Owls and Goldcrests!

I've not posted the last couple of days due to domestic stuff and problems with windows 10 which hopefully have now been resolved.

In the last few days I have spent most of my birding time around the bushes at Dungeness. Although there was not large numbers of grounded migrants, overhead migration has been quite good, with many Siskin, Redpoll, Goldfinches, Chaffinches also Fieldfares, Redwings, Song Thrushes, Ring Ouzels, Reed Buntings, Bramblings, Meadow Pipits and few Swallows and House Martins. In the bushes Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs were fairly numerous, some Blackcaps also Common and Lesser Whitethroat. A few Wheatears, Stonechats and Black Redstarts were seen each day.  This afternoon an influx of Short-eared Owls with at 6 in the Desert and 2 more in the Kerton Road Triangle.

 Goldcrest Willow Trail

 Short-eared Owl 

 1 of 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the beach roost

 JE680 Great Black Backed Gull

Sea watching has been very poor recently, though I did see a Sooty Shearwater fly west this afternoon, while in the early mornings a Merlin has been hunting incoming migrants.

On the reserve still at least 10 Great White Egrets usually around Burrowes pit. A ring tailed Hen Harrier was seen at the back of the ARC yesterday afternoon per SO. 

 Wheatear 1 of 3 in the Desert today

Hare in the Desert