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KOS News

The Newsletter of the Kent Ornithological Society

Number 502 November 2015

Acadian Flycatcher by Chris Bond KOS Contacts – Committee Members

● Bird Sightings August - October 2015 Obituary notices● Book Review● Wings & Wheels

in Florida ●News & Announcements ● Fifty Years Ago●

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Newsletter Editor: Norman McCanch, 23 New Street, Ash, Canterbury, Kent CT3 2BH Tel: 01304-813208 e-mail: nvmccanch@hotmail.com Membership Sec: Chris Roome, Rowland House, Station Rd., Staplehurst TN12 0PY Tel: 01580 891686 e-mail:chrisgk.roome@btinternet.com Chairman: Martin Coath, 14A Mount Harry Rd Sevenoaks TN13 3JH Tel: 01732-460710 e-mail: coathmartin@gmail.com Vice Chair.: Brendan Ryan, 18 The Crescent, Canterbury CT2 7AQ Tel: 01227 471121 e-mail: brendan.ryan@yahoo.co.uk Hon. Sec: Stephen Wood, 4 Jubilee Cottages, Throwley Forstal, Faversham ME13 0PJ. Tel: 01795 890485. e-mail: doctorstevewood@yahoo.co.uk Hon. Treasurer: Mike Henty, 12 Chichester Close, Witley, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5PA Tel: 01428-683778 e-mail: michaelhenty@aol.com Conservation & Surveys: : Norman McCanch, as above Editorial & Records: Barry Wright, 6 Hatton Close, Northfleet, DA11 8SD Tel: 01474 320918 e-mail: umbrellabirds66@gmail.com Archivist: Robin Mace, 4 Dexter Close, Kennington, Ashford, TN25 4QG Tel: 01233-631509 e-mail: robin@mace-online.co.uk Website liaison: vacant

Indoor Meetings organiser: Anthea Skiffington 4 Station Approach, Bekesbourne, Kent CT4 5DT Tel: 01227 831101 e-mail: a.skiffington@btinternet.com Outdoor Meetings organiser: Ray O’Reily 44 New Road, Cliffe, Rochester,

Kent ME3 7SL 07879 636198 griff@batten.uk.net

Ordinary Members: Ken Lodge 14 Gallwey Avenue, Birchington, Kent CT7 9PA Tel : 01843 843105 e-mail: lodge9pa@btinternet.com Keith Privett 6 Tritton Close, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN24 9HN Tel: 01233 335533 e-mail: keith.privett@ntlworld.com Jack Chantler 34 Gladstone Road, Walmer, Kent CT14 7ET Tel: 01304 366214 j.chantler14@btinternet.com Andrew Lawson, 12 Morland Avenue, Dartford, Kent DA1 3BN. 01322 402275 jackomar2003@hotmail.com Andy Appleton 34 Penine Walk Tunbridge Wells Kent TN2 3NW 01892 513542 andrewappleton@btopenworld.com Tony Morris, The Hidden House, 28 Kingstown Road, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Kent CT15 6BB 01304 851943 tonymorris@easynet.co.uk

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It has been an interesting Autumn, with lots of the more unusual birds around and even a Kent ‘first for Britain’ in the shape of an Acadian Flycatcher, who would have predicted that on a bulldozer at Dungeness? Predictably, I did not see it, but it is good to know it was found and perhaps we should take an optimistic view of its future although we all know that after a journey of that magnitude the prospects for its further survival were very slim. Indeed, this year I frequently encountered birders expressing the opinion that ‘it is great weather for migration’. We should never forget that this sentiment only reflects our own obsession; for the birds themselves great weather for migration is calm winds, cloudless nights and no unexpected landfalls in unsuitable places with very little food or cover! If I wake up to a calm and cloudless dawn in autumn, I am at least grateful that some of our little friends are getting the conditions that are best for them on their massive undertakings. Good birding, Norman

Obituary Announcements – David Musson

We heard recently that David Musson died peacefully at home in October. He was an active member of the KOS in the sixties, as a recorder for North and as an assistant editor of the KBR, before moving to the west country.” Sadly we do not have any more details as yet, but we express our condolences to his family.

Conservation & Surveys Sub-Committee We are pleased to announce that Simon Ginnaw has agreed to join the C&SSC, filling one of the two vacancies resulting from the loss of Rob Clements to Hampshire and Owen Sweeney who has decided to step down after many years as a stalwart supporter of conservation in Kent. His expertise and encyclopaedic knowledge of conservation in the Medway Estuary context will be sorely missed and we send him our very best wishes.

Editorial

News and announcements

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BTO Non-Estuarine Waterbirds Survey There are still Kent sectors available for the BTO Non-Estuarine Waterbirds Survey, due to take place in January 2016. If you use Birdtrack, the same log-in details will allow you to access the WeBS page on the BTO site, from which you can check out the sectors available and request one for the survey. It will then automatically forward your details so that I can allocate the relevant sector, after which you will be able to download maps, survey form and also upload data. This is a simple survey, requiring a single low-tide count of a sector at some time around mid January. If you are interested check out the BTO website, WeBS page. If you do not use Birdtrack it is simple to visit the BTO site and get a login so that you can access all their good stuff. Please consider helping, I especially need counters on Thanet and Dungeness to Folkestone areas.

Norman McCanch Pochard Sex Ratio survey During January 2016 the Duck Specialist Group of Wetlands International are seeking participation from waterbird counters and birders across Europe and Northern Africa to help with the collection of sex ratio data for Common Pochard. We are asking counters to simply record the number of males and females in flocks. This can be carried out as part of the next International Waterbird Census (16th/17th January 2016) or, if preferable, during a separate visit some other time in January 2016. We also welcome sex ratio counts from bird watchers who may happen to see Pochard flocks whilst out bird watching, so if you visit sites with wintering Pochard please consider making some counts. The sex of every single bird in the flock is not required; however, please do try to obtain as large a sample as possible. If you would like to assist with this study go to http://www.ducksg.org/activities/compoch/ for more details orcontact: Email: Kane.Brides@wwt.org.uk Postal: Monitoring Unit, WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, UK Tel: +44(0) 1453 891272 Web: www.ducksg.org/ And finally… We like to keep in touch with all our members, so if you change address, email address or phone numbers, please remember to inform our membership secretary, Chris Roome. He can be contacted on : Chris Roome, Rowland House, Station Rd., Staplehurst TN12 0PY Tel: 01580 891686 e-mail:chrisgk.roome@btinternet.com

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BOOK REVIEW “Où voir les oiseaux dans le Nord – Pas-de-Calais/Where to watch birds in Northern France” – Quentin Dupriez 205 pages Pub: Delachaux et Nestle 2015 €19 There's a long tradition of Kent birders popping across the Channel for some exotic birding, not surprising given the number of species that are scarce, rare or even unrecorded in the UK that can be seen there with relative ease. For the typical British monoglot, much new information about birds and birding sites in the area has been difficult to access. With this new book we have an excellent, up to date and authoritative 'where to watch' guide in English by one of the area's best birders.

The English title is somewhat misleading as it covers only the département of Nord – Pas de Calais (a kite like wedge running NW-SE measuring roughly 200 by 100 km). This means that some well-known sites only an hour or so from the Channel Tunnel (e.g. Parc Ornitologique Du Marquenterre, Somme, Picardie) are excluded, but other sites hard against the Belgian border, and 2½ hours away by car, are covered. The book is written from a French point

Articles

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of view so several blocks of woodland of interest to British visitors near Boulogne and Calais are ignored as, in a broader French context, their birdlife is relatively mundane. The English text, is generally very good with only the occasional “forced” expression, but one necessary concession of a bilingual book is in evidence; the typeface is rather small. This is further compounded by the English being printed in green (the French text is black). Several of the maps seem to have been so reduced from the original that the text on them is sometimes nearly illegible. The author has used IOC International English names, rather than vernacular British ones, which means several species have American names unfamiliar to most British users. The book follows the usual format of such guides with a short introduction followed by a month-by -month 'birdwatcher's year' and then a description of 138 sites and their birds. Somewhat less usual is the very full species list in table form giving the status, of the 420 species recorded in the region.. It's fascinating to discover which rarities the area has in common with adjacent parts the UK (e.g. Pallas's, Radde's and Dusky Warblers, Red-flanked Bluetail, etc) and, even more so, which ones it doesn't (e.g. Steller's Eider, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hazel Hen, Pygmy Cormorant, Black-winged Kite, Long-legged Buzzard, both Spotted Eagles, etc.) Each site account starts with a short list of 'target species' (grouped by season) and a gives a % chance of recording the species, which helps to highlight the possibilities. In the margin there are various useful warnings and comments (e.g. avoid weekends, keep on paths etc). Hunting is far more popular in this region than in the UK and birders are warned to avoid the hunting season at several sites, but when this might be isn't clearly stated. These sites are depicted by a map with numbered locations linked to the text. Woodland is shown in bright green,water bodies are in pale green, urban areas, roads, mudflats and spoil tips are clearly marked in black-and-white or grey. These maps are excellent for negotiating the sites themselves, but are of limited use for actually finding the site – a supplementary map showing general location would have been helpful. There is a double page map showing the department, but the scale is too great to be useful for giving finer details of the location. A description of the location is given, but for the visually orientated a map would have been more helpful.

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The book has an Achilles heel; for some mystifying reason sites are covered in alphabetical order and then shown by number (1-38) on the location map As a result Site 1 'Anor' is in the far SE of the region hard against the Belgian border, but site 2 Baie d'Authie is on the Channel coast. Had they been listed and numbered by their appearance along the coast and then inland sites from east to west then the number alone would have alerted the reader to the site's approximate location. One nice idea is that at the end of each account the names & number of nearby sites is given – a very useful feature. Another helpful feature is that species are highlighted in bold making is easy to zoom in to the relevant section if you have a 'hit list'. It may come as a surprise to British birders, but from the French point of view le Nord – Pas-de-Calais, particularly along the coast, is a birding hot spot. It is, in some ways, the French equivalent of the North Norfolk since it has a good record for birds like Yellow-browed Warbler, eastern warblers, etc, not surprisingly given its location on the continental coast and facing the North Sea. From a British point of view it's also home to scarce birds like Bluethroat and Golden Oriole,rare ones such as Little Bittern, Black Stork, Fan-tailed Warbler and Crested Lark and even non-British species such as Eagle Owl, Black and Middle-spotted Woodpeckers. This dominance of the coast for rarities perhaps helps to explain why, of the 38 sites covered, 18 are on or very near to the coast (and another three within 10 km of the Channel).

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Accordingly none of these sites are more than a few km from one another (arguably some could even have been amalgamated to save space). Further inland, but still only c40 minutes from the coast, are the Etangs de Romelaere (St Omer) where Little Bittern and Great Reed Warbler can be found. Next comes a broad cluster of a dozen sites around Lille and Valenciennes which are between 1 – 1½ hours- from the Channel. A little further afield is the Foret de Mormal (c2 hours)whilst to the south-east, and hard against the Belgian border, are three further sites (c2½ hours). Other than those visiting for the weekend or longer, British visitors will be most interested in those sites within an hour or so of the Channel tunnel and Calais. Despite the caveats expressed above, this is an excellent and very handy guide to the area. It is disappointing from a British point of view that good sites in the Somme, or even just over the birder in Belgium, are omitted, but in compensation there is a wealth of detail about those areas it does cover. It has all the information you need to enjoy a productive visit well known sites (e.g. Cap Gris-Nez, Platier d'Oye), but adds plenty of details for less familiar ones too (e.g. Hems-Saint-Pol which only came into being in 2012). Those that have visited the area previously will find plenty of new information both about birding sites and birds – who would have guessed that old spoil tips around Lille were so good for Ring Ouzels? Those arriving with fresh eyes will be surprised just how many less familiar species can be found after that short hop over the Channel. Braver souls might want to escape the tyranny of the British list and try a little autumn birding on the French Channel coast, they may be pleasantly surprised. Highly recommended.

John Cantelo

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Wings & Wheels in Florida I had always wanted to watch a NASCAR race. Nascar is American stock cars-much modified saloons racing on oval tracks at speeds of 200 mph and more. In February this year I joined a tour to the most prestigious of these races, the Daytona 500 in Florida. This trip, based in Orlando, allowed free days on the Friday and Monday either side of the race weekend, so I thought to use them to fit in some birding, especially as I had never visited the US before.The Birding Pals website failed to produce any response so I contacted Andy Wraithmell, an expatriate Brit , ex-DBO assistant warden, who now works for the Florida Wildlife Conservancy. He had written an article for Birdwatch magazine a couple of years ago describing the birding riches of theme park Florida. He provided me with a list of possible contacts, and two of these came up trumps. The first morning I was collected from my hotel by Brook & Brad Rohman and taken to Merritt Island and Canaveral National Seashore, about an hour’s drive from Orlando. The first birds at Merritt Island were Black Skimmers and Ring-billed Gulls and then we looked for a Long-tailed Duck, a rare bird this far south. Out along the Blackpoint Drive I was introduced to a whole range of waterbirds: herons, ibis & egrets galore, ducks, American Coots and Pied-billed Grebes by the hundred. Roseate Spoonbills (aka tourists’ flamingos) were the most spectacular and the new birds came thick and fast. Next we went looking for Florida’s endemic Scrub Jay, easily found at by the road on the way to a Great Horned Owl’s nest. Whilst watching the owl and being watched in return an Osprey flew over carrying a large fish, but not for long as a Bald Eagle appeared and after a short skirmish, flew off leaving the Osprey to go fishing again.

Little Blue Heron by Chris Cox

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At Canaveral Seashore, with the giant shuttle hanger building in the background, there were shorebirds; both Yellowlegs, Willet, Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone, Western & Least Sandpipers. At least some of these were familiar. Yellowthroats skulked in the bushes and alligators sprawled beneath them. A few words do not do justice to such an excellent days birding, finishing up at the Merritt Island visitor centre where there was a Painted Bunting in all its technicolor glory. As we left the island Brad executed a quick U-turn to add GBBG to the list! A meal at a very popular seafood restaurant concluded the day. Great birding and company in new habitats and Brad & Brook were so kind to respond to my appeal and were great hosts and guides on Brad’s day off. Saturday and Sunday were race days but far from birdless. In the trees, near the parking lots, Yellow-rumped Warblers responded to pishing and Northern Mockingbirds sang from the street lamps. My motorsport fan companions were amused that I had my binoculars with me but over the race circuit soared Black & Turkey Vultures, Bald Eagles, Osprey and Anhingas. The racing was exciting too.

. 1 Limpkin by Chris Cox

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Early on Monday morning I was again collected from the hotel, this time by Jim Eager, a retired telecoms technician who now guides for various Florida birding festivals and owns Obsessive Compulsive Birding (www.obsessivecompulsivebirding.com). He took me to a variety of different habitats south of Orlando starting at first light at Three Lakes WMA. This is a longleaf pine forest where we called up Bachman’s Sparrow and Brown-headed Nuthatch. We missed Red-cockaded Woodpecker, but found Blue-headed & White-eyed Vireos, Northern Parula, Pine & Prairie Warblers, Northern Bobwhite and Eastern Bluebird. Then on to Joe Overstreet Rd where Red-headed Woodpecker was easily found and the wires were occupied by American Kestrels and Loggerhead Shrikes. Crested Caracara and Wild Turkey were beside the road and Sandhill Cranes showed no concern about a close approach but the one wintering Whooping Crane didn’t show. At Joe Overstreet Landing, on Lake Kissimmee, the birds just kept coming. Seen were a Limpkin, with a huge apple snail, Snail Kite, more Black Skimmers and Tufted Titmouse. Another great day’s birding was rounded off by another excellent meal back in Orlando. As a way of avoiding the tourist traps (theme parks) of Florida these two days could not have been bettered. The birds came thick and fast and I used the spare time before the flight home to write up my lists using the Sibley guide in the field and the National Geographic on the iPad. Memories of the sky full of vultures and Sandhill Cranes on the roadside will stay with for a long time, as will the kindness of Brad & Brook and Jim. Thanks for everything, folks.

Chris Cox

BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR AUTUMN 2015 – AUGUST TO OCTOBER - Chris Hindle

Where necessary the acceptance of records within this report is subject to ratification by the “British Birds” Rarities Committee (species in capital letters) or the KOS Rarities Committee. The results of these deliberations are regularly published on the KOS Website. WEATHER_______________________________________________ The weather for August was mostly unsettled and cool with the UK often under the influence of nearby low pressure although there were some warmer

heavy rain and thunderstorms in the second half of the month. On 26th there was a SW gale that produced good numbers of shearwaters at Dungeness.

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At the start of September north westerly winds brought cool and showery weather to the UK. After this the weather was dominated by high pressure from 5

th until 11

th and again from 25

th to the end of the month when easterly

winds predominated. The weather was rather changeable from 12th to 24

th and

it was a generally cool month. Rainfall in SE England was slightly above normal with 81.75mm of rain at Bishopstone during the month. For much of October the weather was influenced by high pressure bringing periods of dry, settled weather and some good spells of sunshine. However, it was more unsettled with spells of rain from 5

th-7

th, and it was unsettled again

for the last third of the month, but generally mild with a frequently easterly air flow. WILDFOWL_______________________________________________ The first six Bewick's Swans of the winter arrived at Swale NNR on Oct 31

st.

The first four Pink-footed Geese of the autumn flew S at Stodmarsh on Sept 26

th whilst 25 flew down Channel at Bockhill the next day and there were four

at Foreness on 28th. During October up to 18 birds were recorded at DBO,

Cooling and Bockhill. The first White-fronted Geese of the autumn were 18 flying S at Littlestone-on-Sea on Sept 25

th.

One of the summering Dark-bellied Brent Geese remained in the Swale during August, but the first migrants were six birds flying past DBO and two at Pegwell Bay on Sept 8

th. Two or three birds were seen inland at Bough Beech

on Sept 30th and Oct 1

st. The first significant arrivals along the north Kent

coast, however, happened from Oct 11th onwards.

During the autumn up to 25 Egyptian Geese were seen at Bough Beech with smaller numbers at Tonbridge, Penshurst Estate, Hayesden, Higham Marshes, Cliffe Pools and Scotney GPs, whilst two Ruddy Shelduck appeared at Murston on Aug 19

th and in the Swale on Sept 4

th and up to 12

Mandarin Ducks were seen at Bough Beech and Postern Park with two or three at Grove Ferry, Penshurst Estate and the Canterbury Environment Centre. Up to five Garganey were seen at Grove Ferry, Bough Beech, Sevenoaks WR, Sandwich Bay, Dungeness RSPB and Oare Marshes with the last report of one at Grove Ferry on Sept 24

th.

The female Red-crested Pochard first seen at Sandwich Bay during July was still there on Sept 12th and there were two at Dungeness RSPB from Aug 5

th-

Oct 10th. In October one was seen at Stonar Lake on 3

rd.

On Oct 10th a Scaup was seen at Cliffe Pools and there were three at

Shellness the next day whilst the first returning Goldeneye flew past DBO on Oct 20

th with the first Velvet Scoter on Oct 30

th and the first Goosanders of

the autumn were single birds seen at Dungeness RSPB and Egypt Bay on Oct 25

th.

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PARTRIDGE TO GREBES__________________________________ The first Red-throated Divers of the autumn were summer plumaged birds at DBO on Aug 14

th and then at Swalecliffe on Sept 24

th whilst a summer

plumaged Black-throated Diver flying past Bockhill on Sept 12th was also the

first of the autumn and was followed by single birds at Foreness, St Margarets and Bockhill. A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was seen off Swalecliffe between Oct 24

th and 30

th.

A Sooty Shearwater flew past DBO on Aug 5

th with 12 there on Aug 25

th,

three on Aug 27th and two on Aug 31

st. There were also two birds at Copt

Point on Aug 26th and one at Shellness on Aug 30

th. In September single birds

flew past DBO on 8th, 16

th and 18

th with two on 22

nd, three on 12

th and seven

on 13th. Three birds also flew past Reculver on Oct 14

th with singles at DBO

on 17th, 29

th and 30

th with three there on 26

th.

Single Manx Shearwaters were seen at DBO on Aug 11th and Sept 16

th and

17th with another at Copt Point on Aug 26

th. In October one was seen off DBO

on 5th with one off Reculver on 14

th.

August and September reports of Balearic Shearwaters at DBO

AUG 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

- - - - 6 - - - - 9 3 - - 1 1

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

- - - 1 2 2 5 5 1 1 92 55 9 9 1 2

SEP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

8 - - - - - - - - - - 2 4 5 2

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

22 - 1 - - - 4 - 1 - - - - - -

The count of 92 Balearic Shearwaters at DBO on Aug 26th was a record for the Observatory. During August one was also seen at Bockhill on 23

rd with two

off Hythe on 25th, two at Copt Point on 26

th and one at Walmer on 27

th. In

September there were two at Shellness on 1st, one at Reculver on 17

th and

one at Hythe on 24th. There was an inland report of a Gannet flying over

Bough Beech on Oct 9th and during the autumn single Shags were seen at

Dover Harbour, Swalecliffe, Samphire Hoe and Sandwich Bay. One or two Bitterns were seen at Stodmarsh, Shuart, Oare Marshes, Sheppey and Dungeness RSPB and a Cattle Egret was found at Dungeness RSPB on Aug 15th and it or another was seen there from Sept 3

rd-Oct 4

th with

one seen near Preston on Sept 12th.During August and September up to three Great White Egrets were recorded at Dungeness RSPB, Elmley, DBO and Capel Fleet with five at Dungeness RSPB on Sept 27

th and six the next

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day. During October up to ten were counted going to roost at Dungeness RSPB and two flew E at Samphire Hoe on 18

th with one flying over Marshside

and Reculver on 31st.

A Glossy Ibis flew S at Dartford Marshes on Oct 22nd

and a BLACK STORK first seen at Hythe on Aug 7

th spent a lot of the day flying around the

Dungeness area. During August and September up to 12 Spoonbills were seen at Scotney GPs, Dungeness RSPB, Reculver, Castle Coot, Cliffe Pools, Pegwell Bay, South Foreland, Hope Point, Bockhill, Sandwich Bay, Oare Marshes, Conyer and Sheppey. Single Slavonian Grebes were seen at Swalecliffe and Scotney GPs on Oct 28

th.A Black-necked Grebe was seen at Dungeness RSPB between Aug 5

th

and 17th with another at Bough Beech on Aug 27

th. In September and October

up to four were counted at Dungeness RSPB with one or two birds at Lower Halstow, Scotney GPs and Cliffe Pools. BIRDS OF PREY_________________________________________ Single migrant Honey Buzzards were reported from about 20 sites throughout the County with larger counts of four flying out to sea at Hythe on Aug 29

th and

five in the Dungeness area on Aug 30th. The final report of the year was of one

at Chartham on Oct 13th.

During August one or two Red Kites were seen on Sheppey and at Northward Hill, Collier Street, Throwley Forstal and Broomfield. A male Hen Harrier was seen over Walland Marsh on Aug 18

th and a female

was seen at DBO on Aug 22nd

. During September and October single birds were observed at Pegwell Bay, Reculver, Cliffe Pools, Swale NNR, Cliffe Pools, Shuart, Chamber's Wall, Harty Marshes, Abbotscliffe, Leysdown-on-Sea, Elmley and Grove Ferry. A juvenile PALLID HARRIER was seen well and photographed at Sandwich Bay on Sept 23

rd. This is only the third record of this species in Kent following

birds at Elmley in 2002 and Cliffe Pools in 2011. A male Montagu's Harrier was reported from Cliffe Pools on Aug 18

th and a

bird was reported from Capel Fleet on Aug 22nd

. In September a juvenile was seen on Sheppey from 3

rd-5

th.

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Montagu’s Harrier by Gavin Coultrip

There was a report of a Rough-legged Buzzard seen at Capel Fleet on Sept 9

th whilst a bird recorded at Scotney Gravel Pits on Oct 19

th was seen well and

photographed and remained there until 24th. Others were observed at

Sandling on Oct 24th and Sandwich Bay on Oct 25

th. One was also found dead

on the beach at Grain on Oct 24th.

During August and September single Ospreys were reported from Dungeness RSPB, Bishopstone, Swalecliffe, Oare Marshes, Sandwich Bay, Headcorn, Furnace Pond, Dartford, North Foreland, Foreness, Northward Hill, Shuart, Reculver and Swale NNR with a late bird at Langdon Cliffs on Oct 26

th.

A juvenile Red-footed Falcon was seen well and photographed at Worth Marshes on Sept 23

rd.

Single Merlins were reported during August from Elmley on 15th and

Dungeness RSPB on 18th and during the remainder of the autumn one or two

were seen at Dungeness RSPB, DBO, Bockhill, Elmley, Abbotscliffe, Reculver, Shuart, Northward Hill, Swalecliffe, Abbotscliffe, Brooksend, Deal and Sandwich Bay.

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Merlin by Brian Anderson

RAILS TO WADERS_______________________________________ A Corncrake was reported from Hollingbourne on Aug 22

nd and a Common

Crane was seen at Dungeness RSPB from Oct 9th-11

th.

A calling Dotterel flew over Dungeness RSPB on Aug 24

th, a group of 28 was

found at Westcliffe on Aug 27th with five remaining there the next day, what

was probably the same bird was seen at Shuart and Reculver on Sept 12th

and on Sept 17th three flew over Sandwich Bay.

Up to 20 Curlew Sandpipers were seen at Greatstone-on-Sea, Oare Marshes, Cliffe Pools, Shellness, Reculver, Swalecliffe and Pegwell Bay with the last bird seen at Oare Marshes on Oct 25

th.

A Temminck's Stint was found at Oare Marshes on Aug 1st with others at

Dungeness RSPB on Aug 12th and 24

th-27

th whilst four appeared at

Restharrow Hide at Sandwich Bay on Aug 20th.

The first returning Purple Sandpiper flew W at DBO on Oct 5

th with the first at

Hythe on Oct 23rd

. There were also three at North Foreland on Oct 31st.

Up to six Little Stints were seen at Oare Marshes, Elmley, Cliffe Pools, Pegwell Bay, Greatstone-on-Sea, Swalecliffe, Shellness, Sandwich Bay, Lade and Dungeness RSPB with one still at Cliffe Pools on Oct 31

st.

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A White-rumped Sandpiper was identified at Oare Marshes on Aug 11

th and

remained there until 20th.

White-rumped Sandpiper by Chris Bond

Monthly distribution of White-rumped Sandpiper records in Kent

April May June July August September October

1 - 1 6 11 7 9

A Pectoral Sandpiper was found at Pegwell Bay on Aug 4

th with a juvenile at

Conningbrook Lake CP from Sept 25th-27

th.

A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was found at Pegwell Bay on Aug 23

rd and

a juvenile Grey Phalarope was found at Bough Beech on Sept 15th whilst

another was photographed on the sea by a fisherman at DBO on Sept 28th

and was still there on Oct 2

nd.

Up to seven Wood Sandpipers were recorded at Grove Ferry, Bough Beech, Swalecliffe, Reculver, Oare Marshes, Swale NNR, Nickoll's Quarry, Sandwich Bay, Elmley and Dungeness RSPB with the last at High Halstow on Sept 20

th.

An even later bird was reported from Elmley on Oct 31st.

During the period under review up to six Spotted Redshank were reported from Bough Beech, Cliffe Pools, Pegwell Bay, Oare Marshes, Upchurch, Dartford Creek, Berengrave, Gillingham, Sandwich Bay, Riverside CP, Swale NNR and Motney Hill with 26 at Otterham Creek on Sept 9

th.

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A Jack Snipe was reported from Cliffe Pools on Sept 8th whilst during October

one or two birds were seen at Sandwich Bay, DBO, Lade, Grove Ferry, Reculver, Coombe Bay, Bockhill and Dungeness RSPB. SKUAS TO GULLS_______________________________________ During August two adult Pomarine Skuas were seen off DBO on 8

th with five

there on 26th, two on 27

th and single birds reported on five other dates. In

September and October one or two birds were seen at DBO on twelve days with up to five birds at Shellness, Seasalter, Oare Marshes and Bockhill. During autumn up to 95 Arctic Skuas were seen at DBO with lesser numbers at Shellness, Lower Hope Point, Oare Marshes, Swalecliffe, Hythe, Warden Point, Sandwich Bay and Reculver. The only Long-tailed Skua of the autumn was reported from Shellness on Oct 14

th.

A Little Auk was seen at Swalecliffe on Oct 27th and one was found dead at

Burmarsh the next day. There were impressive sightings of up to 220 Little Terns in the Swale during the first week of August. There was also an inland record of two at Bough Beech on Aug 26

th.

A WHISKERED TERN was seen flying past DBO on Aug 6th. There have only

been 11 previous Kent records of this species in Kent with the last in 2011. Only one previous report has been in the autumn, in September 2003, with all other records between April and June. During August and September up to 74 Black Terns were seen at DBO with smaller numbers reported from Dungeness RSPB, Swalecliffe, Dartford, Bough Beech, Reculver, Shellness, Oare Marshes and Lade GPs

. Black Tern by Martin Coath

19

A juvenile White-winged Black Tern was identified off DBO on Aug 17th with

another at Dungeness from Aug 27th-Sept 10

th which was joined by a second

individual from Aug 30th-Sept 2

nd and yet another was reported on Sept 18

th.

This makes a total of six birds seen in the Dungeness area this year. One was also seen flying down the Thames at Cliffe on Aug 31

st

A Roseate Tern flew W with other terns at Reculver on Sept 1st and a flock of

110 Arctic Terns flew S over Chatham on Aug 6th.

A Sabine's Gull flew NE at Warden Pont on Sept 20th, another was reported

from Elmley on Oct 1st and an adult flew N at Bockhill on Oct 10

th and a

juvenile flew N there the next day. The adult BONAPARTE'S GULL stayed at Oare Marshes until Aug 23

rd.During the autumn up to 20 Little Gulls were recorded from DBO,

Reculver, Swalecliffe, Grain, Shellness, Bough Beech, Pegwell Bay, Lade, Cliffe and Faversham Creek with 22 at Sevenoaks WR on Oct 11

th.There was

an amazing total of 920 Mediterranean Gulls at Folkestone Warren on Aug 11

th.During the autumn up to ten Yellow-legged Gulls were seen at

Dungeness, Sandwich Bay, Higham Marshes, Herne Bay, Reculver, Dartford Marshes and Cliffe Pools.An adult Caspian Gull was reported from Cliffe Pools from Aug 2

nd-30

th, a first winter was identified at Reculver on Sept 21

st

and up to three were present at Dungeness on nine dates from Sept 27th.

DOVES TO WOODPECKERS_____________________________ A Long-eared Owl spent the day roosting at Sandwich Bay on Sept 2

nd and

during October single birds were seen at Chamber's Wall, Shuart,Cliffe Pools, Northward Hill and Conyer. There were up to four Short-eared Owls at Sandwich Bay during the last ten days of August with one at Reculver from 24

th. In September and October up

to five birds were reported from over 30 mainly coastal locations with peaks of eight at Dungeness on Oct 17

th and 12 at South Foreland on Oct 20

th.

20

Short-eared Owl by Steve Ashton

A late Common Swift was reported from Fordwich on Oct 30

th and a swift sp.

flew over the Winter Gardens at Margate the next day. Four European Bee-eaters flew S at Deal on Aug 5

th and a Hoopoe was

seen at Pegwell Bay on Aug 11th with others at Deal on Aug 26

th and

Sandwich Bay from Aug 29th-Sept 3

rd.

21

Hoopoe by Steve Ashton

During August a Wryneck was photographed in a garden in Broadstairs on 16

th, another was seen at Highstead on 23

rd with others at Grove Ferry on

24th, Sandwich Bay on 25

th, Warden Point from 26

th-29

th, at Bockhill on 29

th

and Leysdown-on-Sea on 30th. In September single birds were seen at

Sandwich Bay and Margate from 1st-4

th, Pegwell Bay on 2

nd, Langdon Cliffs on

3rd

and 4th, Bockhill 6

th-10

th, Conyer on 6

th, Dartford Marshes on 7

th, Shuart on

12th, DBO on 16

th-27

th, Abbotscliffe on 27

th-28

th and Stonelees on 30

th. During

October one was seen at Littlestone-on-Sea and another at Dover on 20th

bringing this autumn's total to about 20 birds. GOLDEN ORIOLE TO HIRUNDINES___________________________ A North American Empidonax Flycatcher found by the fishing boats and later in the garden of a nearby house at Dungeness on Sept 22

nd proved to be an

ACADIAN FLYCATCHER after DNA Testing of its droppings. This is the first record of the species in the UK and only the second for the Western Palaearctic following one in Iceland in 1967. A Red-backed Shrike was found at Bockhill on Aug 25

th with others at

Dungeness RSPB from Sept 2nd

-7th

and at Motney Hill on Sept 19th.

A Great Grey Shrike was seen at Oare Marshes on Oct 4

th with another at

Pegwell Bay from 13th-16

th and on Oct 15

th four were found, two at Worth

22

Marshes and single birds at Abbotscliffe and Bishopstone that remained until 18

th. Also on 18

th birds were seen at Hythe, Sandwich Bay and Langdon Hole

whilst a bird was trapped and ringed at Shuart Farm on 19th with another bird

there on 23rd

. On 20th a bird was ringed at Sandwich Bay and another was

seen at DBO with another at Swanscombe Marsh on 22nd

, singles at Greatstone-on-Sea and Lydd on 23

rd, Dungeness RSPB on 24

th and DBO on

26th which brings the total for the period to at least 20 birds.

During these three months up to six Ravens were reported from at least 25 locations throughout the County. The first Firecrest of the autumn was seen at Bockhill on Aug 23

rd followed by

up to ten birds at 18 mainly coastal locations with a peak count of at least 13 birds at DBO on Sept 29

th and 30

th.

After 50,000 Coal Tits moved through a coastal site in Estonia in five hours on Sept 6

th it probably shoudn't have been a surprise to find some of them

eventually reached the UK. The first two "continental" Coal Tits were found at DBO on Sept 28

th and there were 19 there the next day with seven on 30

th

followed by up to 15 birds over the next month including a Belgian ringed bird on Oct 1

st. In other parts of the County up to four birds were recorded at

Foreness, Marshside, Bishopstone, Margate, Swalecliffe, Capel-le-Ferne, Shuart, Walmer, Lower Hope Point. A bird caught at Shuart on Oct 7

th bore a

French ring.

French –ringed Continental Coal Tit by Chris Hindle

23

The first Woodlarks of the autumn were seen at Bockhill on Sept 25th and 26

th

followed by single birds flying over DBO on Oct 11th and 20

th with another at

Pegwell Bay on Oct 18th and two at Hythe on Oct 31

st.

The only Shorelark so far was found on the beach at Margate on Oct 19th.

A Red-rumped Swallow was seen at Dungeness RSPB on Aug 30

th.

CETTI’S WARBLER TO WHEATEARS_____________________ A Pallas's Warbler found at DBO on Oct 11

th was still present the next day

and another was found at the railway embankment at Chamber's Wall on Oct 15

th. Others were identified at Seasalter on 18

th, at Bockhill from 18

th-20

th, at

Grain on 18th at Sandwich Bay and South Foreland on 19

th and at Margate

Cemetery on 20th.

An elusive HUME'S WARBLER was found at Kingsdown on Oct 18th whilst

the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was recorded at Sandwich Bay on Sept 17

th and was followed during the rest September and October by

up to seven birds at over 20 sites. A Dusky Warbler seen at DBO on Oct 26

th remained there until at least 31

st.

A Wood Warbler was trapped and ringed at Sandwich Bay on Aug 3rd

and others were seen at Margate from Sept 1

st-4

th and Samphire Hoe on Sept 7

th.

A Barred Warbler was identified at Bockhill on Sept 6th and one was also

ringed at South Foreland during the first ten days on September with another ringed at DBO on Oct 23

rd.

Dartford Warbler by Marc Heath

24

During October there was a significant influx of Dartford Warblers with about 20 observed. The first was seen at Dungeness on 8

th with two there on 9

th and

single birds at Leysdown-on-Sea on 11th, Foreness on 12

th and 14

th, at

Bishopstone from 12th-20

th with a second bird there on 20

th, at North Foreland

from 15th-18

th, Dengemarsh on 17

th, Bockhill on 18

th-23

rd and with two from

24th-31

st, Samphire Hoe from 19

th-20

th and at Shuart from 22

nd-31

st with two

together there on 23rd

and 24th. There were also two at Foreness on 24

th and

up to three at Sandwich Bay from 25th-27

th with one on Dartford Marshes on

25th.

During August and September one or two Grasshopper Warblers were recorded at Dungeness RSPB, Abbotscliffe, Swalecliffe, Shuart, Samphire Hoe and Bockhill with last ones at Grove Ferry on Oct 4

th and Abbotscliffe on

Oct 15th.

An Icterine Warbler was trapped and ringed at Sandwich Bay on Aug 14th

and another was seen at Dungeness RSPB from Aug 31st-Sept 1

st.

A SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER was found and photographed in a private garden at DBO on the evening of Sept 10

th with another reported from

Dungeness on Oct 16th. If accepted these will be the 21

st and 22

nd records of

this species in Kent. The first Ring Ouzel was seen at Aycliff on Sept 23

rd and was followed by up

to ten birds at 16 coastal locations. There were large arrivals at the south coast of Kent from Oct 12

th onwards with peaks of 90 birds at DBO, 88 at

Folkestone, 57 at Abbotscliffe, 21 at Samphire Hoe, 20 at Langdon Cliffs, 15 at Dover. The first Redwings of the autumn were seen in a garden at Longfield and at Cliffe Woods on Sept 29

th and the first influx of Fieldfares took place on Oct

12th.

A RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL ringed at Sandwich Bay on Oct 20

th and seen

until at least 31st was the second record for the Observatory following the first

in 1956 and the seventh for Kent. A Red-breasted Flycatcher was found at Samphire Hoe on Oct 20

th and

during the autumn up to three Pied Flycatchers were seen at 20 mainly coastal sites with the last report of one at DBO on Oct 6

th.

Up to eight Black Redstarts were seen at Ramsgate, East Malling, Samphire Hoe, Warden Point, Bockhill, Broadstairs and Reculver with as many as 30 at Dungeness on Oct 26

th.

DUNNOCK TO BUNTINGS_________________________________ A Norwegian ringed Dunnock was caught at DBO on Oct 23

rd. It had been

ringed on Oct 5th at Lista Bird Observatory, Norway. This is the third Dunnock

25

from Norway to be recorded in Kent with the only other foreign ringed bird coming from Germany. There was a "fall" of 500 Yellow Wagtails at DBO on Aug 23

rd and a record

94 Grey Wagtails flew over Sandwich Bay on Sept 17th.

Three Richard's Pipits were found on Oct 12

th at Foreness, Abbotscliffe and

Sandwich Bay and the first Water Pipit of the autumn was seen at Sandwich Bay on Sept 8

th with the next two at Grove Ferry on Oct 10

th where up to

seven were recorded to the end of the month. There was also one at Dungeness on 20

th.

A Serin was seen at Foreness on Oct 12

th.

The unprecedented Siskin influx first reported in July carried on apace during September peaking on 17

th when 5,000+ flew W at Pegwell Bay, 4,520 flew W

at Sandwich Bay, an Observatory record, with 1,370 at Swalecliffe, 1,050 at Foreness and 450 at Reculver and birds reported throughout the County. Six Common Crossbills were found at Clowes Wood on Aug 9

th with 11 at

Hemsted Forest on Aug 14th. In September and October up to 13 were seen at

DBO, Sandwich Bay, Reculver, Warden Point, Hemsted Forest, Bockhill, Walmer, Clowes Wood, Church Woods, Tilmanstone, Samphire Hoe, Marshside, Folkestone, Margate, Foreness, Farningham, Reculver and Shuart.

Brambling by Terry Laws

26

A Hawfinch was seen at Bockhill on Oct 18th.

The first very early Snow Bunting of the autumn was found at Bishopstone on Sept 6

th and was followed by one or two at Sandwich Bay and South Foreland

whilst the first two Lapland Buntings were seen at Sandwich Bay on Sept 20

th and were followed by one or two birds at Foreness, Abbotscliffe, Margate,

Sandwich Bay, South Foreland, Bockhill and Hillborough. Single Ortolan Buntings were observed at Cliftonville on Sept 9

th and at DBO

the next day whilst a Little Bunting was reported from a private site on Thanet on Oct 15

th.

DBO = Dungeness Bird Observatory RSPB = Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

“The Patch” = the warm water outfall from Dungeness Nuclear Power Station NNR=National Nature Reserve NR=Nature Reserve LNR=Local Nature Reserve

WR = Wildlife Reserve GP = Gravel Pits BBRC = British Birds Rarities Committee

CONTRIBUTORS___________________________________________ This summary owes much to the contributors to the various sites in “Latest Sightings” on the KOS Website at www.kentos.org.uk, KOSForum, Twitter and the RBA Pager Hotline. Records have been contributed by A. Appleton, S. Arthur, M. Baldock, J. Barnard, D. Barnes, V. Beaney, P. Beckenham, P. Beraet, J. Birkett, Bockhill Birders, A. Borlase, Bough Beech (per C. Langton), E. Brown, S. Broyd, N. Burt, G. Burton, F. Cackett, M. Casemore, J. Chantler, P. Chantler, B. Chapman, D. Chesterman, P. Cliffe, S. Clinch, G. Coultrip, K. Cutting, N. Davies, DBO (per D. Walker), D. De Silva, R. Dubbins, D. Eade, B. East, D. Elvy, D. Faulkener, D. Feast, Folkestone and Hythe Birds (per I. Roberts), A. Ford, A. Foster, C. Gibbard, M. Gould, P. Graham, V. Green, J. Guiver, J. Hall, B. Harper, S. Haughie, M. Heath, A. Hindle, C. Hindle, M. Hindle, T. Hodge, A. Holcombe, B. Holcombe, M. Hollingsworth, B. Holwell, J. Horton, S. Huggins, B. Hunt, R. Keith, M. Kennett, A. Lawson, O. Leyshon, A. Lipczynski, P. Lloyd, M. Longdon, P. Maton, K. McDonnell, K. McManus, S. McMinn, S. Message, S. Mount, P. Newbound, J. Newis, P. North, R. O'Reilly, M. Orchard, T. Osborne, A. Pavey, D. Perrin, A. Perry, J. Perry, K. Privett, M. Puxley, M. Roser, K. Ross, J. Russell, B. Ryan, Samphire Hoe (per L. Collins, P. Holt, N, Samuel, P. Selwood, D. Smith, and P. Smith), SBBO (per I. Hodgson), G. Segelbacher, Sevenoaks WR (per S. Clerici), I. Shepherd, J. Shilling, D. Smith, D.W. Smith, J. Smith, S. Summers, Swale NNR (per R. Smith) T. Swandale, C. Tedder, J. Tilbrook, P. Trodd, D. Tutt, N. Upton, A. van

27

Orsouw, D. van Orsouw, N. Webster, T. Wilson, K. Witham, S. Wood, B. Wright and M. Wright.

Fifty Years Ago

Turtle Dove by Marc Heath

Turtle Dove “…..at Sandwich Bay maximum of 200 on Aug 28

th, at least 450 at Hoo and

High Halstow on Sept 11th”.KBR 1965

Norman McCanch

Please send records for this review to: Chris Hindle, 42, Glenbervie Drive, Herne Bay, Kent. CT6 6QL Email: christopherhindle@hotmail.com Records sent to me may not all be used for this report as I try to extract the more interesting sightings. However all records are equally important and I forward them to the appropriate Area Recorders who enter them all onto the KOS database.

Letters and Notes

28

INDOOR MEETINGS Meetings are held on the second THURSDAY of the month (Oct. to April) Venue - Grove Green Community Hall, Grovewood Drive, Maidstone - just south of Junction 7 of the M20 and adjacent to Tesco’s Supermarket. The hall will be open from 7.15pm for a 7.45pm start.