Dungeness, Kent: 16 September

A three hour seawatch in the morning found very little moving despite the fresh south-easterly. A mixed flock of 12 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Wigeon and 2 Teal heading south west was nice to see (photo below), and 7 Common Scoter, 40+ Sandwich Tern, 30 Northern Gannet, and a Marsh Harrier heading south out to sea were the only other notables. An adult Little Gull, a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, 1 Kittiwake, 1-2 Juv Arctic Tern, 20+ Common Tern and 15+ Sandwich Tern were at the Patch and the 2nd cycle Glaucous Gull was following fishing boats offshore.

Migrating Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Wigeon and Teal.

Common migrants were in evidence on the land. At the point 6 Northern Wheatear, 1 Stonechat and 5 Pied Wagtail were noted. At the RSPB reserve, Chiffchaffs (photo 3) were seemingly in every bit of cover with at least 30 seen and many more heard, along with 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap and a female Pied Flycatcher that appeared briefly on the Willow Trail trying its utmost to avoid being photographed (top photo). 5 Whinchat (photo 4), 3 Stonechat, 2 Northern Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wagtail and small numbers of Meadow Pipit were also noted as well as 2 Common Buzzard and a Hobby overhead.

On the ARC pit, 2 Little Gull (1 ad & 1 juv), 2 juv Black Tern, 2 juv Arctic Tern and 1 juv Common Tern were flying around, and 2 Little Stint, 3+ Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ringed Plover, 5+ Dunlin, 200 European Golden Plover and 4 Wigeon were logged. A steady southwards movement of Barn Swallow (about 20 per minute) and Sand Martin from late morning onwards probably involved thousands of each.

Other notables seen were a 1st winter Shag and an injured Ruff on Burrow's Pit, the Great White Egret on Denge Marsh, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 3 Marsh Harrier, 5 Common Snipe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Eurasian Wigeon, 5 Black Redstart, presumably the local breeding birds, feeding along the power station perimeter fence (photo 5), 4 Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler seen well for a change (with several others heard), c80 Linnet and a Raven.