Buff-breasted Sandpiper

I wasn't in the area on Monday 22nd when a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found at Jury's Gap in the same field used by the Golden Plovers and American Golden Plover. By the time I returned to the area in the afternoon of the 23rd, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper had apparently been flushed by a couple of people and hadn't returned. I checked the same field twice on the 24th to no avail and had more or less given up on seeing it. However, a phone call today from Martin got me cycling out to fields at the back of Scotney where he had relocated it. The sandpiper wasn't associating with any other waders although earlier it had been with a flock of Lapwing. 

Many thanks to Martin for the call and for also staying near the bird so I knew where to go.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

With the exception of Glossy Ibis, the RSPB reserve has been a bit quiet recently in respect of visiting shorebirds however, this flock of Knot at the Firth Lookout was a welcome sight especially as a single Curlew Sandpiper had joined them.

A flock of 22 Redshank were on the islands out from the picnic tables near Dennis's Hide.

A couple of Hobbies have recently been on the RSPB Reserve anywhere between Dengemarsh and Boulderwall. This adult Hobby was perched in Kenny's Fields.

On the 20th September there was a movement of hirundines comprising mostly Swallows but also House Martins and still the occasional Sand Martin. A mixed flock of c.2,000 House Martins and Swallows heading past the New Lighthouse and out to sea was an impressive sight.

Now that the wind has switched to the north-west the rewards of sea watching have become poor but before the switch in wind direction skuas, mostly Arctic, Sandwich Terns, Gannets, Shearwaters and the occasional Leach's Petrel, Storm Petrel and a Grey Phalarope could be seen off-shore.

Up to 20 Arctic Skuas have been lingering off-shore between Lade Bay and Rye Bay terrorising both feeding and migrating Sandwich Terns.

Arctic Skua chasing a Sandwich Tern

Manx Shearwaters

Arctic Skua

Our first Red-throated Diver of the autumn was on the 18th September.

This Yellow-legged Gull looks about as mean as they come!

Seawatch

SW 20 to 28mph, 16C, 60% cloud cover, dry.

A seawatch from the Fishing Boats along with Martin, Richard and Dave Smith who came down from north Kent. Still plenty of hirundines moving out to sea with 5,748 Swallows, 1,014 House Martins and 81 Meadow Pipits, plus a Merlin, nine Balearic Shearwaters and a Sooty Shearwater west. Razorbills were also evident with 109w, 7w 3e Arctic Skuas, two Little Terns, 27 Common and 191 Sarnie Terns. Given the paucity of birds in recent seawatches this was a memorable one especially the sight of hundreds of hirundines heading out in to the Channel.

Not too much on land today given the gusty wind but two Wheatears and eight Stonechats in the Desert.

Arctic Skua

Juvenile Common Tern

Sooty Shearwater

Balearic Shearwater

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