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 .

NOVEMBER 2024

 Here are a few birding highlights of the month

AN UNUSUAL VISITOR TO SAMPHIRE HOE -A WIGEON

ROCK PIPIT NUMBERS INCREASE FOR THE WINTER.

CORN BUNTING LANGDON CLIFFS

THE ELUSIVE JUVENILE ROSE COLOURED STARLING, MY FOURTH ATTEMPT. AT ST MARGARETS AT CLIFFE

PINK FOOTED GEESE - WORTH

44871 AT WORTH WITH THE ARMISTICE SPECIAL 11\11\24

I walked from Minnis Bay to Reculver and back

RESTING REDSHANKS

ALWAYS ALERT

CORMORANT

Just beyond Minnis Bay I found three Snow Buntings.

SNOW BUNTING

As usual they were quite tame and unphased by my presence

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RED THROATED DIVER

LOTS OF BRENT GEESE

FLY BY GOOSANDERS THE DRAKE LEADING THE WAY

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ON MY RETURN THERE WERE NOW 5 SNOW BUNTINGS ON PARADE.

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Another day and a stroll into Dover from home following the River Dour

GREY WAGTAIL IN RUSSELL GARDENS

TUFTED DUCK -BUSHY RUFF

COMMON GULL - BUSHY RUFF

FEMALE KINGFISHER -KEARSNEY ABBEY

GREY HERON

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ANOTHER GREY WAGTAIL THE 6TH OF THE DAY

THIS ONE NEAR ST JAMES SHOPPING CENTRE

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CUNARDS QUEEN VICTORIA OFF DOVER.

THE LONG STAYING RED THROATED DIVER HAS NOW LOST THE RED THROAT AND ITS FLIGHT FEATHERS. 

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LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL

KNOT AT SEASALTER

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THIS GULL GOT US QUITE EXCITED, THOUGHT WE`D FOUND A RARITY,BUT IT WAS JUST AN UNUSUAL HERRING GULL ACCORDING TO JP.

DRAKE SHOVELLER STODMARSH

KESTREL AT DUSK

THERE WAS A DISTANT STARLING MURMURATION OVER TOWARDS COLLARDS.

SWANS IN THE DYING LIGHT.

A SMALLER MURMURATION  NEAR THE REED BED HIDE

REDWING AT SAMPHIRE HOE

AVOCET PASSING DUNGENESS POINT.

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SLAVONIAN GREBE -DUNGENESS RSPB

BLACK NECKED GREBE 

SLAVONIAN GREBE

THREE FOR THE PRICE OF TWO.

SLAVONIAN GREBE

SLAVONIAN GREBE

TWO BLACK NECKS AND THE SLAVONIAN

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BNG

SLAVONIAN BEHIND BNG