Dotterel!

 1 of several Small Coppers seen around The Point today

A beautiful morning at The Point, unfortunately very few birds to be seen. The highlights of today's walk around was undoubtedly the Short-eared Owl that came in off the sea to a warm welcome from the Gulls, thanks are due to Dave Bunney for the call. Also seen a handful each of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins over and a few Small Copper butterflys. The Dartford Warblers were still present this afternoon but eluded me this morning. Very few birds made it into the nets but a smart Firecrest was nice. 

 Firecrest at the observatory

A late morning visit to Scotney saw an Avocet, 7 Ruff, 6 Redshank, a Marsh Harrier a Little Owl, a distant Barn Owl and the usual feral Geese and wildfowl.

 Distant image of todays Dotterel with Golden Plover

A message about a Dotterel at the ARC cut short my visit to Scotney, the Dotterel showed well among c200 Golden Plover giving excellent scope views but poor photographic opportunities, also there 30+ Black-tailed Godwits, the usual wildfowl, squealing Water Rail and calling Cetti's Warblers. The warm weather encouraged several Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers to fly. 

 Black-tailed Godwits over the ARC

 1 of several Common Darters at the ARC

 4 of a party of 6 Goosander that flew west this afternoon

14.35-15.35 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 1 down
Shoveler: 1 down
Goosander: 6 down
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Gannet: c40 around
Oystercatcher: 32 down
Turnstone: 1 around
Great Skua: 2 up
Arctic Skua: 1 down
Mediterranean Gull: 1 around
Kittiwake: c300 around
Guillemot: 9 on sea
Razorbill: 3 on sea
Auk sp: 6 up
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

This evening 16 Great White Egrets, 1 Cattle Egret and 18 Little Egrets came into the ARC roost, also c5,000 Starlings roosting there attracting the attention of a Peregrine.

Lyonetia prunifoliella not quite as rare as first thought but a first for Dungeness.