18/09/2016 Dungeness

Sunday 18 September 2016
Dungeness
Paul and Group

Six of us made the journey down to Dungeness in conditions that were very good for us (but not for rare birds) with temperatures around 17C and no wind.

• A merlin flew past us by the old lighthouse.  Then we saw a couple of arctic skuas doing battle with the terns out at sea
• We then moved inland onto the reserve, calling in at the ARC pit first where there was very little of note to be seen initially, apart from a cattle egret, 4 ringed plovers, 6 dunlin and then a little stint.  There was then a steady build up of birds, coinciding with the rising tide, and by midday there were several interesting arrivals including 3 curlew sandpipers, a couple of pintails, 4 grey plovers, 6 avocets, a black-necked grebe, a marsh harrier, over 20 golden plover, over 20 knot and over 20 bar-tailed godwits. 

• I left the others on the reserve at lunchtime as the lack of sleep, after a long return journey home from North Wales yesterday, was catching up with me, but not before I saw the great white egret on the banks of Burrowes Pit, presumably the same one I had seen flying earlier.

• A good morning's viewing with over 50 species seen, including some stunners.  

• The group went round the reserve and on to Scotney Gravel Pits in the afternoon where they boosted the species count to 68 including little owl, spoonbill, wheatear, corn bunting, yellow wagtail and tree sparrow.

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Bird List:
Cattle Egret    247