Black Redstarts

I managed to miss over 20 Garganey flying past the Point at various times of the day today but I still caught up with plenty of variety migrating east, albeit in lower numbers than the past few days. 

We haven't been recording that many Lesser Black-backed Gulls recently so it was nice to see this group of five adults moving east, with a sixth also trying to sneak by. As it felt like the numbers of moving birds was slowing we decided to end the sea watch but not before Martin picked up three Avocets going past.  

On land there had been an arrival of Black Redstarts as there were at least 17 between Galloways, the RSPB Reserve and the Point. Three of the ones I caught up with were stunning males and typically favouring areas with buildings.

Male Black Redstart

Male Black Redstart

Male Black Redstart

Yesterday our first Wheatears started to arrive at the Point and today some were still around. Jacob the Dungeness Bird Observatory Assistant Warden managed to ring, under licence, this male which after being released started actively feeding again and also singing! 

 Weather

Cold at 07:00 6° C, high of 17° C, dry, sunny, clear skies, NW 15 to 17mph, then decreasing to 6mph from midday.

A visit to Scotney Sand Pit early morning found me not having enough warm layers as it felt very cold in the gusty NW wind. The water levels in the Pit are starting to gradually rise but there is still plenty of foraging available for shorebirds. On the track leading to the Pit I had 17 Chiffchaffs indicating that once again a these vocal warblers were moving through the Peninsula and this was backed up with a message of at least 30+ on the east side of the Long Pits. I was hoping for a hirundine passage along this south west part of the area but I only saw a handful of swallows moving over the Pit during the time I was there.

In the Pit were nine Ringed Plovers, two Little-ringed Plovers, four Greenshank, a Ruff, a Sanderling  a Black-tailed Godwit and 10 Dunlin. I met Matthew the landowner of the surrounding arable land but didn't have time to chat as he had to head off to sort out a technical issue with a drilling machine.
I'd be back at the Pit later in the afternoon as Paul Trodd found his second juvenile Red-necked Phalarope there in a week, the other being at Lade South Pit.

Other birds seen at the Pit were Hobby, four Green Sands, 3 Common Sands, Kingfisher a Wood Sandpiper and a late afternoon movement of 1,500 hirundines south west (mostly Swallows and Sand Martins) between 17:00 and 17:30.

On leaving the Sand Pit I headed to Dengemarsh on the RSPB Reserve just in case hirundines were moving through this area and also if the earlier Honey Buzzard that had been seen on the Point decided to move south west. There were many Sand Martins, Swallows and a few House Martins over the area but no sign of any real passage. I did have three Avocets land momentarily before heading off.

Next stop was the Desert and I decided to approach from the north. Whilst wandering and not seeing much Tom Wright found a Red-veined Darter near the Bird Observatory, a new dragonfly species for me. So I headed there and whilst initially it had disappeared another was picked up in the same area.

Looking for Red-veined Darters

On walking back through the Desert to my car I had two Whinchats and a single Wheatear. In the afternoon I was back at Scotney Sand Pit watching the Red-necked Phalarope and the Wood Sand.
Another great day in the area.

Chiffchaff

Wheatear

Red-veined Darter

Whitethroat

Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope

Juvenile Wood Sandpiper

Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope