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Caspian Gull – Dungeness – Martin Casemore

Amazingly the Pintail record from two weeks ago (which was breaking a previous record from 2006) was broken within two weeks! A brilliant 3705 Pintails flew past Dungeness on the 7^th, with 474 Shoveler in tow. Conditions were good, but increased observer coverage in early Spring over recent years might also be a contributing factor.

Another ‘white-winger’ showed briefly, this time a first-winter Glaucous Gull touched down at Foreness Point on 7 March. Other than that, sea-watching around the county delivered Slavonian Grebes past Tankerton on 11^th and past Sandwich on 13^th, plus a Great Northern Diver past Cliftonville on 11^th. The Serins remained on view at Restharrow Scrape early in the week but haven’t been reported after the 9^th. A White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of Wight re-introduction project was at Dungeness on the morning of the 13^th.

Despite a warm and sunny weekend, early Spring migrants probably saw the turn back to colder weather coming, with the only new migrant species this week a Little Ringed Plover at New Downs Farm. A Woodlark flew past Langdon Cliffs on the 12^th, while there was a modest increase in Black Redstarts and White Wagtails reported. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Worth on the 8^th.

The female Smew seems to have moved on from Dungeness, while the Scaup and Long-tailed Duck were still reported this week, as was the Scaup of Collard’s Lake. Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Cattle Egrets, Caspian Gulls, Spoonbills (which included 6 at Elmley), White-fronted Geese and Hawfinches were all still reported around the county. The male Snow Bunting remained at Reculver.

The weather ahead is looking to be quite settled with modest winds from the East. While temperatures remain low, it could be good for early Spring migration over land and sea. 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)