Migrants and a NEW Bird for Kent

13th March

Just a short visit to SS for an hour finding a buzzard, c.300 redwings in the Graveney cherry orchard and along SS seafront, a swallow, my earliest record.

15th

A trip to Rye Harbour for a couple of hours whilst the other half did the town! I have not been for a year or so but every time I visit I'm so impressed with the way it is run and always new improvements made.  The first surprise were c.40 odd avocets on the floods, never seen that many before, however, not many migrants except the c.100 Sandwich terns on the main 'lake', I only expected a couple. Hardly any birders about I had the main 'sea side' hide to myself which was nice.

16th March

I took a drive over towards Belmont/ Eastling hoping to get photos of buzzards but there seemed to be very few, only 2 or 3 today. However, what was of interest was a large bird of prey being mobbed by gulls as I slowly drove along the tiny roads, some more like tracks. Quickly stopping I could see large white wing patches and tail plus a large bill which reminded me of caracaras of Central America. I got a few grab shots as it flew about and it finally landing in a tree. Whilst going back to the car for the scope it flew off but I found it again after a long drive around the lanes, it had returned to the next field amidst the 93 Med gulls I counted! It sat at the back of the field and stayed until I left, it's ID was that of a crested caracara, a first for Kent, lol.  If they can have a Chinese pond heron why not a ship assisted caracara as it had no rings or jessies, its on my list! 

 Crested Caracara

 I counted 93 Med gulls in one field