Monday 31st
There was a small passage of 24 Sand Martins on the Estate and a Wood Sandpiper was on RSPB Worth marshes. Pegwell was once again busy with at least 480 Mediterranean Gulls, 233 Sandwich Terns, 26 Common Terns, one Roseate Tern, an Eider, and a Red Kite.
Sunday 30th
Pegwell Bay provided excellent totals of three Roseate Terns, three Black Terns, 360 Sandwich Terns, and 179 Common Terns at the high tide roost. Meanwhile the five BLACK-WINGED STILTS were still on RSPB Worth marshes along with three Wheatears.
Saturday 29th
Two Wood Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, and 152 Sand Martins were the highlights on RSPB Worth marshes whilst the roaming Spoonbill was now in Pegwell Bay.
Friday 28th
There was a good scattering of migrant warblers across the Estate including a smart Wood Warbler. Originally in the Oasis area, it was mobile and moved through the Whitehouse and onto King's Avenue with the passing Tit/Warbler flock. The short spells of rain put down a few flocks of Sand Martins and Swifts and a Yellowhammer was at St George's Bushes. A Whinchat was new on RSPB Worth marshes with five BLACK-WINGED STILTS present (male and four juveniles). New Downs provided a Spoonbill and a BLACK-WINGED STILT (presumably the dispersing female from Worth) and 250 Sandwich Terns, 60 Common Terns, and 70 Mediterranean Gulls were in Pegwell Bay.
Thursday 27th
Two Ravens and a Yellow Wagtail flew over the Observatory whilst the six BLACK-WINGED STILTS were still present on RSPB Worth Marshes.
Wednesday 26th
There was a small arrival of migrant warblers on the Estate including a handful of Willow, three Reed, and singles of Garden and Sedge. From now on we should see daily arrivals of Willow Warbler in the area. The last week of July and first few weeks of August is also the best time to look for Wood Warbler. A Sand Martin flew through and on RSPB Worth marshes there were two Garganeys, a Wood Sandpiper, five Snipes, a Ruff, two Willow Warblers, and our first Wheatear and Whinchat of autumn. In the evening, an immature KENTISH PLOVER and an adult Curlew Sandpiper were in Pegwell Bay.
Tuesday 25th
On RSPB Worth Marshes the six BLACK-WINGED STILTS were still present as well as a Greenshank and a juvenile Stonechat. There were 26 Lapwings and three Sand Martins on Restharrow Scrape and the continued coverage of Pegwell Bay at high tide once again provided dividends with two Roseate Terns and three Little Terns.
Monday 24th
Another Garden Warbler was on the Estate in the morning. At Pegwell, the Black Tern was present once again with six Whimbrel, 182 Curlews, three Black-tailed Godwits, and a Common Sandpiper.
Sunday 23rd
Two Willow Warblers were new in on the Estate despite the fresh breeze and a Hobby flew over. A small party of Swifts drifted over New Downs where a Cuckoo was also present. In the evening, a/the Black Tern was present amongst the Sandwich Tern roost.
Saturday 22nd
Although bright in the morning, the weather deteriorated into a foul day of heavy rain and strengthening wind. This did produce a mixed selection of birds at Pegwell Bay however, with two Roseate Terns, the first Black Tern of autumn, singles of Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, and Yellow-legged Gull, 44 Dunlins, 26 Sanderlings, four Whimbrels, 131 Curlews, 135 Sandwich Terns, 11 Common Terns, and 280 Oystercatchers all tolerating the inclement weather. Over on RSPB Worth Marshes, the six BLACK-WINGED STILTS were also enjoying the rain.
Friday 21st
Two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers and two Ruffs were present on New Downs. The highlight of the morning walk however, was the discovery of two juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls. A pair has been recorded attempting to breed in the area for the past couple of years but this is the first time any evidence of young birds have been observed. The Pegwell Bay high tide counts included 14 Sanderlings, 42 Dunlins, 142 Sandwich Terns, 155 Curlews, 230 Oystercatchers, and 11 Common Terns with a small number of Sand Martins passing through. Three Wood Sandpipers were feeding on Worth Marshes.
Thursday 20th
A Garden Warbler was amongst the plethora of young Great and Blue Tit flocks in the Haven area this morning. It is pleasing to see many young birds around given the cold start to the Spring. In Pegwell, 725 Oystercatchers, 40 Dunlin, four Grey Plovers, and three Knot were present.
Wednesday 19th
Three Green Sandpipers and a Wood Sandpiper were present on Worth Marshes this morning. An early Spotted Flycatcher was on the Estate, whilst a delve into the noc-mig sound recordings after a still night revealed a singing Quail somewhere in the vicinity of the Observatory.
Tuesday 18th
A bit more stability in the weather today, two Hobbies were feeding high up over the Estate whilst a trickle of Sand Martins passed over first thing. On Worth, a Great White Egret was present and there were two singing Corn Buntings. A check of the high tide at Pegwell Bay revealed 305 Oystercatchers, 127 Curlews, 172 Sandwich Terns, 126 Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Dunlins, two Turnstones, and a single Black-tailed Godwit.
Monday 17th
A nice spread of birds to be seen in the Recording Area today for those who risked dodging the stormy weather and heavy showers. On New Downs, 123 Redshanks, eight Greenshanks, two Ruffs, five Whimbrels, and the three Spoonbills were present. Over in Pegwell Bay, the first Little Tern of autumn was present alongside six Sanderlings, an Arctic Tern, seven Common Terns, 180 Sandwich Terns, 48 Dunlin, and singles of Yellow-legged Gull and Kittiwake. A dark-phase Arctic Skua flew close-in south offshore. On Worth Marshes, 150 Mediterranean Gulls and 45 Sand Martins dropped in with the rain.
Sunday 16th
The first Arctic Tern of the autumn was the highlight in Pegwell Bay supported by 14 Common Terns, 295 Sandwich Terns, and the lingering Eider and Knot. Over on New Downs, the three Spoonbills were present along with 14 Greenshanks, two Ruffs and 49 Redshanks. A Common Tern was briefly on Restharrow Scrape in the morning.
Saturday 15th
An adult Little Gull was in Pegwell along with an early Garden Warbler in the bushes. On Restharrow Scrape, five smart Black-tailed Godwits dropped in and there was a small number of Sand Martins over the Estate. An evening sea-watch in the unseasonable winds produced 339 Mediterranean Gulls and 96 Sandwich Terns south along with a single Common Tern, a Caspian Gull was on the beach-front.
Friday 14th
The over-summering immature male Eider re-appeared in Pegwell Bay and the three Spoonbills dropped in briefly. There were also 305 Sandwich Terns, 123 Mediterranean Gulls, 34 Dunlins, and singles of Knot, Ringed Plover, and Bar-tailed Godwit. In the evening, a Roseate Tern was on the mudflats at Pegwell.
Thursday 13th
Most of the action was reserved for the evening with 65 Sand Martins heading south over the Estate. A juvenile Kittiwake was offshore and at Pegwell, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on the Point.
Wednesday 12th
Three Spoonbills, two Bar-tailed Godwits, two Ruffs, four Little Ringed Plovers, and two Egyptian Geese were the highlights on New Downs. The water levels on the North Pool are looking particularly good at the moment. At the high tide in Pegwell Bay there were 327 Sandwich Terns, three Common Terns, and 235 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst at least 120 Swifts were flying over Worth marshes.
Monday 10th
A Honey-buzzard drifted over Stonelees mid-afternoon.
Sunday 9th
A Sandwich Tern was on Restharrow Scrape where Tufted Duck broods continue to appear. A Stonechat was the best on Worth marshes whilst waders were finding the north pool on New Downs particularly to their liking with 19 Greenshanks, 29 Redshanks, six Green Sandpipers, two Ruffs, and 22 Common Sandpipers.
Saturday 8th
There was an arrival of Sandpipers on Worth allowing good comparison. Totals included ten Green Sandpipers, two Wood Sandpipers, and four Common Sandpipers. A count of 26 Ring-necked Parakeets on the Green Wall was the highest this year and there were 187 Sandwich Terns in Pegwell Bay.
Friday 7th
A young Black Redstart was along the edge of the Cellars and three Ravens flew over. It was another day with high numbers of Mediterranean Gull. There was a minimum of 194 cavorting between the Estate and Worth marshes, often alighting in the recently cut hay fields, but is likely more were present.
Thursday 6th
Around 55-75 Mediterranean Gulls spent the day going back and forth between the Estate and Worth marshes.
Wednesday 5th
A good variety around the area. In Pegwell Bay there were 15 Teals, a Great Crested Grebe, 260 Oystercatchers, 185 Curlews, singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel, and 115 Sandwich Terns. The brood of 11 Gadwall ducklings were still doing well on Restharrow Scrape and 72 Mediterranean Gulls were on the islands. A Black Redstart was a surprise find in the Gullies and two Ravens flew over the Estate. The highlights on the Green Wall were a brood of 13 young Grey Partridges and a Kingfisher. Meanwhile at least 470 Swifts were logged overhead.
Monday 3rd
There were three Whimbrels, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 36 Sandwich Terns, and a Cuckoo at the Point. Only a handful of Swifts were overhead today.
Sunday 2nd
There was an arrival of Swifts with at least 300 birds touring around the area. Further north thousands have already started moving south. They are one of our first birds to leave the UK, along with Cuckoo and Sand Martin.
