Wednesday 28th
A Dartford Warbler was on Prince's Beach and seven Bearded Tits on New Downs, but the highlight of the northern reaches of the Recording Area was the PALLID HARRIER from Pegwell Bay at midday. Hopefully it'll stick around. Meanwhile two Green Sandpipers and a Brambling were on the Estate, and 27 White-fronted Geese, two Great White Egrets, three Water Pipits, and 15 Fieldfares were on RSPB Worth Marshes.
Tuesday 27th
At least 15 Little Gulls were recorded moving offshore, often quite close in, but the movement seemed to disappear once the weather got better mid-morning. A/the Snow Bunting put in another brief appearance along the shore before heading inland. Two Firecrests were on the Estate and a Barn Owl showed well at Restharrow Scrape. At least six Water Pipits and one Little Gull were on RSPB Worth Marshes but there was no sign of the recent White-fronted Geese.
Monday 26th
A Glossy Ibis put in a brief appearance on RSPB Worth Marshes, where ten Egyptian Geese, 25 White-fronted Geese, and 18 Fieldfares were present. Two Little Gulls were offshore and a Dartford Warbler in Restharrow Dunes.
Sunday 25th
The Snow Bunting was still on St Georges Golf Course, two Firecrests were on the Estate, and RSPB Worth Marshes had 25 White-fronted Geese and three Pochards.
Saturday 24th
Another day of heavy winds and rain but the morning was comparatively settled and allowed for some birding. A Black Redstart and Corn Bunting were on Prince's Golf Course, on RSPB Worth Marshes were 19 White-fronted Geese and 14 Crossbills and the presumed regular Merlin was again over the Asparagus Fields. At Pegwell Bay, the high tide saw 12 species of wader including 37 Golden Plover, 33 Grey Plover, 2 Knot and a Greenshank.
Friday 23rd
Heavy rain and strong winds throughout the day. A Little Gull was seen offshore first thing and later approximately 700 Starlings came in off the sea. The Jack Snipe was on Restharrow Scrape still.
Thursday 22nd
A productive walk along the Green Wall recorded Great White Egret, Wood Sandpiper, six Black-tailed Godwits, two Water Rails, Kingfisher, Raven, Firecrest, Coal Tit, Mistle Thrush, six Redwings, Redpoll, and a few Siskins. A Black Redstart was the best on the Estate with more Firecrests, Siskins, and Redpolls recorded.
Wednesday 21st
Despite the strong winds there was little moving offshore today. A Snow Bunting was a nice surprise though moving along the shore at the top of King's Avenue. It, or another, was seen later on Royal St George's Golf Course. Two Woodcocks, a Firecrest, and a handful of Goldcrests and Thrushes were on the Estate and nine White-fronted Geese flew south.
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Tuesday 20th
There were lots of birds moving around the Kent coast in the stormy weather. Sandwich Bay got in on the action with two Pink-footed Geese south over the Drove, and 25 Pintails, 90 Brent Geese, and Short-eared Owl and Woodcock offshore. Brambling, Water Rail, Jack Snipe, and Kingfisher were all recorded on Restharrow Scrape whilst three Firecrests and the first Fieldfares were on the Estate. At least 365 Goldfinches flew north and another Jack Snipe was on New Downs.
Monday 19th
There was an influx of Thrushes overnight on the Estate. Two Great White Egrets were on Willow Farm whilst eight Tree Sparrows and a Brambling were along the path behind the asparagus fields. There was an obvious increase in Lapwings and Golden Plover around Restharrow Scrape, which held two Black-tailed Godwits and a Jack Snipe, whilst another Tree Sparrow popped in briefly. In the late afternoon a flock of 44 White-fronted Geese flew south.
Sunday 18th
A very wet and windy day but lots of birds to report. A super Sabine's Gull went north offshore and our first Snow Bunting of the year was on Royal St George's Golf Course. Seawatching provided a Short-eared Owl, 860 Brent Geese, and 64 Sandwich Terns, with a further 230 Brent Geese in Pegwell Bay.
Saturday 17th
Eight Bramblings, seven Tree Sparrows, and 32 Grey Partridges were on the Estate.
Friday 16th
There was light 'vismig' before the rain set in. Small numbers of Linnets, Skylarks, Chaffinches flew north. A late Wood Sandpiper was on the Green Wall.
Thursday 15th
Our first two Woodcocks of autumn were on the Estate. Two Greenshanks and a Yellow-legged Gull were in Pegwell Bay, a Merlin hunting offshore, and a Firecrest on New Downs.
Wednesday 14th
Seven Tree Sparrows were along the footpath which runs behind the Asparagus fields. Singles of Merlin and Grey Plover and a few Bramblings and Siskins flew over the Estate. Over on RSPB Worth Marshes there was the lingering Whooper and Black Swan.
Tuesday 13th
It was a warm but windy day. Both Hobby and Merlin were chasing a large group of hirundines around the Estate, which included our first two Sand Martins for a while. A Cattle Egret was by the Sandwich toll, a Great White Egret on the Green Wall, and at least 25 Sandwich Terns offshore. There was also a noticeable increase in Teal on Restharrow Scrape.
On Thursday (15th) we have Wilf Powell talking to us on 'Wild Estonia'. Wilf's talk describes a range of wildlife seen around the country and highlights the exceptional diversity of its fauna and flora.
Monday 12th
Singles of Pomarine and Arctic Skua were offshore and another 440 Brent Geese were on the move.
Sunday 11th
There was no sign of the Aurora last night. However, Yellow-browed Warblers were seen in both the Haven and Waldershare Gull, and a Guillemot was close in along the shore.
Saturday 10th
Nine Grey Plovers was a good count for New Downs. Not far away there were 84 Ringed Plovers at the Point but most interest came from an unusual call in the Haven which unfortunately couldn't be pinned down.
Friday 9th
There was some nice movement offshore, particularly in the morning. Just over 1,800 Brent Geese went past, mostly north, and some were in Pegwell Bay. Smaller numbers of other wildfowl came through including seven Pintails and a Red-breasted Merganser, as well as 70 Dunlins and an Arctic Skua. There was an increase in Swallows with over 180 seen and a Hen Harrier was at Mary Bax. Later in the day the number of Swallows increased to a few hundred at least.
Thursday 8th
Adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the field between the Observatory/Farm and the Sandwich Toll booth. Waders on the pools on New Downs comprised three Ruffs, four Greenshanks, and three Grey Plovers, a Yellow Wagtail also flew over. Meanwhile, 95 Brent Geese and an Arctic Skua were offshore and a Wood Sandpiper over the Green Wall.
Wednesday 7th
Our first Water Pipit and Redpoll of the autumn were on RSPB Worth Marshes. Two Rock Pipits were new on the Estate.
Tuesday 6th
Two Pintails, 11 Greenshanks, five Cattle Egrets, one Reed Warbler, eight Bearded Tits, one Coal Tit, one Brambling, and three Siskins were the highlights on New Downs. Another late Reed Warbler was on RSPB Worth Marshes and Snipe numbers were building on Restharrow Scrape.
Monday 5th
A new Yellow-browed Warbler was on New Downs, a Redwing on the Estate, and a Pintail on Restharrow Scrape.
Saturday 3rd
A much calmer day as the bulk of the warblers appeared to have moved on in the clear night. The Yellow-browed Warbler remained in Waldershare Gully, two Tree Sparrows were along the Asparagus Fields and 38 Wigeons headed inland off the sea.
Friday 2nd
There was an overnight fall of warblers in the area. The Estate alone held at least 175 Blackcaps and 295 Chiffchaffs, plus a Yellow-browed Warbler still in Waldershare Gully. A juvenile Purple Heron and another Yellow-browed Warbler were also on RSPB Worth Marshes.
Thursday 1st
Two Yellow-browed Warblers in The Elms/Gullies area were hopefully just the start of arrivals from the East. Two Firecrests and a Treecreeper were on the Estate, three Cattle Egrets on Restharrow Scrape, whilst 40 Mediterranean Gulls, a few Siskins, 19 Magpies, and a Grey Plover flew over.
