Southerly then South-west wind with over 40mph gusts, 14C-17C with heavy rain squalls. 100% cloud cover.

Given the weather conditions it was a day of seawatching which did not really produce quite the potential seabird spectacle we were hoping for. Plenty of hours looking out into poor visibility and despite spending some time in the seawatch hide getting soaked. My birds of the day were three Black Terns, nine Balearic Shearwaters, a juvenile Pomarine Skua, singles of Bonxie, Arctic Skua and Kittiwake. Our first two Red-breasted Mergansers west and a small number of Commic and Sarnie Terns heading west. 

A small number of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins headed out to sea in appalling weather conditions with some clearly returning back to land. A Merlin and a Grey Heron over the Point. The Grey Heron was clearly exhausted as it landed in some vegetation on the shingle near to the Fishing Boats.

Great Black-backed Gull J99AM

Adult light phase Arctic Skua

 SSE gusty wind 15-22mph am, 20-30mph pm. Dry, 100% cloud cover, 12C to 13C. Cold in the breeze.

A hirundine passage had started early at the Point with Steve Gale recording an excellent 16,000 Swallows heading south then west up to 09:15. I started at the top of the Long Pits and noted small numbers of Swallows heading south across the Long Pits using a different flight path to those Steve was recording at the Point. Still plenty of Chiffchaffs around associating with Tit flocks, with at least 47 on the northern side down as far as the Causeway. Also five Robins, and singles of Song Thrush and Great-Spotted Woodpecker plus 16 Meadow Pipits south.

Had an enjoyable natter with Steve Gale as we birded the Desert, as he recounted some incredible Dungeness birding moments.

Earlier in the morning there had not been too much being recorded on the sea and it wasn't until 14:40 that I arrived at the Fishing Boats to find the visiting KOS group plus Martin, Richard and Stephen behind the boats. I felt like a bit of a bus queue as a line of watchers stretched out across the shingle. 

Initially, there didn't seem to be much happening but a couple of Sooty Shearwaters had been recorded heading east earlier. At around 15:30 the number of Little Gulls heading west started to greatly increase and in an hour up to 16:30 I had 231, with the day total standing at 263. They were all distant but great to see them in flocks of 20 mixed in with feeding Gannets and the occasional Kittiwake. In the same hour, two Balearic Shearwaters, one Manx and two Black Terns also headed west.

The Bus Ride

The Desert to the north of the Long Pits

Kestrel numbers across the Desert still remain high. This one hunting out of the wind in the lee of a gorse clump.

 Light NW wind 6-8mph then decreasing 3-6mph in the afternoon. Dry, 40% cloud cover, 5C to 14C.

Today was the Kent Ornithological Society Big Migration Day. This is the KOS having a go at trying to get more people out in the field and enjoying their birdwatching and also contributing in submitting records of the birds they see. As this is the first year it is very much a 'first draft' with the focus very much seeing what worked and what didn't. For me it was a normal day enjoying the birds of the area and wandering around seeing what I could find. 

A cold start with my car's temperature gauge registering 5C. I headed to Scotney double bends to see if the Black-necked Grebe and/or the Slav Grebe were there but I couldn't find either. I did count 127 Egyptian Geese, just loads in the area now. On Scotney sward amongst the Lapwing flocks were five Ruff, 213 Golden Plovers and 18 Curlew. Next stop was ARC and a walk to the Pines revealed 15 Chiffchaffs, two Great-Spotted Woodpeckers and a Jay which headed towards the Point. Our first Redwings of the winter were trapped and ringed at the Obs. A steady movement of Swallows and Sand Martins were heading south then west over the ARC pit and this carried on all day across the reserve. From Hanson hide was the Glossy Ibis a Black-tailed Godwit and a Garganey. One of the Coastguard helicopters came in to land at the airfield but was only at c.300ft and flushed all the birds on the islands as it swung around over the Pit, so duly reported the disturbance to Craig. From the Visitor Centre I picked up a distant Osprey between Burrowes and the Long Pits. It had been seen earlier in several locations around the Point and finally headed NE, presumably out to sea. I had a flock of six Bearded Tits circling overhead and calling, finally they headed north over Burrowes Pit and lost to view. From Xmas Dell hide there were 26 Snipe roosing amongst the reed brash. A pleasant day and good to finally have a dry and sunny day given all the recent rainfall. Very few gulls now roosting on Burrowes due to the shingle islands being covered by water.

Water levels look good on Hayfields 1 and 2 on the Reserve but no birds!

The flock of six Bearded Tits high overhead.

Five of the 26 Snipe from Xmas Dell hide.

Wind W turning N by midday, low 11C, high 13C, rain showers, low cloud all day. Rain easing by late afternoon. 

After a night of rain showers and recent days of heavy rain showers the water levels on the RSPB Pits has now covered the emerging shingle on ARC and Burrowes pits, leaving little room for roosting gulls.

Only the vegetated islands now visible from Hanson hide, even the Cormorant island can only fit 10 at a squeeze.

The new islands created on New Excavations as viewed from Xmas Dell hide. So far Lapwings are taking advantage of the islands to roost and good numbers of Snipe are foraging on vegetation created by the reed clearance.

Messages indicated that a moderate fall of Chiffchaffs had again occurred in the area so I headed for ARC with a view to check the willows and scrub. Between the car park and the Pines I had 37 Chiffchaffs, singles of Firecrest and Goldcrest and two Blackcaps. Then along the Hanson track a further 29 Chiffs and two more Blackcaps. Overhead a light movement of five Reed Buntings and 10 Meadow Pipits heading west. From Hanson hide, 70 Lapwings, 244 Shoveler a single Pintail, five Snipe a single Black-tailed Godwit, the Glossy Ibis, a Kingfisher and a Black-necked Grebe. A mixed foraging flock c.200 hirundines over the pit.

On Burrowes the number of Teal has increased since Monday's WeBS count to 98 with 237 Lapwing on Burrowes and Xmas Dell. Numbers of hirundines were building on Burrowes with c.500 birds, mostly House Martins and the odd Swallow and Sand Martin. I did an hours count (12:45-13:45) from Xmas Dell with 1,053 House Martins, eight Swallows and 11 Meadow Pipits west.

Snipe

Lapwings roosting on New Excavations Islands

Black-necked Grebe

Chiffchaff

 Strong, gusty SW winds with gust in excess of 40mph and heavy squally showers with intermittent sunny spells.

Wasn't able to get out until early afternoon and decided to head to the RSPB Reserve to check the gull but forgot that island vegetation management was happening today so no birds on Burrowes with the exception of a flock of Greylags. Checked the shingle gull roost on the way out but no rings and only GBB's, LBB's and the odd herring Gull. I did have a Merlin fly across the track and then the rain started and there was nothing being seen at the Point so it was back home.

 A new species for the garden and a surprise one as I didn't think i'd get any amphibians but I found a juvenile Toad in the front whilst clearing out some plants. It was safe and gently placed in the back garden. Hopefully it will overwinter and I'll come across it again.

 NW 10mph  to 16mph, then W 9mph to 20mph by late evening. Overcast and damp, some light showers. 15C with a high of 18C.

A early morning fall of Chiffchaffs started to occur at the Point and across the peninsula with flocks of birds appearing in gardens. During my visit to various parts of the RSPB reserve I recorded over 100 Chiffchaffs and six Blackcaps. When I was at Hanson there wasn't that much change on ARC although House Martins started to build upto 150 before I left with another 200 on Burrowes. At ARC I had five Snipe in the willow stumps but still no sign of a Garganey.

On Burrowes there was five Golden Plover, three Greenshank and five Common Sandpipers. A trip to Hythe to conduct a survey ended up being a waste of time as the MOD were firing on the ranges but according to the GOV.UK website, today is a non-firing day!

 Partially cloudy, morning SW F5 to F6, afternoon SSW F4 to F5, 15C to 17C, rain showers.

Today was the RSPB WeBS count so I started at the eastern end of ARC and New Diggings, working my way round to the Tower Pits, the Pines Inlet and finally Hanson Hide. With the exception of Shoveler duck numbers are much lower than in July and August. Shoveler must go through their moult a month later than Pochard and Gadwall.

I then covered Boulderwall and finally looked on Burrowes although this pit would have been already counted. On Burrowes I had three Greenshank and a single Common Sandpiper. Martin radioed through that two Spotted Redshanks had appeared on ARC so I then headed back there and whilst watching the two a third flew in calling and joined them. The adult Glossy Ibis seems to have taken up residency on ARC. No sign of any Garganey though.

In the late afternoon I did my Littlestone survey. I fear for the small wader roost using the beach, they already have a tough time trying to rest with walkers and dogs off-lead disturbing them. However, I think the planned building of a watersports centre at the Greatstone car park will be the end of the roost at the RNLI station unless there is a  planning condition not allowing watersports during the winter period. During the survey I had at least 107w Sandwich Terns along the shoreline and 20 roosting Mediterranean Gulls on the shingle with 91 offshore. Roosting waders comprised 35 Ringed Plovers, 53 Dunlin, seven Turnstone and four Sanderling.

Spotted Redshank

Glossy Ibis

 Weather

Overcast with occasional showers heavier in the late afternoon and evening. SE to ESE wind generally light 10 to 15kmph gusting to 27kmph.

I started the day by checking the top of the Long Pits and had 36 Chiffchaffs and six Blackcaps in a small area of willows just by the Power Station turn off with a foraging flock of Long-tailed Tits. Flocks of Swallows and Meadow Pipits were noticeable moving east and I had two calling Tree Pipits whilst walking down the north east side of the Pits. Martin posted that a huge hirundine movement was underway from the Fishing Boats so I decided to head in that direction, leaving my car at the top of the Long Pits. On the way down I recorded 257 Swallows and 82 Meadow Pipits plus 193 House Martins heading east bit this was peanuts compared to what was actually happening across the peninsula. When I arrived at the Fishing Boats Steve Gale and Martin had been counting since early morning and had already racked up over 100,000 birds heading east out to sea. I started to help with the count and it was totally incredible. There was a huge flock of hirundines over the Power Station, something like 3,000 to 4,000 birds and large flocks of mainly House Martins were crossing the Desert and heading out to sea forming a carpet of birds flying low across the water. Between 9:45 and 10:15 I recorded c.4,100 hirundines mostly House Martins with minute counts of 200-300 birds. Earlier that morning minute counts had been between 2,000-3,000 birds so the movement was slowing down. We stopped counting at 10:15 as Martin received a txt message from Dave Bunney something like 'URGENT, possible Bonelli's Warbler'. We packed up quickly with birds still moving but longer gaps in-between the flocks. 

Standing outside Dave Bunney's garden the Western Bonelli's Warbler showed well sometimes calling and favouring the Scots Pine, Cyprus and Strawberry trees. It remained there for the rest of the day.

The RSPB Reserve was closed today due to staff shortages so later in the day, I used my bike and checked out Burrowes and ARC. On Burrowes I had 490 Lapwing, 1 first winter Caspian Gull, 191 Great Black-backed Gulls, 48 Lesser Black-bakced Gulls, 35 Wigeon, 500 Sand Martins and a single Pintail. On ARC, 42 Lapwing, 18 Redshank, a single Golden Plover, 13 Wigeon, five Pintail, two Snipe, a single Garganey and the Glossy Ibis.

Water levels gradually rising on ARC due to all the recent rainfall.

Creation of new island at Dengemarsh.

The material being raised is heavy clay but the Gulls like it.

Adult female Wheatear by the Power Station road.

The cloud of mostly House Martins at the Power Station.

Western Bonelli's Warbler

1st Winter Caspian Gull

Pintail

Redshank

 Weather

Gusty ENE wind with clear skies. A couple of heavy showers midday with cloud forming. Humid and warm 25C.

Early morning 1,000's of hirundines mostly Swallows along with Meadow Pipits moving at the Point but by the time I got there at 9:30 the movement had stalled and I recorded 318 Swallows and 64 Meadow Pipits by 10:00 heading east out to sea then south-west. I had a Grey Wagtail around the Fishing Boats and a single Wigeon and Brent Goose going west offshore plus a Hummingbird Hawk Moth along the shoreline.

I then headed to the RSPB reserve where the Visitor Centre was closed due to staff shortages. A look at Burrowes from Dennis's hide picked up an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a 4th CY Caspian Gull and there were loads of hirundines over Burrowes but it was difficult to discern any migration rather than feeding bird. I wandered to Xmas Dell hide at which point it became clear that hirundines were on the move and I had an impressive movement of 2,529 swallows and 160 House Martins heading east between 11:55 and 12:16. A flock of 21 grounded Meadow Pipits were around Scott Lookout. A count of 406 Lapwings at Xmas Dell and Burrowes.

Next stop was ARC where I joined up with Martin and a wander to the Water Works and a winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe was a good find at the Pines inlet but little else.

After a litter pick at the ARC car park, I called it a day. A flock of 80 Rooks going to roost over Lydd High Street this evening.

Caspian Gull 3rd Winter

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Black-necked Grebe

 Weather

Heavy rain shower early morning, with NE F4 to F6 cool wind, sunny and warm in the sunshine. Few passerines in the area.

I spent the morning and early afternoon on the RSPB reserve watching a distant adult Yellow-legged Gull and three Caspian Gulls from Dennis's Hide. The Caspian ages were an adult, 1st winter and a 2nd calendar year. A flock of 15 Knot appeared and roosted on one of the islands at high tide and five Dunlin were on Burrowes.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Adult Caspian Gull

1st Winter Caspian Gull (left), 2nd Cal Yr Caspian Gull (right)