DECEMBER 2024 HIP HIP HOOPOE .

 Highlight of a dull misty month was undoubtedly the American Yellow Warbler at Leybourne found on Christmas Eve,I didnt go until the 27 th and had good views from the back of the throng/scrum,but having had one in my garden on holiday in Costa Rica earlier in the year was content just to look at it.

YELLOW WARBLER -ARENAL COSTA RICA.

A close second was the Hoopoe at Seasalter/Whitstable,which I had a huge slice of luck in seeing.

I arrived at Seasalter and stopped by the sailing club to put Joy Lane in Sat Nav, then half way there on the the main road I stopped to let a car come past and the bird obligingly flew across the road in front of me and landed ten feet away.It soon flew off  but I found it again round the corner.

HOOPOES are normally found in Southern Europe but a few turn up in the UK annually but normally in the Spring or Summer - its finding food at the moment but if it gets colder it could suffer.

GADWALL DRAKE

SPOONBILLS IN FLIGHT OARE MARSHES

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DARTFORD WARBLER -SWALECLIFFE

KESTREL ON RAILWAY FENCE SAMPHIRE HOE

SHAG ON WEST POND -SAMPHIRE HOE It didn`t stay long as there are no fish there.

BEWICKS SWAN COLDHARBOUR LANE 

BEWICK SWANS the individual on the right is ringed.

SINGLE WHOOPER SWAN MIDLEY.

WHOOPER SWAN

CATTLE EGRET STODMARSH ROAD

COOT STODMARSH

CLOSE UP OF COOTS FEET.

COLOUR RINGED STONECHAT -(pink/red) Samphire Hoe.

HERDWICK SHEEP AT THE HOE.

LITTLE EGRET IN THE DOUR

We recently found a Little Egret at Samphire Hoe that had been predated presumably by the local Peregrine.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE -DOVER HARBOUR

GREAT CRESTED GREBE -Still showing juvenile plumage head stripes have usually gone by late autumn.

SNIPE RESTING AT REST HARROW SCRAPE

STONECHAT -REST HARROW DUNES.

THERE ENDETH ANOTHER YEAR LETS HOPE THINGS ARE BETTER FOR EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IN 2025-HAPPY NEW YEAR .