Thursday 31st
A Spotted Flycatcher was in the Little Elms and a juvenile Cuckoo at Dickson's Corner. At least seven Whinchats were spread around the Estate plus a few Sedge and Reed Warblers and the first Siskin of autumn. A Great White Egret and five Ruffs were on RSPB Worth marshes and in Pegwell Bay there were two Spoonbills, a Black Tern, a Little Tern, and an excellent count of 1,450 Oystercatchers.
Wednesday 30th
A Wood Sandpiper and a Ruff were on Restharrow Scrape and at least 156 Common Terns, 39 Sandwich Terns, and two Little Terns offshore, plus a female/immature Eider.
Tuesday 29th
A good wader roost on the Estate beach with 105 Ringed Plovers, 24 Sanderlings, 11 Dunlins, and two Turnstones. The two Garganeys remained on RSPB Worth marshes.
Monday 28th
Singles of Little Tern, Little Gull and Spoonbill were in Pegwell Bay in the morning. Two Garganeys and a Wood Sandpiper were on RSPB Worth marshes, with four Black Terns and a dark-phase Arctic Skua offshore. A Little Stint was a nice find on the beach in the evening.
Sunday 27th
A big thank you to everyone who came along to our Family Wildlife Day. It was another great success. There were not as many sightings to report during the day as I guess most people were busy eating cake at the Observatory! Still, three Greenshanks, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, a Whimbrel, 40 Sand Martins, and five Whinchats were on RSPB Worth marshes. In the evening another excellent haul of Terns were in Pegwell Bay and included at least 45 Black Terns.
Saturday 26th
A smorgasbord of terns in Pegwell Bay today included our second WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN of the year, a Roseate Tern, eight Black Terns, a Little Tern, an Arctic Tern, and plenty of Common Terns and Sandwich Terns.
Friday 25th
There were still good numbers of Terns around offshore and included at least one Black Tern, one Little Tern, and six Arctic Terns amongst the numerous Common and Sandwich Terns. Over in Pegwell Bay there were three each of Black Tern and Little Tern on the rising tide. Two Wood Sandpipers were on Restharrow Scrape and four Spotted Flycatchers, six Whinchats, and four Wheatears were on the Estate. Six more Wood Sandpipers and ten Ruffs were on RSPB Worth marshes, plus a Wigeon and four Whinchats, and an Osprey south over. At least 36 Yellow Wagtails were recorded across the whole area and it was noticeable how Chiffchaffs are now the most numerous Phylloscopus warbler, taking over from Willow Warbler.
Thursday 24th
Most people were avoiding the early morning rain. After it went through, the day became very muggy and humid. Six Wood Sandpipers, three Ruffs, and three Garganeys were on RSPB Worth marshes. In the afternoon and evening there was an influx of Terns into the area. Pegwell Bay held 30 Black Terns, three Little Terns, one Roseate Tern, 70 Sandwich Terns, and 150+ Common Terns.
Wednesday 23rd
A Garganey, a Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, 11 Snipes, a Wood Sandpiper, two Green Sandpipers, four Common Sandpipers, two Whimbrels, and two Yellow Wagtails were all on Restharrow Scrape at some point during the day with seven Wheatears, five Whinchats, and a Black Redstart in the Sandilands/Dickson's Corner area nearby. Three Garganeys, four Wood Sandpipers, and five Whinchats were inland on RSPB Worth marshes with 13 Buzzards over.
Tuesday 22nd
Six Wheatears, three Whinchats, and five Yellow Wagtails were south of Sandilands, with a Black Redstart nearby at the Sailing Club. Another three Whinchats were in the Oasis and there was a scattering of 30 Willow Warblers around the Estate. A Garganey was also on Restharrow Scrape. A few other oddities included a Little Owl in the Sandilands garden, a Wheatear on Restharrow Scrape, and a Cetti's Warbler in The Elms. Meanwhile five Spoonbills were on RSPB Worth marshes, plus Garganey, Wood Sandpiper, and four Ruffs.
Monday 21st
Hot and humid conditions. Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper were on the Estate, a Wood Sandpiper on Restharrow Scrape, and 20 Mediterranean Gulls flew south offshore.
Sunday 20th
There were now six Wood Sandpipers on RSPB Worth marshes, along five Ruffs, the Garganey still, a Redstart, and our first Wigeon of autumn. A flock of waders on the Estate beach comprised 28 Ringed Plovers, two Sanderlings, three Dunlins, and a Whimbrel. Singles of Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher were also on the Estate.
Saturday 19th
Another special bird ringed, this time an ICTERINE WARBLER. There were also ten Yellow Wagtails, 200 House Martins, 250 Swallows, and two Garden Warblers on the Estate. Three Wood Sandpipers and a Garganey were on RSPB Worth marshes and a Spoonbill in Pegwell Bay.
Friday 18th
The light easterlies and low cloud looked promising and sure enough the ringing team were rewarded with a fine juvenile RED-BACKED SHRIKE. There was also a Pied Flycatcher along the Guilford Rd and a Wood Sandpiper on Restharrow Scrape. Six Black-tailed Godwits and a Garganey were the best on RSPB Worth marshes, whilst Grasshopper Warblers were seen on New Downs and at the Drove.
Thursday 17th
There had been a clear-out overnight with lower totals of migrants on the Estate today. Two Whimbrels and two Wheatears were around the Sandilands area and at least 20 Willow Warblers and 14 Chiffchaffs spread around. Two Spoonbills were on New Downs.
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Wednesday 16th
Three Pied Flycatchers made landfall on the Estate, our first this autumn, and four Garden Warblers were recorded among the scattering of warbler species in the Oasis area. A flock of 14 Whimbrels flew over the Observatory and a drake Common Scoter was sat offshore, a species that has been surprisingly rare this year.
Tuesday 15th
Two Garganeys were on RSPB Worth marshes, a Greenshank, two Green Sandpipers, and one Common Sandpiper were on Restharrow Scrape, and over in Pegwell Bay there was a Black Tern and a Spoonbill.
Monday 14th
The Black Stork seemed to have relocated to North Kent leaving a Cattle Egret south over Restharrow Scrape and an Egyptian Goose on New Downs as the highlights of the day.
Sunday 13th
The BLACK STORK was once again very mobile. It was first picked up flying high over RSPB Worth marshes at around 9am but drifted north and showed well over the Estate. The Sunday Walk team were treated to good views over the Observatory before it headed over to New Downs and beyond. A probable Long-eared Owl was glimpsed around the Oasis at dawn and the first Tree Pipit of autumn flew over, as did at least eight Yellow Wagtails. Meanwhile a BEE-EATER, a Spoonbill, and 1600+ Mediterranean Gulls were seen at Pegwell Bay, the latter a new SBBOT record.
Saturday 12th
The BLACK STORK was still at the Point in the morning before gaining height and riding the thermals south. The bird flew right over the Observatory before coming down on Willow Farm briefly, then heading off south towards Deal. So it was of some surprise when it was then rediscovered on New Downs in the evening. This bird will become the sixth record for the area, all in the last 15 years. A Crossbill over the Estate was of note among a light movement of hirundines, whilst chats continued to build around the Sandilands area with 12 Wheatears and four Whinchats. An immature Spoonbill was on New Downs and two Garganeys on RSPB Worth marshes.
Friday 11th
There had been a sizable arrival of 'acros' overnight with at least 46 Reed Warblers and 13 Sedge Warblers on the Estate. There were also 56 Willow Warblers and three Garden Warblers. A Spotted Flycatcher was in the Haven, a Treecreeper was ringed, and three Snipes flew over. Over on RSPB Worth marshes there were seven Garganeys and three Black-tailed Godwits. In the evening a BLACK STORK was at the Point.
Thursday 10th
A Stone-curlew flew across RSPB Worth marshes. It looked to have landed on site but was not see again. They're an elusive species so it may reappear again at some point. A Cattle Egret was also present, as well as a Ruff, a Wood Sandpiper, and two Turtle Doves. Three more Cattle Egrets were briefly on Restharrow Scrape in the morning and then later in the evening two were seen in the Pegwell Bay river mouth. Whether these are additional is hard to say. A Little Gull was also in the Bay.
Tuesday 8th
Today was overcast, a little breezy, and quite cool for early August. Still, a good mix of warblers were around including a Grasshopper Warbler in Slazengers and a light passage of Swallows and Sand Martins through the area. Singles of Wood Sandpiper and Ruff were on Restharrow Scrape, eight Whimbrels on the beach, and a Whinchat and five Wheatears south of Sandilands.
Monday 7th
Our first Grasshopper Warbler of autumn was on the Estate and still 30+ Willow Warblers. The evening saw a large number of Gulls swarm into the area to take advantage of the flying ants. Thousands of Gulls were 'anting' including (approximately) 500 Mediterranean Gulls. There was an adult Little Gull on Prince's Reservoir on New Downs and a 2cy bird in Pegwell Bay, where a Little Stint was also present.
Sunday 6th
There was a small scattering of Golden Plovers throughout the area and a Wood Sandpiper on New Downs. There were 15 species of wader in Pegwell Bay, including a single Ruff, and at least 289 Mediterranean Gulls. Two Spotted Flycatchers were in The Elms.
Saturday 5th
Rarest bird of the day would've been the Phalarope sp. which flew just offshore before landing on the sea and disappearing, not to be seen again unfortunately. A Black Tern was some compensation in Pegwell, with two Yellow-legged Gulls and the over-summering Eider still present. Excellent numbers of Warblers still remained with 51 Willows on the Estate, 60 New Downs, and smaller numbers on the Green Wall and RSPB Worth marshes.
Friday 4th
There was a reasonable fall of warblers on the Estate with 66 Willow Warblers and 18 Garden Warblers the standout figures. Three Wheatears were still around Sandilands areas and a further 12 Willow Warblers were on RSPB Worth marshes. The rain came in the afternoon but sticking it out at high tide in Pegwell Bay was worthwhile with two KENTISH PLOVERS, an Arctic Tern, and three Little Terns on show.
Thursday 3rd
Nine Willow Warblers and a scattering of other warblers were on the Estate. Two Whimbrels flew through, two Arctic Skuas were offshore, five Dunlins were on Restharrow Scrape, and three Wheatears were south of Sandilands. Inland on RSPB Worth marshes a Garganey and a Redstart were the highlights. New Downs provided two Wood Sandpipers and a further 12 Willow Warblers, and in the late afternoon singles of Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper were in Pegwell Bay, plus 14 more Willow Warblers.
Wednesday 2nd
Two Ruddy Shelducks flew north over Restharrow Scrape and the Observatory mid-morning and a dark-phase Arctic Skua was offshore in the afternoon. The family of Black-winged Stilts had all moved on to New Downs, with a Spoonbill and five Wood Sandpipers also present.
Tuesday 1st
A Wood Warbler was caught by the ringing team at dawn and then spent the rest of the day feeding and showing well around the Observatory carpark area. Four Wheatears were in the paddock south of Sandilands and two Wood Sandpipers on Restharrow Scrape. On RSPB Worth marshes there were the usual five Black-winged Stilts and three Garganeys. At least one Red Kite was mobile throughout the area, 16 Wheatears were on Prince's Beach, and the adult Roseate Tern was seen in Pegwell Bay again.
