splendid Curlew Sandpiper was still present yesterday evening

 1 of 3 summering Wigeon was in front of Firth yesterday evening

The last few nights the MV has been very poor, this Shore Wainscot which is just about annual in my trap was the pick of the moths today.

I joined AJG for a pleasant hour at the fishing boats this afternoon, the cooling breeze made up for the lack of birds.
14.30-15.30
Common Scoter: 2W
Gannet: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 7E (2 x Ad + 5 1st summer)
Kittiwake: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 2E
Common Tern: 10 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Black Tern From Firth this evening

 Black Tern

 Some of the 14 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in for bathe and short rest in front of Firth hide before moving on. 4 Little Terns flew through Burrowes at 20.00 and 2 Sandwich terns dropped in. Behind the hide 2 Cuckoo's were chasing around.

Redshank enjoying a Medicinal Leech this evening

With a blasting North Easterly gale, this mornings sea watch was predictably poor.
08.20-09.20 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 2W
Gannet: 14E.     13W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E  adult
Kittiwake: 1E
Common Tern: 14 around
Guillemot: 1E
Auk sp: 3W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Grey Seal: 1
The Serin was still singing at Littlestone this morning.

Curlew Sandpiper from Firth Hide this morning

Curlew from Firth Hide this morning

 Curlew Sandpiper with a Ruff from Firth Hide this evening

 Ruff from Firth this evening

 Black-tailed Godwit from Firth Hide this evening

Hobby at Springfield Bridge this afternoon

A few decent Moths!

Beautiful Hook-tip a first for for my MV Tuesday morning

  1st summer Common Tern in front of Firth hide yesterday evening

Also on the far islands from Firth a grey adult Knot and a super summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper.

 Little Egret from Firth yesterday evening

 A duck Shoveler with her brood from Firth yesterday evening

Grey Heron by the entrance track at dusk yesterday

The Serin was again singing in the Pines at J/of Madeira Road and St Andrews Road, Littlestone.

 just a single Black-tailed Godwit from Firth this evening

My first juvenile Black-headed Gull on the reserve this evening 

 Beautiful Pearl (Agrotera nemoralis), the first Dungeness area record was definitely the highlight of an excellent haul in the MV this morning.

 Sand Dart another first for my MV this morning

A Delicate new for the year this morning