Bearded Tits at Last.

20th Sept.

I took a break from my major garden alterations this morning (greenhouse dismantled, new patio, turf laying) and made a visit to Seasalter.  A walk over the plots was very quiet except for 2 chiffs, 1 cetti's, c.30 swallows, 1 kestrel, blue tits and a flock of 46 goldfinches plus a few corvids. The crowning glory of the visit was a nice view of 4 bearded tits moving along the reeds beside the main dyke near the bridge followed by a sparrowhawk as I approached the car and a few minutes later a kingfisher sped along the seawall.

On the 15th last week I had a super view of a honey buzzard over the garden, my first Whitstable record and a few chiffs have been visiting the garden through the week plus a record 34 goldfinches around the feeders.

The Last Fortnight

16th August

A short visit to SS to check the high tide roost finding, 105 ringed plovers, 1 dunlin, 2 turnstones and a few gulls. Further west by the Sportsman, a wheatear next to the huts.

24th

A very short visit as it was very hot, c.29 deg C, I saw230 black-tailed godwits, 9 egrets and 2 g.c.grebes

Birdfair for 2 days

Bank Holiday weekend (6 days)-

TALL SHIPS regatta at Blyth, Northumberland

31st Aug.

A day out to Wingham Wildlife Park with the grandsons, much better value than the Gorrilla parks, more to see as well.

 Humboldt's Penguin

 Checking the underparts

 Ring-tailed Lemurs

Blue and Yellow Macaw

1st September

Some birding at last after nearly two weeks and a visit to Seasalter as usual. Seemed very quiet plus everywhere was so dry and parched. The tide was well in towards the beach but not much on the waders front to see, 5 egrets, curlew and oystercatchers plus loads of gulls and a merlin over the sea going west. On the plots 2 stonechats, 1 sedge warbler, reed warbler, cetti's and 2 chiffs, just 2 swallows, no other hirundines.

Moved up to the LNR where I saw 3 wheatears and 3 whinchats, I only had my tiny camera so no 'proper photos'. Lots of small heath butterflies, 1 com, blue, 1 meadow brown and whites, I only noticed 1 hawker darting about.

3 Wheatears and Whinchats on the wall.

2nd September

Just an hour along the wall with the big camera to catch up with the chats which finally showed after patiently waiting for them! There were four wheatears and one whinchat this morning,

 Wheatear

Whinchats

Small Heath