WHAT A GREY DAY

 A Grey Phalarope at Grenham Bay Birchington raised me from my post holiday lethargy and this lovely little wader did not disappoint.

 GREY PHALAROPE

 -The Grey Phalarope breeds in the high arctic and turns up in the UK on migration in the autumn usually after storms,they spend all winter at sea.

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-During the breeding season the Grey Phalarope becomes this beautiful brick red colour,which gives it its other name Red Phalarope.The female is the brighter of the two and the male incubates the eggs and looks after the youngsters, role reversal in nature.These photos were taken in Svalbaard in June 2017

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 -READY

 -STEADY

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GO.
A migrant turned up in my garden overnight

THE VESTAL not sure if it was a virgin though.




To end the month I had an afternoon at Dungeness, the ARC held several gulls and terns and the reserve had a few chiff chaffs ,blackcaps and whitethroats in the bushes.

LITTLE GULL adult in winter plumage.

 -LITTLE GULL

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 -LITTLE GULL juv

 -COMMON TERN juv

 COMMON TERN juv

COMMON TERN juv

 BLACK TERN juv

CHIFF CHAFF

 -A DULLER CHIFF CHAFF

 -CHIFF IN THE GORSE

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 OLYMPIC CHALLENGER OFF DUNGENESS en route to Brest from Dover.

SAILING BY.