Black Tern!

 Heath Fritillary East Blean

When I finished my appointments at Canterbury Hospital yesterday, I visited East Blean woods in the hope of catching up with a Heath Fritillary. I did mange to see them but they were very flighty in the strong blustery wind, consequently I didn't get the images I really wanted.

White Admiral East Blean

 This Cuckoo was watching the Reed Warblers at Cockles Bridge yesterday evening

 The first juvenile Sandwich Tern I have seen this year, dropped into the roost in front of Firth hide yesterday evening.

 The splendid Curlew Sandpiper was still present yesterday evening

 1 of 3 summering Wigeon was in front of Firth yesterday evening

The last few nights the MV has been very poor, this Shore Wainscot which is just about annual in my trap was the pick of the moths today.

I joined AJG for a pleasant hour at the fishing boats this afternoon, the cooling breeze made up for the lack of birds.
14.30-15.30
Common Scoter: 2W
Gannet: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 7E (2 x Ad + 5 1st summer)
Kittiwake: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 2E
Common Tern: 10 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Black Tern From Firth this evening

 Black Tern

 Some of the 14 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in for bathe and short rest in front of Firth hide before moving on. 4 Little Terns flew through Burrowes at 20.00 and 2 Sandwich terns dropped in. Behind the hide 2 Cuckoo's were chasing around.

Redshank enjoying a Medicinal Leech this evening

With a blasting North Easterly gale, this mornings sea watch was predictably poor.
08.20-09.20 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 2W
Gannet: 14E.     13W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E  adult
Kittiwake: 1E
Common Tern: 14 around
Guillemot: 1E
Auk sp: 3W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Grey Seal: 1
The Serin was still singing at Littlestone this morning.

Curlew Sandpiper from Firth Hide this morning

Curlew from Firth Hide this morning

 Curlew Sandpiper with a Ruff from Firth Hide this evening

 Ruff from Firth this evening

 Black-tailed Godwit from Firth Hide this evening

Hobby at Springfield Bridge this afternoon

A few decent Moths!

Beautiful Hook-tip a first for for my MV Tuesday morning

  1st summer Common Tern in front of Firth hide yesterday evening

Also on the far islands from Firth a grey adult Knot and a super summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper.

 Little Egret from Firth yesterday evening

 A duck Shoveler with her brood from Firth yesterday evening

Grey Heron by the entrance track at dusk yesterday

The Serin was again singing in the Pines at J/of Madeira Road and St Andrews Road, Littlestone.

 just a single Black-tailed Godwit from Firth this evening

My first juvenile Black-headed Gull on the reserve this evening 

 Beautiful Pearl (Agrotera nemoralis), the first Dungeness area record was definitely the highlight of an excellent haul in the MV this morning.

 Sand Dart another first for my MV this morning

A Delicate new for the year this morning

 Juvenile Wheatear at Jarmans this morning

 Juvenile Mediterranean Gull and juvenile Black-headed Gull

Not a great deal at The Patch this morning, but my first of the year there of Juvenile Mediterranean and Black-headed Gull. Once again the boil was just a few ripples so very Gulls present and even less Terns. Surprisingly in the calm conditions I didn't see a single Harbour Porpoise. Many Painted Ladies were between The Patch and the car park. 

Garganey

This afternoon at the ARC it seems as though there are 5+ pairs of Black-headed Gulls nesting, my first returning Greenshank, a single Hobby, an eclipse Garganey and the usual Warblers and Wildfowl. Late this afternoon 2 Bee-eaters flew around The Point, even though I was just a couple of minutes away I still didn't get there in time to see them.

 Just the 2 Black-tailed Godwits on Burrowes this evening

 Little Egret from Firth this evening

1 fo very few ducks among 100s of drake Pochard on Burrowes this evening

Little Gull!

A profusion of Vipers Bugloss at Dengemarsh

 1st summer Little Gull

A brisk cool easterly wind across Dengemarsh this morning made for difficult birding conditions, as most birds were keeping their heads down. 2 1st summer Little Gulls were hawking over the lake along with a few Swallow and House Martins, several Common Terns were fishing the lake. I couldn't find anything interesting among the many eclipse ducks and hoards of feral geese. By the ramp a couple of Bearded Tits were giving glimpses as were the Reed Warblers and a Cetti's Warbler. As the morning warmed up the first Hobby appeared, eventually there were 4 of them catching Dragonflies over the reed bed, at least 3 Great White Egrets were present.

 Common Tern at Dengemarsh

 Hobby over Dengemarsh

 A rather tatty Painted Lady enjoying the Bugloss

 5 Black-tailed Godwits at Firth this evening

A visit to Burrowes this evening saw of note 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plovers and a Whimbrel.

Fox opposite Firth Hide this evening

Evergestis limbata in the trap this morning

Short-toed Treecreeper, Guinnes.

On Thursday 20th I joined Chris , Tony and Paul for an excellent day out around Calais, the only image I took mainly because I was being lazy in not carrying my camera, was of a Short-toed Treecreeper. A full account of the trip can be found at HERE. 

Friday 21st most of the day was spent on domestic stuff, a visit to the reserve in the evening found a flock of 35 Black-tailed Godwits in front of Firth Hide, which I think is the biggest flock I have seen at Dungeness, also a single Dunlin and 5 Ringed Plovers. On the ARC a 1st summer Little gull was hawking and a minimum of 5 Cuckoo's were chasing around. 

 Wheatear and Black Redstart by The Patch hide

This morning at The Patch there was barely a ripple at the boil, it was no surprise that very few Gulls were present and no Terns. On the way to The Patch there were 3 Black Redstarts and a Wheatear, along c15 House Sparrows, 6 Linnets and 2 Meadow Pipits all busily picking the numerous insects off the sparse vegetation.

Tree Sparrow on its unusual nest site 

A long walk out the back of Scotney, saw of note good numbers of Yellow and Pied Wagtails, several Corn Buntings including juveniles, a few Tree Sparrows, 4 Little egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Common Buzzards. It looks like all the Avocets failed as not a single one was present today, there were at least 14 sitting birds a few weeks ago.

Black-tailed Godwit from Firth this evening

4 Little Terns in front of Firth Hide this evening