Friday 29th
A Caspian Gull was amongst the throng of gulls on RSPB Worth Marshes.
Thursday 28th
Brighter conditions today. There was a build-up of Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants offshore, with at least 168 of the latter gathering on the Point at high tide. On RSPB Worth Marshes, a Water Pipit and two Great White Egrets were present, whilst on the Estate a Dartford Warbler was seen.
Wednesday 27th
Wet conditions for much of the daylight hours made for a quiet day in the Recording Area. A Great White Egret was on RSPB Worth Marshes
Tuesday 26th
The highlight of the day were a pair of Whooper Swans on RSPB Worth Marshes. They settled on Minnis Flood before being spooked by the local Mute Swans, only to reappear at the end of the day. These are scarce migrants to the Sandwich Bay Recording Area. Elsewhere, a male Merlin was at the Drove and five Woodcocks were along the Green Wall.
Monday 25th
Five Bearded Tits were on New Downs along with 300 Golden Plovers and 400 Lapwings. A good mix of waders was along Prince's Beach with 700 Dunlins, 40 Knots, 220 Sanderlings, and 30 Grey Plovers.
Sunday 24th
A Jack Snipe and a Woodcock were on the Estate. In the stormy conditions offshore, a Great Skua and a Sooty Shearwater flew south.
Saturday 23rd
The deteriorating weather did bring in some rewards with a Grey Phalarope on RSPB Worth Marshes.
Friday 22nd
Another icy start with the winds beginning to pick up in time for the weekend. Clearly the wildfowl have been moving with the cold snap as the first winter count of 1000+ Wigeon was on RSPB Worth Marshes. On the Estate, a surprisingly late Wheatear on Royal Cinque Ports defied the odds as it was positively a Northern. At this stage of the year, any Wheatear still around would have a very good chance of being a rarer species. A couple of Firecrests were lingering on the Green Wall.
Thursday 21st
Another day of cold conditions with heavy frost and ice at dawn. This brought in small numbers of Woodcocks with four seen in the Gullies/Elms area. There were lots of reports of Little Auks down the east coast of the UK but no sign here, though one made it close by to Ramsgate Harbour, however we did manage handfuls of wildfowl, divers, and grebes offshore and in the afternoon, a delightful Grey Phalarope was sitting off of Prince's Beach. Five Snow Buntings also flew over.
Wednesday 20th
A turn in the weather again as freezing temperatures arrived. There were a few hardy Chiffchaffs on the Estate and small numbers of winter thrushes. A Woodcock was flushed from the path behind the asparagus fields where a mighty flock of 540 Woodpigeons and 220 Stock Doves were feeding. Wildfowl were slightly higher on RSPB Worth marshes and included a few Pintails. A Water Pipit was also seen.
Tuesday 19th
Shocking weather today meant there was very little to report but three late Sandwich Terns were seen offshore.
Monday 18th
Two Velvet Scoters went south offshore and then came back north and into Pegwell. A Jack Snipe was seen briefly on the Estate.
Sunday 17th
An impressive 58 Snipe were seen on Restharrow Scrape, the Great White Egret was again on RSPB Worth marshes, and there were still three late Swallows around the Observatory.
Saturday 16th
A Great Northern Diver was offshore and a Great White Egret on RSPB Worth marshes. The usual good mix of waders at high tide in Pegwell Bay included 820 Oystercatchers, 449 Lapwings, 216 Golden Plovers, four Grey Plovers, 510 Dunlins, five Sanderlings, 11 Knots, 17 Black-tailed Godwits, 277 Curlews, 130 Redshanks, one Snipe, and 14 Turnstones. Meanwhile four Pintails, a Common Sandpiper, and an additional 574 Lapwings and 447 Golden Plovers were on New Downs.
Friday 15th
A surprising amount of visible migration was happening overhead with seven Swallows, 200 Goldfinches, 21 Siskins, four Redpolls, and two Bramblings the highlights. Singles of Jack Snipe, Dartford Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff, and Bullfinch were on the Estate, plus three Corn Buntings. Two White-fronted Geese and the regular male Merlin were seen from the Drove looking across the Willow Farm side of RSPB Worth marshes. An Eider was also sat offshore.
Thank you to all who came along to last night's talk by Rebecca Levey on Kent's Magnificent Moths and Brilliant Butterflies. Don't forget next week on the 21st we have a themed evening on Australia. This special event will be complete with cheese and wine and showcase some of the 750 species of bird that call Australia home. It is a ticketed event only so please book online HERE.
Thursday 14th
There were a few bits and bobs moving offshore with Pintail, Knots, and Brent Geese the highlights. The Ring Ouzel was seen again on RSPB Worth marshes and a lovely adult male Merlin flew through.
Wednesday 13th
Singles of Great White Egret, Black-necked Grebe, and Hawfinch were on RSPB Worth marshes. The ringing team caught another Siberian Chiffchaff on the Estate.
Tuesday 12th
Winds picked up overnight and produced a reasonable morning's seawatch comprising 285 Gannets, 45 Cormorants, three Great Crested Grebes, two Red-throated Divers, 52 Brent Geese, one Red-breasted Merganser, 53 Wigeons, two Teals, 35 Shelducks, 14 Common Scoters, one Shoveler, 103 Dunlins, five Sanderlings, 16 Knots, 14 Grey Plovers, one Golden Plovers, four Oystercatchers, two Turnstones, one Arctic Skua, 88 Starlings, and one Snow Bunting, all mostly north. A male Merlin was at the Drove and there was the surprise reappearance of the Smew on RSPB Worth marshes.
Monday 11th
Another day with a great mix of birds across the area. RSPB Worth marshes provided 31 White-fronted Geese, a Merlin, a Black-necked Grebe, a Grey Plover, a Ring Ouzel, and our first Lapland Bunting of the year. The Estate hit back with four Bramblings, a Jack Snipe, a Dartford Warbler, and yet another Woodlark. Three late Swallows and five House Martins were also seen.
Sunday 10th
The impressive flock of Gannets now numbered at least 1,200 and were feeding very close in to the shore in the early morning. A Shag flew past the medley. Singles of Jack Snipe and Woodcock were on the Estate and two-three Woodlarks flew through.
Saturday 9th
Most of the day was spent planting trees along the edge of the Dragonfly Pond Field. Thank you to everyone who came along and helped out. Offshore the Gannet flock was just under 500 individuals and a late afternoon walk on New Downs produced an excellent 11 Water Rails and five Bearded Tits.
Friday 8th
There continues to be a good variety of birds on offer in the area. The regular Great White Egret and Black-necked Grebe were on RSPB Worth marshes, the latter best viewed from the gate at TR34235565. Seven White-fronted Geese were also on the flood and approximately 70 Pink-footed Geese were in the Blue Pigeon fields off the Pinnock Wall. Meanwhile a Siberian Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed on the Estate, a Dartford Warbler and a Merlin were seen behind the asparagus fields, and a mobile Hawfinch was seen around the Elms and Waldershare Avenue area. There were also three Swallows, 85 Redwings, and 105 Siskins.
Thursday 7th
The weather still remains quite murky but despite this at least 290 Gannets could be seen feeding offshore. Inland the Pink-footed Goose flock rose to at least 55 individuals on RSPB Worth marshes. A Merlin flashed past the Observatory and 60 Fieldfares looked set to roost.
Wednesday 6th
It was all about RSPB Worth marshes today with 27 Pink-footed Geese, seven White-fronted Geese, Black-necked Grebe, Cattle Egret, Ring Ouzel, 260 Redwings, one Brambling, and two Hawfinches recorded.
Tuesday 5th
At least 24 Pink-footed Geese and 13 White-fronted Geese spent the morning flying around on RSPB Worth marshes. They finally settled on Willow Farm and were often viewable from the Drove (TR36585602). On the other side of the railway the Yellow-browed Warbler and Black-necked Grebe were still present.
This Thursday evening we have an interesting talk ahead of us from Barry Wright on Birding the Caucasus and the “Stans”. Barry will be showing us the birds, the amazing scenery, and explaining about the culture that he encountered. The following week will be Rebecca Levey on Kent's Magnificent Moths and Brilliant Butterflies and then on the 21st we have a themed evening on Australia. This special event will be complete with cheese and wine and showcase some of the 750 species of bird that call Australia home. It is a ticketed event only so please book online HERE.
Monday 4th
Around 50 Redpolls were on the Estate with smaller numbers of Siskins and Goldfinches moving through. A Great White Egret was on RSPB Worth marshes and there was some wildfowl activity offshore.
Sunday 3rd
Two Woodcocks on the Estate were our first of autumn whilst a late Wheatear was on Royal Cinque Ports Golf Course.
Saturday 2nd
The overnight easterlies brought a small arrival of thrushes to the Estate and some good sea passage, including 1,200 Brent Geese, 150 Common Scoters, 45 Little Gulls, and one Great Northern Diver. A Yellow-browed Warbler was just off the Pinnock Wall on RSPB Worth marshes and the Black-necked Grebe still present.
Friday 1st
Two Great White Egrets and a Woodlark flew over the Estate. Among almost 80 species on New Downs were three Pintails, seven Pochards, a Merlin, three Water Rails, an Avocet, 314 Golden Plovers, 480 Lapwings, six Dunlins, 57 Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, six Rock Pipits, three Grey Wagtails, five Stonechats, three Fieldfares, two Bramblings, and four Yellowhammers.