Distant Black Kite over Lydd from the garden

First thing this morning I went to Burrowes to see what goodies last nights thunder storms may have put down. 2 Hobby's were perched up by the entrance track, on Burrowes it quickly became apparent that nothing new had arrived on the reserve.

At the observatory it was also apparent that no new arrivals had been noted except for 2 Great White Egrets that flew west seen early morning by AJG.

As the morning warmed up I went home and set my scope up in the drive and spent next 3 hours scanning the sky in front my house hoping for a Honey Buzzard. It wasn't long before the usual resident Marsh Harriers started appearing, c18 Common Buzzards were seen over 3hrs some were more than likely migrants, 6+ Hobby's and while watching a couple of these over the airport pits I picked up a Red Kite going south east. I called SG & MH who were on the reserve to let them know, a short while later SG called telling me that a Black Kite was now heading in my direction, a scan of the sky in front of me found just Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier, the next scan though picked up the Kite heading towards me, I grabbed my camera thinking I was going get to good images but for some reason the Kite veered away towards Lydd Wood, it gained height and began to circle roughly over the church allowing me to get very distant record images. In all I saw 8 species of raptor from the garden including the 2 Kites, Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzard, Hobby, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine, also Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mediterranean Gulls, Yellow Wagtails, S Skylarks and more, a thoroughly enjoyable morning.

 Mediterranean Gull Lydd over the garden

At Scotney this afternoon the Little Owl was in its usual spot, Yellow Wagtails and Corn Buntings were calling from the fence posts and crops, on the islands at least 10 Avocet chicks with attendant and very protective parents and another 11 birds that appeared to be sitting on eggs. Another set of Kite Surfers were on the main lake disturbing the nesting Gulls and wildfowl.

Firethorn Miner found in the MV