Dungeness (Kent): We popped down to the RSPB Reserve this afternoon to see the Whiskered Tern found on the patch this morning before it relocated to the reserve. Also saw: Hobby (1), Swift (20), Swallow (30), Marsh Harrier (2), Whitethroat (1), Common Tern (5) and heard one Nightingale and one Cetti's Warbler.

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Oare (Kent): An after work visit in cold ENE force 4+ winds: Arctic Skua (1 dark-phase), Little Egret (2), Whimbrel (2), Marsh Harrier (2), Cetti's Warbler (1 heard), Black-tailed Godwit (150), Whitethroat (1), Yellow Wagtail (4), Sand Martin (4), Swallow (30), Common Tern (20), Sparrowhawk (1 female), Reed Warbler (1), Sedge Warbler (2), Greenshank (3), Common Sandpiper (1) and Little Tern (2).

Oare (Kent): After work this evening, we popped down to Oare for an hour: Avocet (1), Marsh Harrier (1 male), Sand Martin (4), Whimbrel (2), Cetti's Warbler (1 heard), Snipe (2), House Martin (4), Swallow (20), Yellow Wagtail (2), Little Egret (4), Lesser Whitethroat (1 heard) and a single Black-tailed Godwit.

Grove Ferry (Kent): Marsh Harrier (2), Whitethroat (2), Lesser Whitethroat (2), Blackcap (1), Cetti's Warbler (2), Reed Warbler (4), Sedge Warbler (2), Buzzard (1), Common Tern (3), Swallow (15), Swift (50), House Martin (10) & Sand Martin (2).

Robin

Rook
Common Tern

Chaffinch

Blackbird

Walderslade, Dungeness & Lenham Heath (Kent): Not our favourite style of birding today! Lovely birds to see, but geographically spread around the county meant more time travelling rather than enjoying the sites and birds themselves. Still it's the bank holiday weekend and we shall endeavour to watch our birds in a more relaxed manner over the following two days.

Started this morning at Walderslade with great views of the Iberian Chiffchaff that was also singing regularly. From there, we moved onto Lenham Heath to look for the Hoopoe found yesterday. No luck in nearly two hours of searching with other birders, so we decided to travel down to Dungeness to see the Purple Herons (2), that turned up earlier this week. We were onto these almost immediately upon arrival and there were a large number of Swallows feeding over Hookers Pits along with a few Sand Martins and a number of Common Swifts. While enjoying distant views of these Herons' news came over the pager that the Hoopoe had been seen again, so we were on our way again to Lenham Heath, where we this time enjoyed a view of the bird feeding in a sheep field.

Hoopoe

Iberian Chiffchaff

Iberian Chiffchaff

Oare (Kent): Beautiful bright and warm day. Walked from the road to the flood at Oare and back via the creek. Chiffchaff (heard), Little Egret (2), Marsh Harrier (1), Whitethroat (1), Mediterranean Gull (3), Black-tailed Godwit (260), Whimbrel (7), Swallow (3), Bearded Tit (heard), and Sedge Warbler (10).

Funton WeBS Count (Kent): Mediterranean Gull (3), Lesser Whitethroat (heard), Avocet (4), Brent Goose (103), Red-breasted Merganser (3 male, 1 female), Yellow Wagtail (heard), Greenshank (1), Swallow (1) and Peregrine (1).

Mediterranean Gull

Sedge Warbler
Marsh Frog

Dungeness (Kent): Bright and dry. A walk around the observatory area and a look on the sea: Black Redstart (2), Wheatear (5), Brent Goose (13) and Stonechat (2). We then walked around the RSPB Reserve and looked on the ARC pit: Little Ringed Plover (3), Yellow Wagtail (3), Willow Warbler (1), Reed Warbler (2), Cetti's Warbler (6), Sedge Warbler (1), Swallow (8), Marsh Harrier (3), Common Buzzard (1), Bearded Tit (heard), Little Egret (1) and Slavonian Grebe (3).

Slavonian Grebe

Slavonian Grebe
Slavonian Grebe

Cetti's Warbler

Sedge Warbler