Hoopoe!

As the sea was very quiet with just a handful of Sandwich Terns, Gannets and a marauding Arctic Skua off shore, I went down to The Patch with JTM. c75 Common Terns were over the boil, 4 Mediterranean Gulls and 4 Pitsea ringed Herring Gulls (all have been previously recorded at The Patch) were on the beach, most unusual was a Shelduck in the Gull roost. 

Hoopoe disappearing onto the ranges

As we were leaving The Patch the range safety boat passed us, which meant Galloways would be open for me to check out.

Little Owl Lydd Camp

 I stopped off at the Little Owl at Lydd camp then went to Galloways, 4 adult Stonechats were seen along with a few Common Whitethroats, near the car park at the bottom 2 Corn Buntings were unusual as were 2 Red-legged Partridges, there was no sign of any breeding Wheatears there though. Driving slowly back up I flushed a Hoopoe from the side of the road, by the time I had stopped and untangled seat belt and camera strap the bird was lost to sight some 50 mts out on the ranges. A few calls were made and first to arrive were MH & SG, shortly after there arrival the Hoopoe flew out of cover and disappeared into the distance on the ranges. A couple of Hobby's and Common Buzzards were noted over the ranges.

After lunch I went to the ARC screen hide to see if the Bitterns were showing, in the very short time I was there a drake Garganey could be seen but not the Bittern. My visit was cut short by a call from OL telling me the Hoopoe was showing in Dengemarsh Road. As far as I know the bird was still in the area at Dusk.

Drake Garganey at the ARC

 The Hoopoe in Dengemarsh Road