Dungeness, Kent: 3 September

A fairly productive day with a steady trickle of migrants. 1 Hobby, 26 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Whimbrel, c70 Barn Swallow and 3 Sand Martin were all logged heading south-west, and over the mid-afternoon high tide, 59 Red Knot (photo 1), 11 Dunlin, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, c200 European Golden Plover and c30 Oystercatcher were at the ARC Pit. A 40 minute seawatch this evening produced 1 Balearic Shearwater, c80 Sandwich Tern, and small numbers of Common Tern all moving west, c80 Northern Gannet and a Guillemot lingering, and 2 Little Gull (1 ad & 1 juv) and an adult Black Tern feeding at the Patch.

Other notables seen include the long staying Great White Egret, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2-3 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1+ Marsh Harrier, 7 Common Tern and an odd-looking leucistic Grey Heron (pics here) all on Denge Marsh, 1 adult Little Gull, a female Goosander and an eclipse drake Pintail on the ARC Pit, and c800 Lapwing, lots of Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Northern Shoveler (in eclipse plumage) around the RSPB reserve, and 3-4 Sparrowhawk. Also, 6+ Harbour Porpoise were milling about offshore at the point and lots of Common Darters Sympetrum striolatum were about (photo 2 - male & photo 3 - female).