A total of 83 species so far this year

76 species by this time last year

31st

Sunny periods, calm. There was a group of 18 Great Crested Grebes offshore and two Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and 60 Brent Geese. Five Teal and four Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool and the drake Pintail was again on the flooded coastal path. Waders included the Purple Sandpiper roosting between the groynes and 24 Redshanks roosting on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were the pair of Stonechats, a Song Thrush, and five Long-tailed Tits in the churchyard.

30th

A Black-throated Diver flew east towards Hampton and a Greylag Goose was also noted. Both additions to the year list. The drake Pintail appears to have abandoned the pools in favour of the large puddles along the coastal path.

29th

Cloudy, light SE wind. There were five Red-throated Divers offshore, and eight flew east, and one Great Crested Grebe and four Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. There were 24 Brent Geese on the beach and two Shelducks flew west. Eight Teal and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 54 Ringed Plovers and the Purple Sandpiper roosting between the groynes, 82 Sanderlings along the shoreline and 22 Redshanks roosting on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were Cetti’s Warbler, a couple of bursts in the bushes by the caravan park, a female Blackcap along the upper brook and seven Linnets in the scrub.

28th

There were seven Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. The drake Pintail, two Teal and two Shovelers, the usual waders included the Purple Sandpiper, and the Little Grebe in the brook. A Song Thrush was singing in the sewage works.

26th

Cloudy, poor visibility, light SE wind. One Red-throated Diver offshore, and two flew east, one Great Crested Grebe and four Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore and seven Teal on the tidal ponds. There were five Teal and a duck Shoveler on The Marsh Pool and the drake Pintail was seen on the Marsh and Obs Pool. Waders included 22 Sanderlings and 22 Redshanks in the East Bay. There were three Kittiwakes east and eight west. Also noted were a Little Grebe in the brook adjacent to the Marsh Pool and a Redwing flew across the football pitch.

25th

A flock of six Velvet Scoters flew east at 9.55 am. They were also noted passing Herne Bay pier at 10.06 and King George VI Park, Ramsgate at 10.37 am. A single Gannet and Little Gull also boosted the year total. There were also singles of Purple Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, Redwing and Firecrest.

24th

Sunny, light SE wind. A long line of 128 Red-throated Divers flew east distantly offshore, probably flushed by a speedboat. There were also a few divers offshore, with three Great Crested Grebes and seven Red-breasted Mergansers. The drake Pintail was preferring the Obs Pool, until flushed by a dog walker. There were six Teal and three Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. There were 72 Brent Geese, most on the mudflats below the Tankerton slopes. Also noted were a Kingfisher and the male Stonechat.

22nd

Cloudy, some light rain, light southerly wind. There were a number of Red-throated Divers offshore and also two Great Crested Grebes and 12 Red-breasted Mergansers. There were 12 Brent Geese on the beach and the regular ducks on the Marsh Pool, with at least nine Teal, also seen on and over the sea, three Shovelers and the drake Pintail, which also spent some time on the Obs Pool. The usual waders, although the Purple Sandpiper was not seen, and 22 Curlews headed for the Studd Hill roost on the incoming tide. A group of six adult Kittiwakes that flew east close inshore provided an addition to the year list.

20th

A Grey Plover flew west and a Lapwing headed NW over the area.

19th

Cloudy, light southerly wind. There were three Red-throated Divers offshore, two more flew east, an Egyptian Goose and five Common Scoters flew west and five Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. A drake Teal on the sea flew off west whilst, on the Marsh Pool, there was a pair of Teal, the drake Pintail and two Shovelers. Waders included 34 Oystercatchers, the Purple Sandpiper, and 17 visible Snipe and 24 roosting Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were the pair of Stonechats, a Raven flying south over the church, and nine Linnets in the scrub.

18th

A drake Goldeneye on the sea off the skate park, 26 White-fronted Geese heading NW, a Jack Snipe along the edge of the brook and a heard only Cetti’s Warbler provided a boost to the site’s year list.

17th

Sunny, light southerly wind. There were three Red-throated Divers offshore, another three flew east, eight Great Crested Grebes were offshore and a Shelduck flew west. There were eight Brent Geese on the beach and the drake Pintail and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 25 Sanderlings, the Purple Sandpiper and ten roosting Redshanks on the Marsh Pool. There were two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and three Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach. Also noted were a Little Grebe and a Kingfisher in the brook below the sluice, a female Kestrel, a female Stonechat, and a Chiffchaff at the Obs.

16th

Two Corn Buntings west by the Obs was the highlight. Also noted were the drake Pintail, a Kingfisher and the female Stonechat.

15th

A Great Northern Diver flew west.

14th

Sunny, touch of frost, calm. One Red-throated Diver offshore, two more flew west, a string of c350 Cormorants gathered distantly offshore and five Brent Geese were on the beach. Three Teal, a pair of Shovelers and the drake Pintail were on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 51 Ringed Plovers and the Purple Sandpiper on the beach off the Obs, a group of 32 Sanderlings resting on the shoreline and 17 Snipe, visible, on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were a Little Grebe in Coot Strait, a Kingfisher by the bridge over the coastal path, the pair of Stonechats, two Long-tailed Tits in the Elm Wood and two Linnets in the scrub, one in song!

12th

Cloudy, light SW wind. A return to mild weather and a much calmer sea. A Slavonian Grebe was offshore towards Hampton. Also there were two Great Crested Grebes, a duck Common Scoter and two drake Red-breasted Merganser offshore. A Red-throated Diver was offshore and a group of eight flew east. Three Teal and three Shovelers were on the Marsh Pool and, unusually, two duck Shovelers were on the Obs Pool. The drake Pintail was also on the Marsh Pool and the adjacent brook. Waders included 48 Ringed Plovers and the Purple Sandpiper on the beach off the Obs and a Grey Plover and 13 Lapwings were resting on the nearby shoreline. At the other end of the beach, 69 Sanderlings, like a string of pearls, were draped along the shoreline. Also noted were a Little Grebe, in the brook below the sluice, the pair of Stonechats in the grassland, ten Goldfinches in trees along the upper brook and six Linnets on the coastal path.

10th

Sunny, cold, fresh NW wind. The numbers of Brent Geese has declined during this cold spell. A group of six flew east along the beach and later a flock of 20 flew west out to sea. One Shelduck flew west and a duck Teal and five Shovelers were joined by a drake Pintail on the Marsh Pool. Waders included 22 Sanderlings along the shoreline and a flock of 30 Snipe which flew over the Marsh Pool and out across the beach. These were possibly not the resident birds. There were five Goldfinches in the Scout Wood, a Chiffchaff was feeding along the edge of the brook by the wooden bridge, and a Goldcrest and two Long-tailed Tits were in the Elm Wood, and later moving along the east bank. Unusually, an adult Rook flew west over the sewage works and a Raven was seen briefly, looking east from the Obs. Finally, the pair of Stonechats were seen along the coastal path.

8th

Murky with poor visibility. There was one Red-throated Diver and five Great Crested Grebes offshore and two Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. Also noted were a Stonechat and a Song Thrush.

7th

Sunny, slightly warmer, light westerly wind. A Red-throated Diver, five Gadwall and four Wigeon flew west. There were six Teal and five Shovelers on the Marsh Pool. Waders included five Golden Plovers on the beach and 13 Sanderlings along the shoreline. Also noted was a female Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Elm Wood and a pair of Stonechats near the Obs.

6th

Waders included 12+ Golden Plovers, two Lapwings and the Purple Sandpiper on the beach. A Song Thrush was in the scrub.

5th

Sunny, very cold, hard frost, light NW wind. There was one Red-throated Diver offshore, a Little Egret in the remnant brook and a Grey Heron on the tidal ponds. Three drake Teal were on the Marsh Pool and 14 Mallard gathered in the only ice-free section of the brook below the sluice. A Marsh Harrier flew west at 10.20 am and two Golden Plovers also flew west. Also noted were four Redwings in flight around the entrance to the sewage works and a Goldcrest along the east bank.

3rd

Sunny, very cold with a hard frost, light northerly wind. A Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe flew west. Four Teal and a Shoveler were on the Marsh Pool and a drake Red-breasted Merganser was offshore. Waders included 40 Ringed Plovers and the Purple Sandpiper on the beach. Also noted was a Kingfisher along the middle brook.

2nd

Fresh NW wind. Three Great Crested Grebes, a Marsh Harrier and 20+ Golden Plovers flew west. There were three Shovelers on the Marsh Pool and a Little Grebe in the brook. A Goldcrest and two Firecrests were along the east bank.

1st

Sunny, cold with a light northerly wind. Following a quiet end to the year, one looks forward to the new beginning, but expectations were not high given recent weeks. A circuit of the site confirmed expectations with a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and two Egyptian Geese west, the resident Purple Sandpiper on the beach and a Kingfisher along the middle brook, the only birds of any note. However, things were about to change. At about 11.30 am a small gull, amongst a few Black-headed Gulls along the shoreline, showed clear pink underparts. It showed only for a few seconds before disappearing below the shingle. On checking the shoreline, it had settled on the shingle, it was only about 30 feet away, and it was an obvious adult Ross’s Gull!!! It only stayed on the beach for a few minutes then flew off heading over the Obs and then being lost behind trees on the edge of the sewage works. The cold weather from the north may have contributed to this Arctic wanderer’s appearance in Kent. Only the second record for the county after one flew west by Dungeness in January 2014.