Little Gull - Martin Casemore

A Hume's Warbler was seen on the morning of the 17th near the golf club at Kingsdown. Unfortunately it could not be refound later. While being the second Hume's for the autumn, this would only be the 22nd record for Kent if accepted. A Pallas's Warbler also at Kingsdown on the 17th was a nice consolation prize for those looking for the Hume's. A few Serin's were heard and seen flying over this week, at Dungeness, Langdon Cliffs and Cliftonville.

In terms of sea-watching, the passage of good numbers of Little Gull and Kittiwake on the 14th was one of the highlights. Foreness had the highest count of Little Gull at 201, while at North Foreland 2016 Kittiwakes were counted that day. Sabine's Gull has been relatively scarce this autumn, so one past Walmer beach on the 16th was a good record, as were a Black Guillemot pas Reculver on the 19th and a Grey Phalarope past Grenham Bay on the 17th. In total five Little Auk were still reported, with a support cast of several Velvet Scoters, Great Nothern Diver, Black Throated Diver, Pomarine Skua, Great Skua and Sooty Shearwater across the usual sea-watching spots. Red-necked Grebe was seen at Tankerton, Reculver and Grenham Bay, while an immature Long-tailed Duck was again in the Swale.

Further highlights included a Lapland Bunting over King George IV Park as well as North Foreland, Snow Buntings still on the north coast (with three at Cold Harbour), a Black Brant past Grenham Bay, a Ring Ouzel at Dungeness and the two Glossy Ibis still at Worth. A drake Greater Scaup was at New Hythe GPs from the 19th, while two Whooper Swans were at Walland Marsh.

Great Northern Diver - Derek Smith

As temperatures remain relatively low, the focus is likely to be on winter ducks and geese. Good luck.

Peter Eerdmans

(Thanks to all the observers who posted their records on the KOS Sightings website, BirdGuides, eBird and/or the main Kent Birding WhatsApp groups, Thursday-to-Thursday. Apologies for any omissions. If anyone has any photos they think may be useful for the weekly, please send to me by Wednesday. All records of rarities are still subject to official confirmation by the relevant rarities committees)