A RYE SMILE

Had a stroll around Rye Harbour reserve on Monday,starting with Castle Water, I had not been to this part of the reserve before,and was lucky enough to pick up the white winged black tern from near Camber Castle flying up and down behind a large area of scrub.I made my way closer and got into a position to see the bird at reasonably close quarters.This Tern is a vagrant to our shores from eastern europe where it breeds on inland waters/marshes similar to the more familiar black tern.

CAMBER CASTLE

 WHITE WINGED BLACK TERN

 WHITE WINGED BLACK TERN

 Moving on towards the rest of the reserve I saw four Clouded Yellows,always a pleasure.

 From the hide overlooking the ternery pool I spied these three Greenshanks patrolling the waters edge,one individual braved the foaming shore and came quite close.

 GREENSHANK

FISHERMANS HUT RYE HARBOUR

 On the beach several Turnstones were feeding

TURNSTONE

 Moving to the fishing boats at Dungeness lots of birds were moving/feeding offshore with several arctic terns among the more common species,the white secondaries being diagnostic.

 1ST WINTER ARCTIC TERN-heading a long way south for the winter.

BLACK HEADED GULL

HERRING GULL

THE SUN SETS ON DUNGENESS POWER STATION .