Seasalter District  August 2010

Email sightings to Mike Gould:  click here

Other Travels & Photographs

 

24th Aug.

The strong winds kept most small birds out of sight but at the hightide roost; 14 common terns, c.100 turnstones, mostly on the scallop barge, and c.400 ringed plovers which after counting to 260 they, plus others, took to the air. Looking up I saw some dark falcon like birds coming in off the sea which I at first thought to be arctic skuas but in fact were 3 peregrine falcons, possibly all juveniles. Also 2 g.c.grebes.

21st Aug.

At the beach/island roost; 47 redshank, 5 egrets, 268 ringed plovers, 270 turnstones, 2 knot, c.20 dunlin, 24 cormorants, 3 grt b.b.gulls and herring gulls plus some oystercatchers.

On the plots; 1 moorhen, 2 mallard, 2 adult swans and 6 cygnets, 1 com. tern, 1 grn w.pker., a pair of stonechats with one juv. 3 whitethroats, 1 whinchat, 16 goldfinches plus one black redstart flying up the dyke!

Along the seawall at S.Swale, c.200 linnets, 2 yell wagtails plus a few sand martins and swallows. 

The main excitement was London Array contractors were drilling under the seawall and needed a digger on the seaward side. The Environment Agency would not allow them to use the beach with instructions to go out on the mud......yes you guessed it.

This one sent to rescue the other two

19th Aug.

Another beach roost count; 315 ringed plovers, 5 egrets, 16 redshank, c.350 turnstones, 15 cormorant, 38 dunlin. Further west by the beach huts; 1 wheatear, c.200 linnets, 2 pied wagtails, 5 yellow wagtails, 3 reed buntings and 2 mipits.

17th Aug.

On the seafront a count of 169 grey plovers most still in their breeding plumage, probable c.40 barwits, black-tailed godwits were spread all over and not counted, a group of c.40 dunlin plus curlew and whimbrel etc.. Around the beach huts c.60 linnets but no wheatears or whinchats.

16th Aug.

Tide right out so only spent a few minutes counting the 72 grey plovers and c.50 golden plover.

15th Aug.

Just time to check the roost after 3 days of decorating finding; 340 turnstones, 190 ringed plover, 24 com. terns, 1 sanderling and 2 redshanks.

13th Aug.

Walked along S.Swale to beyond the white post finding very little except; 240 golden plovers on the mussel bank, 3 yellow wagtails, 6 bearded tits and 17 seals on Horse Sands.

Checked the hightide roost on my return finding; 2 knot, 68 ringed plovers, 31 common terns, c.150 blackwits still feeding, 11 dunlin, c300. turnstones, 2 sandwich terns, 5 whimbrel, 16 egrets, and 32 redshanks.

12th Aug.

I saw the Osprey flying to East along Swale at 12.15 as far as the White post.  It then soared high and headed off across country to the South. There was also of note a Whinchat on the sea wall.  John Bartlett.

There was also a probable/unsure off report of the kentish plover at 1.00pm in the same place by the scallop dredger.

Unfortunately, I was at Backsands, Sandwich!

10th Aug.

A quick visit at high tide after the rain did not produce the Kentish plover but further on by the Sportsman what appears to be a yellow crowned bishop was flying around with the linnet flock and perched on the fence behind the huts.

9th Aug.

Along the seafront this morning; 21 egrets, c.500 black-tailed godwits, 5 redshank, 4 grt.c.grebes, c.30 common terns, 1 sandwich tern plus three teal flew west. On the plots, c.35 goldfinches, 1 willow warbler, 3 greenfinches etc.. Further on by the huts, 2 wheatears, c.30 linnets, 2 reed buntings and in the reedbed a couple of reed warblers. Back at the hightide roost; 19 ringed plover, hundreds of turnstones on the scallop dredger and one Kentish Plover.

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4th Aug.

A very short visit to around the huts by the Sportsman which revealed 3 wheatears, c.30 linnets, 1 willow warbler and 1 yellow wagtail.

Returned in the evening to check the high tide roost which found 220 turnstones, 73 ringed plovers and 4 dunlin on the beach. Further on 2 wheatears by the huts plus 6 sandwich terns.

3rd August

A look over Wraik Hill produced; 4 blue tits, 16 goldfinches, 5 whitethroats, 2 robins, 1 grt. spotted wpkr., 1 grn wpker., 2 willow warblers, 1 great tit, 1 bullfinch and 3 blackbirds. At the seafront the flock of black-tailed godwits still feed close to the shoreline along with at least 7 egrets and 6 barwits, 2 whimbrel and 3 redshank, also yesterday c.30 turnstones. 

On the plots 3 willow warblers, 8 swallows on the wires, 2 linnets, 2 whitethroats, my first stonechat for a couple of months. Further on on the seawall the first autumn wheatear.

2nd August

After a visit to Oare this morning a brief stop at Seasalter by the 'island' produced 480 black-tailed godwits feeding very close to the bottom of the beach.  It was also rumoured by locals that the oyster farm here has been recently infected with a virus seemingly brought over from France by the new French 'owners' who brought over lorry loads of oyster trestles and equipment which may have also carried the virus.

1st August

A honey buzzard was seen soaring over the Thanet Way flyover at Yorkletts this morning before drifting south. Tim Hodge