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| 1st | Another
Honey Buzzard flew south over the area and
an Arctic Skua, three Little Gulls
and three Little Terns were seen offshore.
Land migrants were few and far between but three Tree
Pipits were of note.
The two Cranes and the first-winter White-winged Tern continue to give great views at the ARC Pit on the RSPB Reserve.
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| 2nd | A
day of atrocious weather with almost continuous
heavy rain and strong winds throughout.
Seawatching during the morning produced singles of
Balearic, Manx and Sooty
Shearwater, six Arctic Skuas and two Black
Terns.
The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit on the RSPB Reserve during the morning. |
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| 3rd | A
slightly better start to the day weatherwise
resulted in a very small arrival of migrants
including three Grey Wagtails, a Whinchat,
14 Wheatears and 12 Willow Warblers.
Several hours of seawatching produced two Balearic Shearwaters, a Pintail, 15 Arctic Skuas and three Black Terns of note. The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on ARC Pit and Burrowes Pit during the morning.
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| 4th | More
dismal weather. Nine hours seawatching produced
two Sooty Shearwaters, singles of Manx
and Balearic Shearwaters, 19 Arctic
Skuas, four Little Gulls and a Black
Tern.
Coverage of the land was virtually pointless. The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit. |
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| 5th | Yet
another day of very miserable weather but this
time with the wind starting SSW and veering SE for
a time around midday and with frequent rain it
provided some excellent seawatching. Twelve hours
continuous coverage produced 25 Manx
Shearwaters, ten Balearic Shearwaters,
29 Sooty Shearwaters, 39 Fulmars,
316 Gannets, 66 Arctic Skuas, an
adult Pomarine Skua, five Great Skuas,
11 Little Gulls, 348 Sandwich Terns,
1010 Common Terns, two Little Terns
and 24 Black Terns all passing west. Three Yellow-legged
Gulls were also seen on the beach. In
addition, an Osprey and a Merlin
came in off the sea and headed inland.
The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was still present. |
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| 6th | Still
very windy with some showers with most meaningful
observations again restricted to the sea where
over nine hours of watching produced 16 Sooty
Shearwaters, four Manx Shearwaters,
four Balearic Shearwaters, a Shag,
just five Arctic Skuas, a juvenile Long-tailed
Skua, a handful of Little Gulls and Black
Terns and four Little Terns.
The only other noteworthy bird was an Osprey which flew out to sea at 0905hrs. The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit or in fields between there and Lydd and the first-winter White-winged Tern was still present on Burrowes Pit. |
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| 7th | A
less windy day reduced activity offshore. Even so,
a (or the) juvenile White-winged Tern was
seen offshore in the morning and other birds
included 14 Manx Shearwaters, two Shags,
three Arctic Skua and five lingering Black
Terns.
There was a small increase in the number of birds on the land with a Tree Pipit, three Grey Wagtails, 19 Yellow Wagtails, a Redstart, six Wheatears and two Crossbills of note. In the afternoon an Osprey gave excellent views as it attempted to feed at the Long Pits before heading out to sea. A Marsh Harrier also flew over and three Peregrine Falcons were also roosting on the power station. The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit. |
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| 8th | A
relatively calm and bright morning resulted in a
good variety of migrants in the area. Most of the
interest was overhead where the two Cranes
made a couple of sorties to the Point before
returning to the ARC Pit. Raptors were in
excellent supply with an Osprey perched on
one of the pylons near the Observatory, five Common
Buzzards, 12 Marsh Harriers, 11 Sparrowhawks
and a Merlin all passing through. There
were also good numbers of smaller birds passing
overhead with four Great Spotted Woodpeckers,
430 Sand Martins, 1000 Swallows, 11 Tree
Pipits, 63 Yellow Wagtails, six Grey
Wagtails and at least four Crossbills.
There were also a few migrants in the bushes with
a male Redstart, four Whinchats, 20 Wheatears,
two Lesser Whitethroats, three Blackcaps,
15 Willow Warblers and a Pied Flycatcher
of note.
The sea also provided some interest with 15 Arctic Skuas, nine Little Gulls, a Black Tern and also a Grey Phalarope reported. In between flights over the Point the two Cranes gave great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit in the afternoon. |
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| 9th | Despite
forecasts of strong south to south-easterly winds
and heavy rain this never really occurred and
seawatching was a bit disappointing although a
juvenile Sabine's Gull flew west at about
0800hrs along with a Sooty Shearwater, 373 Gannets,
16 Teal, seven Knot, 27 Arctic
Skuas, four Great Skuas, six Little
Terns and 17 Black Terns. Also in the
afternoon, a party of three first-year
Spoonbills flew west (before turning up at
ARC) and a Honey Buzzard flew north.
Visible migration involved mainly hirundines with at least 2200 Swallows and 1600 Sand Martins going out. Grounded migrants included three Whinchats and a Redstart. The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit. |
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| 10th | A
disappointing day with a virtually birdless sea
and very few migrants on the land but including
two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Whinchats,
17 Wheatears and five Willow Warblers.
The only real interest was in a bit of overhead
passage including two Marsh Harriers, six Sparrowhawks,
a Hobby and three Merlin, 1000 Sand
Martins, 2000 Swallows, 150 House
Martins, 50 Meadow Pipits, 15 Yellow
Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails and 15 Siskins.
The two Cranes continue to give great views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit. |
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| 11th | Another
day of visible migration but very little in the
bushes and a trickle of birds at sea. Birds
passing overhead included two Marsh Harriers,
three Merlins, 900 Sand Martins,
3500 Swallows, 100 House Martins, 20
Yellow Wagtails, five Grey Wagtails
and 52 Siskins. Seawatching produced a Sooty
Shearwater, a Little
Egret, 13 Arctic Skuas, three Great
Skuas and 67 Black Terns.
The two Cranes continue to give good views at the ARC Pit and the first-winter White-winged Tern was seen on Burrowes Pit. A Hoopoe was seen at Lade Gravel Pit. |
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| 12th | A
calm and overcast morning with a few spots of rain
produced a small arrival of grounded migrants
including a Whinchat, six Lesser
Whitethroats, three Garden Warblers,
five Blackcaps, 40 Chiffchaffs and
13 Willow Warblers whilst two Greenshanks,
10 Tree Pipits, 120 Meadow Pipits,
three Grey Wagtails, 45 Siskin and a
Crossbill passed overhead.
Two first-winter White-winged Terns were seen on the RSPB Reserve (the second individual was actually discovered late yesterday evening) and the Cranes continue to show very well at ARC Pit. The Hoopoe was also seen at Lydd-on-sea this morning. |
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| 13th | Coverage
limited to the morning. A Honey Buzzard, a Marsh
Harrier and three Buzzards flew over
the area and two Merlins and a Hobby
were also seen. Visible migration amongst smaller
birds included ten Tree Pipits, 25 Yellow
Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, three Tree
Sparrows, 102 Siskins and two Crossbills.
Four Arctic and one Great Skua and six Black Terns flew west at sea. |
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| 14th | A
Honey Buzzard and two Marsh Harriers
flew over the area and single Merlin and Hobby
were also seen and a Little Owl was showing
well in the moat. A Tree Pipit, 28 Yellow
Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails and 203 Siskins
also flew over. There was also an obvious increase
in
grounded migrants with four Redstarts, six Whinchats,
five Lesser Whitethroats, three Garden
Warblers, ten Blackcaps, 45 Chiffchaffs
and two Spotted Flycatchers and also the
first Song Thrush and Goldcrest of
the autumn.
Ten Arctic Skuas and 20 Black Terns were of note offshore. The two first-winter White-winged Terns continue to give exceptional views at ARC but the Cranes appeared to fly strongly away in a SW direction and had not returned by late evening. |
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| 15th | What
was basically a pretty quiet day for grounded
migrants was enlivened in the late morning
by the finding of a Wryneck in the low
scrubby areas to the south of the trapping area.
Other migrants were scarce with just four Great
Spotted Woodpeckers, a Redstart, a Whinchat
and a Spotted Flycatcher of note.
Overhead passage was also reduced with just a few Meadow Pipits, seven Yellow Wagtails and a handful of Siskins passing through. |
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| 16th | Despite
seemingly birds everywhere up the east coast it
remains stubbornly quiet here with a good
scattering of Chiffchaffs but very little
else. A Redstart, a Whinchat, 12 Blackcaps,
a Spotted Flycatcher and our first two Firecrests
of the autumn were the only other notable birds in
the bushes. Overhead, two Marsh Harriers
and three Merlins and more unusually, a Black-tailed
Godwit flew through along with 300 Swallows,
nine Grey Wagtails and 80 Siskins.
There was very little evidence of any seabird movement with at least four Arctic Skuas and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull just lingering offshore. |
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| 17th | Six Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore. The Wryneck (first seen on 15th) was relocated and 700 Swallows and 250 House Martins flew through. Grounded migrants included three Redstarts and a Pied Flycatcher. | |||||||||||||
| 18th | Two
Turtle Doves, four Great Spotted
Woodpeckers, 14
Yellow Wagtails and eight Grey Wagtails flew over
whilst three Redstarts and two Spotted
Flycatchers were seen in the bushes.
A Black Tern was seen at the Patch. |
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| 19th | Eight Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore and 540 Swallows, 430 House Martins, seven Tree Pipits, 290 Meadow Pipits, 14 Yellow Wagtails, nine Grey Wagtails and 16 Tree Sparrows and 230 Siskins flew through. Grounded migrants included three Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Ring Ouzel, nine Lesser Whitethroats, ten Blackcaps and 39 Chiffchaffs and three Spotted Flycatcher. | |||||||||||||
| 20th | Two Shags flew east and 235 Meadow Pipits, 14 Yellow Wagtails and 16 Tree Sparrows flew over the area. Grounded migrants included 26 Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and a "continental" Coal Tit. | |||||||||||||
| 21st | An adult Pomarine Skua was seen offshore and three Redstarts, a Whinchat, nine Lesser Whitethroats, seven Blackcaps, two Spotted Flycatcher and a "continental Coal Tit were of note on the land. | |||||||||||||
| 22nd | A Turtle Dove was the only notable bird. | |||||||||||||
| 23rd | Five Blackcaps were the only notable birds. | |||||||||||||
| 24th | Bird of the day was a Nightjar seen in the trapping area whilst seven Tree Pipits, a Rock Pipit, 12 Yellow Wagtails passed over and a Ring Ouzel, 30 Wheatears, 25 Song Thrush and the first five Redwings of the autumn were noted on the land. A Sooty Shearwater flew east at sea. | |||||||||||||
| 25th | Visible
migration included 740 Swallows, six Tree
Pipits, 388 Meadow Pipits and
47 Goldfinches. A Rock Pipit and 450
Siskins also passed over whilst the bushes held at
least 37 Robins, five Redstarts, two
Whinchats, 35 Wheatears and a "continental"
Coal Tit.
A Balearic Shearwater was also seen offshore. |
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| 26th | A
Little Egret, 1600 Swallows and 85 Siskins flew
over whilst grounded migrants were in reasonable
numbers and included 48 Robins, three Redstarts, a
Whinchat, 40 Wheatears, 35 Chiffchaffs, 80
Goldcrests, three " continental" Coal
Tits and a Brambling.
A Sooty Shearwater flew east and a Mediterranean Gull and six Little Gulls were feeding offshore. |
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| 27th | Three Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard, two Green Sandpipers and 1000 Swallows passed overhead and grounded migrants included 100 Goldcrests, a Firecrest, two Spotted Flycatcher, a Coal Tit and a Brambling, | |||||||||||||
| 28th | There
was a good scattering of migrants this morning,
mainly on the Point and around the Observatory. Of
note were two Short-eared Owls, a Redstart,
two Redwings, 75 Chiffchaffs and 25 Goldcrests
whilst a trickle of overhead passage included four
Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards, a Hobby,
800 Swallows, two Tree Pipits, a Rock
Pipit, two Grey Wagtails, three Tree
Sparrows and 45 Siskins.
Four Little Gulls were feeding offshore. |
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| 29th | A
scattering of migrants on the Point included
singles of Redstart, Whinchat,
Grasshopper Warbler and Pied Flycatcher
and small numbers of Robins, Chiffchaffs
and Goldcrests. There was also a trickle of
birds overhead which included a Hobby, a Tree
Pipit, four Grey Wagtails, 40 Siskin
and 70 Redpolls.
There were five Little Gulls at the Patch.Also of note, the two Cranes returned to ARC this afternoon. There is also what appears to be an unringed/jessied juvenile Lanner Falcon at ARC. It was first seen on 27th. |
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| 30th | An
increasingly miserable day with frequent rain
during the afternoon and evening and strong
westerly winds. There were very few birds on the
land but there was a highlight in the form of a
Honey Buzzard which flew west near the
Observatory.
The only other birds of interest were offshore with a first-winter Caspian Gull, three Yellow-legged Gulls and several Little Gulls at the fishing boats. The two Cranes were seen again at the ARC Pit. |
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