A STROLL IN THE SUNSHINE !

A very enjoyable wander around Chamber's Wall over  a two hour period this morning gave me the opportunity to add another five year ticks although nothing too exciting.Starting from the fisherman's car park two Yellow Wagtails were sitting nicely at the top of two bushes and Whitethroat,Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler all made their presence felt. For once, a Whitethroat stayed still long enough for a few pleasing photographs to be taken. Sedge Warblers were chattering away on the whole of the walk and I estimated there are maybe 20-25 different  birds on site. On reaching the seawall two House Martins whizzed past in company with six Swallows giving a welcome year tick. Cold Harbour was birdless but a single Common Tern was flying up and down the channel by the outflow. Walking back inland a Reed Warbler was soon added and the final tick came in the form of a Hobby. Couldn't find yesterday's Gropper or the Ring Ouzel that Chris had earlier, but it was nice to be out in the sunshine and not gloom and persistent rain . It did at least feel like May.

YOU LITTLE BUNTING!

Marc ,you are quite correct that I would nick a picture of a Little Bunting.

Sometimes there are birds that perhaps you feel you are never destined to see!  Little Bunting was always one of those birds. You have probably noticed that my icon is of the elusive  little fella really as an ironic statement.About two years ago Dylan found one in the field next to my house and I couldn't even find that. When news broke on Monday of the bird at Sandwich Bay I rushed over to hopefully see it and you can guess the outcome.Two hours spent fruitlessly staring into bushes.Once again I thought another opportunity was missed.I looked jealously at Steve Ashton's pictures and dreamed. Yesterday when news came of the bird being re-found I allowed myself a glimmer of hope. Meeting up with Marc just after 6.00 a.m. I had already paid a successful visit to May Street for the solitary Nightingale on the Reculver patch.We watched from the towers for a couple of hours and saw the following; 15 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Guillemot, 12,Gannet,1 Swallow, 12 Swift and a single Sparrowhawk. With news of the Bunting on the pager we arrived at 8.20 a.m and spent the next one and a half hours on site .Marc heard the bird call initially in the trapping area and we had a brief flight view. Mark Chidwick arrived after his Kentish Plover expedition and as we rounded the corner by the white house the Bunting was calling incessently and flew from the trees into the gardens of the trapping area.It was only 15-20 seconds but it was  the Little chap. No further sightings were had in the next 25 minutes but conditions were obviously not ideal. However , I will be e-mailing Geoff Burton today to update my Kent list!