Hawfinch at Last!

At last I have finally caught up with a Hawfinch at Dungeness. With Hawfinches being seen in large numbers all around the country this winter there will probably never be a better chance in my lifetime to see on at Dungeness, so I was very excited to get a call from Owen to say that one was flying around the top end of the Long Pits, at the time Owen called me I had just arrived at the observatory having been watching The Patch, I quickly got back in the car, as I drew up a couple minutes later I could see the bird perched high in bush with 8 Fieldfare. As I stopped it flew off before I could get out the car back to the top end again. I met Owen who saw roughly where it went, a couple of minutes later it flew over me and landed deep in the bushes allowing me take a quick snap before it flew out the back. Also seen around there were 14 Redwing, 16 Fieldfare, 2 Brambling, 5 Song Thrushes, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and 2 Swallows. Many thanks to Owen for the quick call.

Rubbish image of my first Hawfinch at Dungeness 

 juvenile Glaucous Gull at The Patch

Visibility at The Patch today was very poor, the few Gulls that were there were on the beach did include the Glaucous Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull along with several colour ringed ones which were all readable, so not too bad there in 2 visits. Behind the hide my first female Wheatear of the year, a Black Redstart, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler.

3w Yellow-legged Gull at The Patch

female Wheatear at The Patch

 Brambling in the trapping area

Firecrest in the lighthouse garden

There were still several Firecrests around today, with at least 3 in the lighthouse garden along with a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

Black-winged Stilt at Rye Harbour this afternoon

With the weather deteriorating this afternoon I went to Rye Harbour with JTM & RW to see the newly arrived Black-winged Stilts. The Stilts were still present though rather distant, also there Mediterranean Gulls seemingly calling all around, numerous Avocets and Sandwich Terns, a Knot, Black-tailed Godwits, 14 Brent Geese, 3 Whimbrel over, even another Brambling of note. On Flat Beach a male Peregrine was tearing what looked like a Black-headed Gull apart being totally ignored by the 100s of other birds around them.