Common Crane - Peter Blanche

On the 20th four Common Cranes were seen flying over Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich Bay. The Red-flanked Bluetail and Pallas's Watbler were reported on most days this week, but the American Wigeon seems to have gone. This week three Shore Lark were seen, this time at a Cliffe. The first Wood Larks of the year arrived off the sea at North Forland and King George VI park. A Glossy Ibis was photographed at Hayden CP. A report of a Bonaparte's Gull at Oare was a surprise this time of year.

The group of Bewick's Swan at Walland has started to shrink as several including Nadine started their migration back. Nadine was last on Walland at 4pm on the 20th and then she was at Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands at 5am on the 21st, 530 km away, only to be a further 500km north east in Germany by 4pm that day.

The Tundra Bean Geese remained at Sandwich, the Scaups at Scotney, Cliffe and Collards and the Snow Buntings at Reculver.

Snow Bunting - Evan Atkinson

In terms of sea-watching, an Iceland Gull flew past Reculver. Both a Red-necked Grebe and a Slovenian Grebe were seen off Dungeness, while there was a small uptick in waterfowl migration. 

As we move into March, the first Summer migrants may appear. 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)