Kent Ornithological Society Providing information about birds and birdwatching in Kent (Registered charity 21489)

Whiskered Tern – Martin Casemore

The dry, sunny weather with easterly winds persisted. It seems to result in fewer commoner migrants stopping over in Kent (e.g. we have had very few flycatchers or Whinchats this spring), but the good run of rare birds continued. Two species that require a BBRC description for formal adoption were discovered: on the 11^th a male Kentish Plover spent the morning at Pegwell Bay (a report on the 13^th is thought to be erroneous), while on the 13^th a mobile Whiskered Tern visited pretty much every lake and gravel pit around Dungeness RSPB, giving the locals a run-around. It was seen till about 19.30 in the evening. A nice summer-plumaged adult, this was the 19^th record for Kent. The same, or a second bird, was seen the next day at Worth for a few minutes.

There were plenty of other good birds around. The first ‘KOS day at Dunge’ on the 10^th coincided with four skua species being recorded past the sea-watching hide. Particularly a Spring record of Long-tailed Skua is very good. A Bee-eater and White Stork were also seen flying over in the area that day.

Kentish Plover – Nigel Jarman

Another Bee-eater flew over Pegwell on the 13^th.  Again, Red-footed Falcons were seen, a male near Worth and a female at Stodmarsh. It is also proving to be a very good Spring for Temminck’s Stint in the county. Following three records already, two were seen at Pegwell on the 10^th and a single individual was at Oare from the 11^th to the 14^th. further highlights include a Hoopoe heard at Sandwich Bay on the 12^th, a Black-winged Stilt  at Cliffe on the 14^th, while Ospreys, White Storks and Curlew Sandpipers were seen at various locations throughout the week.

Outside of the ‘four Skua’ day, sea-watching records off Dungeness included a total of 28 Pomarine Skuas, a dozen or so each of Velvet Scoter, Black-throated Diver and Black Tern, a Great Northern Diver, two Eider and a flock of 15 Cattle Egrets!

Not a lot of change in the weather is expected, hopefully we can enjoy more rare birds in the coming week. 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)