Grove Ferry NNR and Reculver, 28th June 2017

An outing with Christian C and Magnus A in north Kent today saw us start by scouring the rolling countryside and woods away from the marshes for raptors but we had no success. A gentle saunter around Grove Ferry NNR started off quite slowly but we relocated the first-summer male Red-footed Falcon, last reported early on Monday morning, while other highlights included a spanking summer-plumage Spotted Redshank, at least four Turtle Doves and five Green Sandpipers, a Bittern and a number of Bearded Reedlings. After a pub lunch by the river, we headed for a quick trip to Reculver, which turned into a short seawatch with notables of a 20-strong Common Scoter raft, two Curlews and 12 Gannets logged.

2cy ♂ Red-footed Falcon at Grove/Stodmarsh

Spotted Redshank amid the moulting Mallards at Grove Ferry

one of five or so Green Sandpipers at Grove Ferry

♂ Cuckoo at Grove Ferry

Mistle Thrush at Grove Ferry

Curlews heading past Reculver

Kent

Last Monday I took Alex Bowes for a day birding in Kent, we didn't find anything great but a selection of interesting birds were seen. We started at Dungeness where about half a dozen Manx Shearwaters and a Black Tern were the highlights plus Cuckoo, Hobby etc. Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh produced two Turtle Doves, about four Cuckoos including a hepatic bird, a Barn Owl, at least one Bittern, three drake Garganeys, a couple of Bearded Tits, a Common Sandpiper, three Wigeons, plus a handful of Ringed Plovers, Greenshanks and Redshanks.

All photos from Grove Ferry/Stodmarsh...

hepatic female Cuckoo

normal female Cuckoo

female Bearded Tit

Garganey

Turtle Dove

Two nice yank waders

Wilson's Phalarope

Having not seen a White-rumped Sandpiper in about a year and getting only flight views of the Grove Ferry Wilson's Phalarope a week or two ago, I asked my parents if they'd mind taking me down to that part of Kent on Sunday after a quick check of Canons Farm. They answered positively.

White-rumped Sandpiper

Oare, being closer, was the first port of call. I scanned the East Flood from the road for about fifteen minutes, pulling out only a Curlew Sandpiper before walking towards the East Hide to see whether I could locate the White-rumped from that angle. A couple of other birders joined me but we couldn't find the bird. Just as they were walking off the White-rumped Sandpiper walked into my view and I shouted them over, more people gathered.

White-rumped Sandpiper

After enjoying the bird on and off for a while, I got back in the car and we headed to Grove Ferry. I was greeted at the viewing mound my 'it went out of view five minutes ago', a phrase which it seems most have heard when twitching this particular bird.

left to right: Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper and Wilson's Phalarope

I waited with the small crowd for a fair amount of time, before getting fed up and scoping the people standing by the Harrison Hide who looked like they might have been on something. I made my way over there and a man asked me whether I could identify the two waders in his scope, I could and they were the WILSON'S PHALAROPE and a Spotted Redshank! I phoned the news out to RBA straight away so the birders at the mound could come and have a look. It was very satisfying to get much better views of the Wilson's than last time and it gave excellent size comparisons to nearby Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Green Sandpipers.

After dinner in the Grove Ferry Inn, we headed home. Thanks for the lift dad.

Twice as nice

Isabelline Shrike

I nailed two good birds today thanks to Rob, who I met at Canterbury after getting the train from London Victoria. After about twenty minutes of waiting at the viewing mound at Grove Ferry we got reasonable flight views of the WILSON'S PHALAROPE as it surveyed the lake, very nearly landing in view (but ended up dropping down out of view in the corner). Other birds noted at Grove included Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Cetti's Warbler, Sand Martin and Marsh Harrier.

Isabelline Shrike

At 11.00am we left for Gosport for our next target but we were heavily delayed by about three bouts of nightmare traffic. On arrival it didn't look good; it was raining and people were standing ridicously close to the isolated area where the bird was staying. Then, Rob gave the shout 'I've got it, on the fence between the two bushes!' and I, and everyone else, was soon on the stonking adult female ISABELLINE SHRIKE (Daurian race isabellinus). The bird itself was quite obliging, staying put in relatively clear view for a good few minutes on both occasions that it showed it was just people's heads getting in the way that hindered my views. We then headed home, happy that we had seen two good birds in a day.

Many, many thanks Rob for your very generous lifts today!