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 .

A VISITOR FROM MONGOLIA

Yesterday on Worth Marshes an ISABELLINE  SHRIKE was found,word of this reached me at lunchtime and as it was a new bird for me,I took the short journey to Worth mid afternoon. Not being sure of the exact location I stumbled around hoping to see other birders watching the bird eventually found it with the help of Barry Woolhouse.

ISABELLINE OR DAURIAN SHRIKE- These birds breed in Mongolia and western China and winter in East Africa,Occasionally they are blown or wander off course and end up here,according to Bird Guides there have been only 174 accepted records for the UK.This idividual was very confiding and flew to within a few feet of us,if only all birds were this co operative,but then again,would the skills of field craft be lost, which is half the fun anyway.

After this we popped over to Dicksons Corner and were lucky enough to see another bird which is a bit of a rarity these days,the DARTFORD WARBLER,which showed typically briefly in the gorse by the road.
In the morning I had spent a pleasant couple of hours at Bockhill,in the company of Tony Morris,still a few RING OUZELS about and lots of CHIFF CHAFFS but no wing bars could be seen on any of them.Still a few butterflies aroun in the warm sunshine-painted lady,red admiral,comma,and at least 4 clouded yellows.

 COMMA

CLOUDED YELLOW

ITS RAINING OUZELS

On Tuesday while at Samphire Hoe reports were coming in from Dungeness and St Margarets of a massive fall of Ring Ouzels,we found a paltry two.
Today a fairly late start found me in Langdon Hole just after 9, in the big field near the coastguard station I could see ten ouzels feeding,they soon decamped back into the Hole though.As usual they were ever alert and easily spooked by the slightest movement anywhere near them.Patience was the order of the day and with more luck than judgement I eventually got reasonably close to one individual.

 The good crop of hawthorn berries will hopefully keep them in situ for a few days.

Also seen today were a couple of unusual birds for the Hole in Tree Sparrow and Bullfinch plus the more familiar ravens, yellowhammers, corn buntings,linnets,goldfinches,chiff chaffs,blackcaps  robins,wrens,tits and dunnocks,a couple of stonechats put in an appearance and a few swallows are still about.A very pleasant morning was had by all.
Yesterday the WAVERLEY sailed past Samphire Hoe,the light was very poor and only had my Lumix with me

                                          WAVERLEY
A few other photos from the last week in no particular category.

 EARLY MORNING FERRIES

CHANNEL RAINBOW

DRILLING RIG Being towed down channel on Sunday morning.

A TALE OF TWO EGRETS

Went to Dungeness on Thursday morning,very quiet on the sea  so went on to the reserve in the hope of catching up with the cattle egret,which I eventually did,

CATTLE EGRET WITH CATTLE.
A very yellow Clouded Yellow also posed nicely

CLOUDED YELLOW
On the ARC pits a Great White Egret was the pick of the bunch~

 GREAT WHITE EGRET

GREAT WHITE EGRET
In the late afternoon/early evening went over to Sandwich to see the Short Eared Owl that had been around Dicksons Corner,it showed at distance in the twilight~

 SHORT EARED OWL

S E OWL
There is a new volunteer at the Hoe and very handsome he is too

HIGHLAND LAWN MOWER -One of ten cattle now grazing at Samphire Hoe.

LEADER OF THE PACK

 SORRY Couldn`t resist this beauty at the Hoe on Tuesday.

GOLDFINCH ON THISTLE DOWN -LANGDON HOLE