26th. May 2016

Todays outing RSPB Dungeness and the Beach there produced some great sights, even if they were all quite common such as Hobbies, Buntings, Gulls and Dragon Flies.

I noticed quite a few Birders around and it came to light that a Laughing Gull had been seen to the west of the Power Station. I looked at the walk it entailed and to be honest, although a chance to get a rarer bird, decided I’d already walked far enough.
As it happened I was told it flew away about half an hour before I found out, so it saved me a route march!

The Hobby

There were two reasons for going today; 1. A Hobby and 2. A Bittern, I didn’t see or hear the latter.
As always with searches for something you want, it wasn’t until I’d walked around for about an hour before I spotted it and what a sight that it, about the size of a Kestrel but seemingly more agile in it’s flight.
It didn’t perch but I managed a passing Shot.

      
Side view of the Hobby – Male Reed Bunting – Dungeness Old Lighthouse

      
Red Hot Poker – Whitethroat – Tree Sparrow

A male and a female Reed Bunting gave me a pretty good pose along by Denge Marsh plus a Whitethroat kindly took off just as I clicked.

The Stream from Denge back to Boulderwall Farm was littered with Marsh Frogs but as hard as I tried all I got was that plop noise as they heard me and dived for cover!
I did see a nice Four Spotted Chaser though and this shone quite well in the midday sun.

At Boulderwall Farm the Tree Sparrows were in full song and busying themselves around the Bird Feeders in the front Garden. Not many about now, so good to see they’re well looked after there.

After a cup of Coffee in the back of the Van at the ARC Car Park I popped along the Beach. Nothing much about but saw a rather splendid wild Red Hot Poker growing all on it’s own halfway down the Beach.

A pleasant day

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