Cory's Shearwater - Kenton Evans

Bird of the week was a Cory's Shearwater that flew past Foreness Point on the 31st. In general sea-watching has been very quiet during July, so this was a very nice reward for the locals persisting with their (near) daily seawatches. It flew east in its typical leisurely fashion, allowing for some photos to be taken clinching the identification. At Oare the White-rumped Sandpiper continued to frequent the small channel of water left in the middle of the East Flood, while the Bonaparte's gull could be found in the vicinity or on the mudflat east of the slipway. One birder had a red-letter day at Sandwich Bay on the 5th: first he saw a Black Kite fly-over and then later, with a group of birders, had a Red-rumped Swallow over the Quay. The second Pectoral Sandpiper of the year was found at Cliffe Pools on the 5th and was still there on the 6th although it could be elusive.

Bonaparte's Gull - Peter Maton

Migration is picking up with an increase in the number of Black Terns (with for instance 24 of Swalecliffe) and Garganey (with four at ARC, Dungeness). There were also two Curlew Sandpipers at Lade, Spotted Redshanks at Pegwell and Oare and a few Wood Sandpipers in the usual places. Bockhill hosted three Grasshopper Warblers and a Common Redstart, while during the week a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Redstart and a Nightingale migrated through Dungeness. Common Quail continues to be heard around the county, with four still counted at Bockhill. A group of 21 White Stork, surely from the Knepp project, flew over Dungeness on the 31st. A Honey Buzzard flew in off the sea at St Margaret's at Cliffe.

White Stork - John Young

In terms of sea-watching, apart from the Cory's and Black Terns, two female-type Goosander at Tankerton were unusual for the time of year.

The unofficial Kent year list stood at 264 at the end of July, two more than this time last year. The hoped for Bonaparte's Gull returned in July, Caspian Tern was new for the year and there were some good waders added to the list: American Golden Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper. The possible Long-legged Buzzard and Eleonora's Falcon are not in these numbers (yet), awaiting acceptance by the relevant committee. There is plenty we can add as we move into autumn migration season. Good luck.

Peter Eerdmans

Pectoral Sandpiper - Tom Cackett

(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)