Isabelline Wheatear - Paul Trodd

Autumn has finally started delivering after a somewhat quiet September and October. Bird of the week was an Isabelline Wheatear at Dengemarsh Gully, Dungeness, on the 3rd. Discovered by one of the local birders in the morning, it showed briefly to some more local birders that had rushed over. It then went missing for a couple of hours but was luckily refound further out on the shingle where it was showing well till darkness. Unfortunately it could not be found the next day. This is only the second ever record for Kent, with the previous one another short staying bird in 1996 at Abbot's Cliff. In terms of beauty a Red-breasted Goose on the 2nd at Seasalter was even more impressive. Unringed and arriving with Brent Geese at the right time of year, its credentials are excellent. It was seen till about 2pm when it disappeared when the whole flock of geese flew up as a Great Skua flew over the mudflats. Hopefully it will be refound in coming days as it may well winter in the area. This is the 9th record for Kent and the first since 2013.

Red-breasted Goose - Peter Eerdmans

There were more good birds. A male Ring-necked Duck in partial eclipse plumage was an excellent find at Scotney Pits on the 31st. With over 30 records it is semi-regular in the county, but hadn't been seen since 2023. Another good sighting of a species not seen in the county since 2023, were two Penduline Tits that were briefly at Coldharbour Lagoon before flying west on the 30th. Pallas's Warblers, a typical late autumn phyllo, were at King George VI Park in Ramsgate (on the 1st) and in Kingdown (on the 31st and 1st). An intriguing report of a Coues's Arctic Redpoll flying in off the sea with a Mealy and two Lesser Redpolls on the 3rd came from North Foreland, with another reported at Swalecliffe on the 4th. It is a shame these impressive little birds are no longer considered a species. Another interesting fly-over was a calling Tree or Olive-backed Pipit over King George VI Park on the 1st, with the time of year suggesting the latter might not be unlikely.

Penduline Tit - Derek Smith

With relatively strong north-easterly winds, sea-watching around the north and east coast was very good. North Foreland had a particular impressive run of good sightings. On the 2nd, a Storm Petrel, Long-tailed Skua, Sabine's Gull, 3 Pomarine Skua, 2 Great Northern Diver, a Black-throated Diver and 3 Velvet Scoter flew past. The next day another Sabine's Gull and a Cory's Shearwater were seen!  Other places also contributed with a Long-tailed Skua past Tankerton, several Pomarine Skuas along the north coast, 3 Sooty Shearwater and a Red-necked Grebe past Kingsdown (on the 2nd) and Leach's Petrels at St Margaret's at Cliffe on the 3rd and 4th.

Ring-necked Duck - Neil Burt

Further highlights included a Hoopoe near Maidstone on the 4th, a Glossy Ibis at Dungeness on the 31st and a Pale-bellied Brent and two Black Brant at Seasalter (althought the Black Brants seem to have some hybrid influences). There were good numbers of Snow Buntings seen, with no less than 18 counted at Sandwich Bay, 4 at Seasalter, 4 at Ramsgate and one past North Foreland. Lapland Buntings were recorded flying over at Dungeness, Cliffe and Sandwich Bay. A female Greater Scaup was discovered at Scotney on the 31st (with a couple flying past sea-watching spots as well), while the Long-tailed Duck remained in the North Foreland/Ramsgate area. Upto 6 Common Scoter were noteworthy inland at New Hythe. The number of Water Pipits around the county increased, while single Woodlarks were still seen at Dungeness and Bockhill on the 31st. Siberian Chiffchaffs were trapped and ringed at Dungeness and Sandwich, while Yellow-browed Warblers were still at Dungeness on the 30th and at Bockhill on the 31st. Ring Ouzels were at North Foreland and Langdon on the 4th.

Snow Bunting - Rob Rackliffe

At the end of October, the unofficial Kent year list stood at 284, one behind this time last year. We added Pied Wheatear, Ring-necked Duck, Penduline Tit, Hume's Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Great Grey Shrike and Leach's Petrel. November is already off to a great start, what else can we add? Good luck!

Peter Eerdmans

 Siberian Chiffchaff (left) with Chiffchaff - Charlotte Foote

(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)