A productive early morning wander around the north east side of the Long Pits recorded: 6 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 23 Willow Warblers, 25 Chiffchaffs, 2 Reed Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 43 Blackcaps, 5 Reed Buntings, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 24 Robins, 2 Wheatears, a Green Woodpecker, 13 Whitethroats and 6 Lesser Whitethroats.
Martin who was at Jury's Gap messaged that 15 Glossy Ibis were heading towards the Point over the RSPB Reserve. I'd just returned to my car at the top of the Long Pits and was able to get some height as Jacob radioed that they were over the Trapping Area. There were 14 over the Trapping Area so bizarrely we had lost one in-between.
14 Glossy Ibis over the Trapping Area
In the early afternoon, Graham and Nicky found 8 Glossy Ibis at Boulderwall on the RSPB Reserve, so I headed there to find a huddle of locals checking photos taken by Graham. Turns out he had seen and photographed a ringtail harrier which looked to be either a Pallid or Montagu's. The harrier had flown over Boulderwall Fields in the direction of the Chicken Sheds along Dengemarsh Road. As I could get to that area quickly in my car along the bridleway I decided to head off to check the Hayfields and Dengemarsh area to see if the harrier was still around. Scanning the Hayfields, Lydd Fields and MOD land I could only see a Marsh Harrier and also saw Richard who had driven round to Springfield Bridge. I started to walk back towards Hayfield 3 from the Flood field and picked up the small harrier at the eastern end of Hayfield 3 flying towards Dengemarsh Road. With some excitement, I radioed out what the harrier was doing and then took loads of photos, nearly all of which are too blurry and useless but I have managed to salvage the ones below. Also check out Martins blog (Ploddingbirder) for one of Grahams photos of the Montagu's Harrier.
The locals who were still at Boulderwall, drove round to Springfield Bridge and Martin headed to Dengemarsh. The harrier was lost to view beyond the gorse line on the MOD land along Dengemarsh Road but Martin picked it up and was able to follow it for a while before it was lost to view again. Martin then drove round to Springfield Bridge and after a period of no sign, picked it up flying towards the security hut at Galloways and that was the last sighting.
I took a look at the gulls roosting at Dengemarsh and picked up a preening juvenile Caspian Gull plus a single Avocet.
On returning to Boulderwall, 5 Glossy Ibis flew up from a ditch and showed for a short while before disappearing in to a ditch again.
Juvenile Montagu's Harrier
Juvenile Caspian Gull
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