Birding and other distractions

High tide was about 8:45 so we arrived at the north end of Flamingo Pool an hour before. Initially there was no sign of the Stone Curlew but it flew in to the far bank of the pool after half an hour then proceeded to preen for a fair while. Wader numbers were on the low side on Flamingo with four Whimbrel, several Curlew, a Ruff, and a Knot. On Radar Pool a small roost of waders alongside the creek track contained 10 Greenshank. From the watchpoint seven distant Spoonbill were the main interest. Stone Curlew  Greenshank and Lapwing  Spoonbill  Common Blue Damselfly

The weather forecast was more encouraging in the afternoon hence we timed our arrival for 1 p.m.  The main target was Brown Hairstreak and to my surprise I found one in the cutting almost immediately. However, this proved to be a bit of a fluke as by 4 p.m. the total for the day was only three. All individuals were very active and difficult to photograph, with only two pictures of any worth. Nevertheless only my second sighting of the species following the Sussex visit several years ago. Female Brown Hairstreak  As above  Speckled Wood 

An afternoon visit on a glorious sunny day. Parking at the usual spot in Binney Road the agitated calls of Swallow caught my attention as they mobbed a Sparrowhawk which passed within feet of me. This was the first of a series of birds of prey on the walk which became something of a raptor fest. Binney Reservoir had 18 Black-tailed Godwit though no other waders. The marsh looked in good condition due to irrigation measures, and Stoke Lagoon had plenty of water. On the marsh to the south of Stoke Lagoon four Whinchat were found, plus a Wheatear on the fenceline alongside the path. A Hobby was hunting prey over the Lagoon. Walking back I heard a Greenshank though best of all a Wood Sandpiper, and two distant Raven were also on the marsh. Raptor totals for the day: Buzzard 5 Kestrel 4 Marsh Harrier 2 Sparrowhawk 2 Hobby 1 Buzzard  Whinchat  Migrant Hawker Small Tortoiseshell  Stoke Lagoon  .

This KOS field trip started at SBBO at 8 a.m. viewing birds being processed in the ringing hut. I missed a Spotted Flycatcher just prior to my arrival. The ten participants plus leaders Ray and Lyn then walked round the estate where highlights included three Garganey and two Common Sandpiper on Restharrow Scrape, plus two Whinchat and four Wheatear on dunes near the coast. We also managed to find six Slow-worms under refugia in the area, including a recently born juvenile. Then onto Pegwell Bay to coincide with high tide where the roost of birds on the beach comprised numerous Sandwich Terns, smaller numbers of Common Tern, and two Spoonbill. Garganey  Common Sandpiper  Grey Partidge and Whimbrel in garden of Sandilands  Whinchat  Red Admiral

Ray and I went to Bredhurst first where both Adonis and Chalkhill Blues were easily found in the usual area on Strawberry Banks. The odd Brown Argus was also present. At Queendown Warren both blues were also in very good numbers, as were Brown Argus. The main target at QW was Silver-spotted Skipper, four being seen on the slopes.  In all 17 butterfly species were seen on the day plus an  impressive Wolf Spider at QW. Adonis Blue  As above Chalkhill Blue As above  Brown Argus  Silver-spotted Skipper  As above  Wolf Spider 

In London yesterday when Black Stork was found on Sheppey though fortunately the bird was still present this morning. Initial views were compromised by heat haze with the stork in a distant corn field east of the Capel viewpoint. However, about 11 a.m. it took flight and after soaring around for ten or so minutes then passed overhead giving good views in the bright sunshine. The stork then went down in the reedbed several hundred metres west of the viewpoint. Also seen were two Ravens from the viewpoint and three Spoonbill (asleep) on Capel Fleet. Later, at home in the garden a Hummingbird Hawkmoth was feeding in the Buddleia. Black Stork  Capel Fleet  Hummingbird Hawkmoth 

An early morning report of nine Spoonbill at Cliffe encouraged a visit to coincide with high tide. The birds were seen on Radar Pool, seemingly a record count for Cliffe. On Flamingo a group of 40 Black-tailed Godwit contained one Bar-tailed. Three Whimbrel and two Common Sandpiper also there. Alongside the creek two Wheatear were on the seawall. Further round a Clouded Yellow was in the gully, a favoured spot for the species at this time of year. On the walk back I found a juvenile Willow Warbler in bushes alongside the track, then in the 'picnic grounds' at least another three in a forest of Buddleia. Godwits, including one Bar-tailed. Willow Warbler 

Starting at Worth on a bright and breezy day we walked in from the north end of the Pinnock Wall to the reserve. One objective was hopefully to catch sight of the family of Black-winged Stilts that successfully bred this year.  However, no sign of the stilts, having apparently flown off the previous evening. One Hobby, two Little-ringed Plover, and three Dunlin were seen. Butterflies were active in the sunshine, notably two Wall, several Holly Blue, and a Painted Lady. At Oare in the afternoon the east flood held well over a thousand Black-tailed Godwit sitting out the high tide. Pectoral Sandpiper had been seen in the morning though was absent in the three hours we spent there. A Hobby flew along the back of the flood and two juvenile Sedge Warblers showed very well at close range. An impressive sight was two Southern Migrant Hawker dragonflies resting up when the sun went in later in the afternoon. Painted Lady  Holly Blue  Sedge Warbler  As above  Black-...

A visit to coincide with high tide in mostly sunny, albeit very breezy conditions. Plenty of butterflies in evidence today, with Gatekeeper probably outnumbering Meadow Brown as the commonest species. Two Wall Brown at the mouth of the creek were nice, while a female Common Blue did its best to look like a Brown Argus before the genuine article appeared nearby. Around the general area Buddleia were in magnificent full bloom and had attracted many Red Admirals. Flamingo had relatively few birds though a solitary Black-tailed Godwit was quite confiding and there was a more distant Whimbrel. A flock of 300 Black-headed Gulls contained only two juveniles possibly evidence of a poor breeding season due to the effects of bird-flu against the species. Black Barn Pools had a large flock of c1000 Black-tailed Godwit, with small numbers of Bar-tailed also present. A colony of Common Tern on one of the islands was very active and vocal, with 10 juveniles counted and  approx. 25 adul...