KOS News The Newsletter of the Ornithological Society Number 504 June 2016

Oriental Turtle Dove, Otford by Andrew Moon

● News & Announcements ●

● My with grouse shooting by Dr Mark Avery ● Black-headed Gulls using Kearsney Parks ● Missing ● Nearctic passerines in Kent ● Sightings March - May 2016● Fifty Years Ago●

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KOS Contacts – Committee Members

Newsletter Editor: Norman McCanch, 23 New Street, Ash, Canterbury, Kent CT3 2BH Tel: 01304-813208 e-mail: [email protected] Membership Sec: Chris Roome, Rowland House, Station Rd., Staplehurst TN12 0PY Tel: 01580 891686 e- mail:[email protected] Chairman: Martin Coath, 14A Mount Harry Rd Sevenoaks TN13 3JH Tel: 01732-460710 e-mail: [email protected] Vice Chair.: Brendan Ryan, 18 The Crescent, Canterbury CT2 7AQ Tel: 01227 471121 e-mail: [email protected] Hon. Sec: Stephen Wood, 4 Jubilee Cottages, Throwley Forstal, ME13 0PJ. Tel: 01795 890485. e-mail: [email protected] Hon. Treasurer: Mike Henty, 12 Chichester Close, Witley, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5PA Tel: 01428-683778 e-mail: [email protected] Conservation & Surveys: : Norman McCanch, as above Editorial & Records: Barry Wright, 6 Hatton Close, Northfleet, DA11 8SD Tel: 01474 320918 e-mail: [email protected] Archivist: Robin Mace, 4 Dexter Close, Kennington, Ashford, TN25 4QG Tel: 01233-631509 e-mail: [email protected] Website liaison: vacant

Indoor Meetings organiser: TBA Outdoor Meetings organiser: Ray O’Reily 44 New Road, Cliffe, Rochester, Kent ME3 7SL 07879 636198 [email protected]

Ordinary Members: Ken Lodge 14 Gallwey Avenue, Birchington, Kent CT7 9PA Tel : 01843 843105 e-mail: [email protected] Keith Privett 6 Tritton Close, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN24 9HN Tel: 01233 335533 e-mail: [email protected] Jack Chantler 34 Gladstone Road, Walmer, Kent CT14 7ET Tel: 01304 366214 e-mail: [email protected] Andy Appleton 34 Pennine Walk Tunbridge Wells Kent TN2 3NW 01892 513542 e-mail: [email protected] Tony Morris, The Hidden House, 28 Kingstown Road, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Kent CT7 6AZ 01304 851943 e-mail: [email protected]

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Editorial

I am very grateful to Dr Mark Avery for providing us with a summary of the plight of the Hen Harrier in England for this issue. I saw my very first Harrier as a thirteen year old in the late summer of 1967, one of the pair of Marsh Harriers nesting at the time at Minsmere in Suffolk. In 1970 I met my first ‘grey ghost’, a stunning male Hen Harrier near Ferry on Sheppey, while the following year I discovered the Montagu’s Harriers clinging on as a breeding species in West Wales near my Grannies house. Harriers have never been common in my experience, meeting them is still a worthy experience and I marvel at their easy, skilful flight. When I moved to East Kent in the late seventies Hen Harriers were a regular winter bird with sometimes up to ten arriving at a winter roost at Stodmarsh. This pales into insignificance when compared with a roost site on the north of the Isle of Man, where in winter 1991 I counted over sixty birds arriving from surrounding in the stiff northerly breeze. I was fortunate enough to find the first Hen Harrier nest on the Calf of Man, and ringed successive broods of this charismatic bird in the four years I lived there. In autumn it was possible to see a dozen birds at roost on the Calf, even though large numbers still visited the site in the north. Moving forward to the present winter, only a handful of birds were recorded in the main roost sites in Kent, a typical situation in the past few years. I am not too sure how many of our winter birds come from the continent, but growing levels of illegal persecution on moorlands in England and seem to make it a very real possibility that we might not see this species wintering in Kent in the future. But it doesn’t have to be like this; go back six years and I was standing on a minor roadside in France, on the chalky uplands of the Val D’Indrois, south of the Loire looking for butterflies. I had spent the morning watching Little Bustards, Stone Curlew, Quail and Red legged , while pairs of both Hen and Montagu’s Harriers hunted over the cereal fields and rough grassland. “Chasse Gardeé” signs abounded, but it was clear that significant areas of unimproved grassland punctuated the fields of wheat and maize, and an effective crow trap was visible in the distance. I van stopped, sporting a badge on the door with an unlikely juxtaposition of a stag, pheasant and a fish. The occupant got out and politely enquired what I was searching for; when I replied that I was looking at butterflies, flowers, birds and all of nature he became quite animated. This man was the local manager for the Association. He asked me if I had seen the bustards and told me where to see them more easily; he pointed out the harriers with a certain pride and the described an ‘autre rapace, avec le ventre blanc, qui mangé les serpents’. He was delighted at my excitement and annotated my

3 map to indicate from where I might watch one of the two pairs of Short- toed Eagles feeding their young on his territory. He pointed out that the natural, unimproved grasslands were beneficial “ pour le chasse et pour les oiseaux” and he was clearly proud of both. If only it were like this in Britain……

Good birding,

Norman

News and announcements

We like to keep in touch with all our members, so if you change address, email address or phone numbers, please remember to inform our membership secretary, Chris Roome. He can be contacted on :

Chris Roome, Rowland House, Station Rd., Staplehurst TN12 0PY Tel: 01580 891686 e-mail:[email protected]

The London Bird Report 2014 The latest issue of the London Bird Report has just been published and contains a wealth of information for people who live or work in London, or bird watch in London. This is one of the annual publications that members of the London Natural History Society (LNHS) receive as part of their membership. See www.lnhs.org.uk for details about how to join the LNHS. If you just want to buy a copy of the London Bird Report you can also find details on that website.

This issue includes a paper about the Peregrine Falcon in Central London, details of only the third ever record of Blyth’s Reed Warbler in London and a study of the influx of Great Skuas in London in October 2014. The report also gives a summary of the status of all the birds that were reported in London in 2014. Highly recommended for members living in the north of the county!

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Articles

My grouse with grouse shooting by Dr Mark Avery

Male Hen Harrier by Gordon Yates Driven grouse shooting is an unsporting and pointless sport that damages the ecology of our hills and depends on illegal killing of protected wildlife. It is the cause of a lack of wintering Hen Harriers in lowland England so it affects your birdwatching. In driven grouse shooting, a line of people with shotguns wait for a line of people with flags and whistles to drive past them so that they can shoot at them as they fly over. This isn’t hunting – it’s merely using wildlife as living targets. You may pay upwards of £5,000 for a day of such ‘sport’. The record ‘bag’ for a day of such shooting is 2929 birds, shot by eight guns in the Trough of Bowland in Lancashire on 12 August 1915. That’s over 350 birds/gun that day. Modern bags are approaching such levels again. To generate such high densities of Red Grouse, to justify such high prices; heather is burned into a patchwork of long and short vegetation; Foxes, Stoats, Carrion Crows etc are killed in large numbers; Mountain Hares are killed off too (because they carry a tick which can transmit a virus to the grouse); the moorland is drained and medicated grit is provided to kill intestinal worms. Red Grouse are not reared and released but driven grouse 5 shooting depends on intensive management of the prey, their predators and their habitat. Many raptors are illegally killed because they are unsporting enough to include Red Grouse in their diet, eg Golden Eagle, Goshawk, Peregrine and Hen Harrier. This last Hen Harrier survey, in 2010, found c650 UK pairs whereas the science shows that there should be c2600 pairs. English uplands should hold over 300 of those 2600 pairs, and this year the RSPB says there is ‘a tiny handful’ of pairs. A study on a Scottish grouse moor showed that when birds of prey are properly protected, then their numbers will rise and they can remove much of the ‘shootable surplus’ of birds on which driven grouse shooting depends. There is a real conflict, you can’t have protection of birds of prey and massive grouse bags. You have to choose! What is your choice? The grouse shooters say that it’s only a few bad apples that kill raptors, but I believe there are more than a few. You need to choose whether you want an unsporting sport to continue or whether you want birds of prey to be protected. I choose legality and birds of prey over criminality and a pointless ‘sport’! Grouse shooters contend that other ground-nesting birds benefit from grouse moor management (some do, it’s true, but not all), that the hills would be covered with conifers, sheep and windfarms if grouse shooting were stopped (they wouldn’t – it’s environmental legislation that controls these activities not grouse shooters) and that money from grouse shooting delivers wealth to the economy (economists say the figures are greatly inflated and do not take everything into account anyway). You must choose who you believe. Over the years of wrestling with these issues my views have hardened. I now think we should ban driven grouse shooting and my e-petition asking for that has passed 43,000 signatures already. If it reaches 100,000 signatures this issue will be debated in Parliament and that will put this issue even more strongly in the public domain. If you choose change in the uplands, even if you don’t favour a total ban (and I think you should!), then please sign because this is the strongest way you can make your voice heard. Come on Men of Kent and Kentish Men, and women too! Sign the e-petition here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003 . For more information check out my blog at www.markavery.info/blog/ and/or read my book Inglorious – conflict in the uplands for the 100,000 word version of the case against driven grouse shooting.

Dr Mark Avery is an author, blogger, birder and campaigner. He worked for the RSPB for 25 years until 2011 and for 13 of them was the RSPB Conservation Director.

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Observations of wintering ground fidelity in Black-headed Gulls using Kearsney Parks

Over the last three winters a number of visits have been made to the Kearsney Parks complex just outside Dover (51.14N 1.26E). During these visits a number of ringed Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus have been noted. These rings have predominantly been metal type rings. However, some birds have had additional darvic type colour rings fitted either at initial ringing or during a later recapture.

Using telephoto lenses and a digital SLR camera it has been possible to read complete combinations for some birds, whilst for others partial reads have allowed the country of origin to be determined. Identified countries of origin include Germany, as well as Scandinavian and Baltic states. Interestingly, to date no birds originating from the UK have been identified.

The Kearsney Park complex lies at the eastern end of the Alkham Valley and is managed by Council. It comprises Kearsney Abbey, Russell Gardens and Bushy Ruff which are all used extensively throughout the year by the public. These contiguous areas vary in their level of ‘wildness’ but each contains a body of water and either feed into or are part of the River Dour.

Black-headed Gulls have been observed using all three areas and appear relatively comfortable with the human disturbance (although, not so by the associated canine visitors) and as described by Snow and Perrins (1998) have adapted their behaviour to make use of the foodstuffs delivered by humans. The species’ tendency to returning to use the same wintering grounds has been observed for some time and described more recently in England by Self (2014); in Scotland by Bos (2003) and in Northern Ireland by McClure (2015). From observations of ringed birds this behavioural trait can also be confirmed in Kent as two colour ringed gulls have now been recorded returning to the Kearsney complex for multiple winter periods.

These observations, together with the range of countries from which gulls have originated, gives an indication of the importance of this relatively small area of water (<3 hectares across the three sites) in supporting avifauna that breeds across a wide swathe of Northern Europe. It also adds to the argument that species’ protection and conservation needs to look more widely at habitats used throughout the year rather than purely protecting breeding grounds.

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‘White UZF’ ‘White C61S’

‘White UZF’ was ringed as an adult male by K. Pedersen (Lausten J., personal communication by email. 9 December 2013) in March 2008 at Brøndby, Denmark (55.37N 12.25E) and has now been observed using the lakes within the Kearsney Parks complex in each of the three winters 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2014-15 both by this observer and also by members of the East Kent Wildlife Group (Findley P. and Pell J., personal communications by email. 2 March 2016).

‘White C61S was ringed as an adult in Finland (62.50N 27.55E) during May 1998 (Finnish Museum of Natural History, personal communication by letter. 14 March 2014). It was originally seen by this observer in February 2014 and returned for the 2015/16 winter. The time elapsed from ringing indicates the bird was in at least its eighteenth year when recorded in February 2016.

References Bos, J. (2003) The Origin of Black-headed Gulls Wintering in Edinburgh. Lothian Bird Bulletin 2004:1, pp. 5-6. McClure, A. (2015), Northern Ireland Black-headed Gull Study 2014 Report Self, A. (2014) The Birds of London. London A&C Black, pp. 207-209 Snow, D.W. and Perrins, C.M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Volume 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Martin Collins – March 2016

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Who’ya gonna call……..?

A recent conversation about an entry on the KOS sightings webpage and a birdless walk are making me think hard about how much birds mean to me at all sorts of levels, and about what I am missing. It may sound a bit introspective but the more I think about it the more I realise that being out and about seeing birds is an important contributor to my emotional well-being. I need to see birds. They reassure me that the world is still turning, that all is well with it and my place within it. This is particularly acute in Spring when the return of migrants provides daily confirmation and celebration. I suspect like many birders, I mark the returns in my log book – site, date, species, site, date, species – as I have done since the 1960s, and log them on the KOS sightings page. Their presence in this book, confirmation that they and I still exist, and still find a way to meet - the tick in the book a kind of affirmation. Each new Spring provokes the ritual re-visiting of familiar sites in search of the returners – Hayesden lake for the first Sand Martin, Dungeness for that early Wheatear. I have a calendar pretty much hard-wired into my head after decades of birding about where to look and for what. But what happens when we don’t find the bird we are after ?

Yesterday I undertook my annual pilgrimage to Knole Park – it was my second visit this spring – to look for migrants in general and for one of my all time favourite birds, the Common Redstart. I have done this for many years and always found at least one bird there, calling from high up in the old beeches. But this year? Nothing. A Spotted Flycatcher was a good start, but that was it, not a hint of a Redstart. Perhaps I am too early, or they have moved to another area within the park, or the northerly wind is keeping them quiet or maybe I am losing my touch. Or maybe, (and dare I think this ?) they are not there anymore.

Perhaps they will come but perhaps the confirming tick in my book for the last few years has just been one or two birds, solitary males, unable to find females and maybe those males no longer exist or sing elsewhere. Have my ticks deluded me into a false sense of security, hidden me from a slow process of local extinction ? Have I seen my last Redstart at Knole ? How do I know, who do I ask, who do I tell ? Our sightings get recorded, translated into records, logged into systems but what about the absences ? Where are they noted ? What happens to them ? Who sees them coming ? Do we just miss them alone, move on, forget ? Perhaps we need a kind of lost bird register, a place to post these absences and anxieties, maybe to mourn a passing or make preparations for the loss - less a sightings page, more an absences page. Or would that simply be too sad a place, a graveyard of 9 missed opportunities and missing species. Just for Knole Park the absences would be long – Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, Woodlark, Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler, and next… Spotted Flycatcher ?.....Common Redstart ?

Male Redstart field sketch, Dinas Wales by Norman McCanch

Or maybe, a “lost” or “wanted” page would be better, a place where we could seek help, re-assurance, ask for advice, post our concerns, prompt a concerted hunt. You must understand, silly as it seems, that seeing a Redstart at Knole every year is really very important to me and If anyone has seen one there his year, please can they let me know somehow. I am missing that bird like hell. Martin Garwood

Nearctic passerines in Kent

Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson’s Thrush, Dark-eyed Junco, Golden-winged Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll Warbler, and Acadian Flycatcher 10 form the magnificent seven species that, incredible as it may seem, have made landfall in Kent.It is, of course, conceivable that they may have hitched a ride on a ship from America but nonetheless they got here. Assuming it's acceptance onto the British list, the Acadian Flycatcher along with the others form a unique set of records for the south-eastern most county of Britain. Historically SW Ireland, Anglesey, the Scottish Isles, SW England and the Isles of Scilly have a greater proven track record of Nearctic vagrants compared to Kent. All these species made a remarkable journey to get to the UK and Kent, the recent Acadian Flycatcher (which I never saw) being the trigger that made me think about putting pen to paper. In fact I can never forget this bird as I saw photo after photo appearing on the internet real time whilst thousands of miles away I was sitting in São Paulo airport, Brazil . Way back in 1960 the first record of the species formerly known as Slate- coloured Junco, now Dark-eyed Junco was a male trapped at Dungeness on 26th May of that year, followed by two other more recent records, at Dungeness, a first winter between 7th to 9th April 2008 and two years later an adult male at Folkestone on 15th to 17th May 2010.

Dark-eyed Junco, Dungeness, April 2008, by Mike Gould Looking at the distribution nationally of over forty records, only Shetland has more records than Kent-with four, though interestingly there are many other records on the South Coast of a species one would expect to have a westerly bias. One anomaly is that the Isles of Scilly has never had a single record despite being one of the nearest points in the UK to North America. As a species that feeds on seeds and grain it's a likely candidate for hitching a lift on trans-Atlantic ships but may not actually jump ship until way past Cornwall, hence the number of records in southern counties presumably.

11 Olive-backed Thrush equally has had a name change since its appearance, known now as Swainson’s Thrush that found its way into a net at Sandwich Bay on 27th Oct 1976. This really is an absolutely exceptional record and now with nearly forty records in Britain and Ireland, remains the sole East coast record, the nearest other being Lundy off the north coast of Devon. As expected the Isles of Scilly and Shetlands have had the lions share with other twenty records. How this bird came to make landfall in Kent is an amazing feat of an individual being well and truly lost on its migratory route. Another exceptionally rare vagrant to the UK, Common Yellowthroat was part of a 1989 Yank double act though its presence was less widely known as a first winter male resided at Murston from 6th Jan to 23rd April 1989. With only eleven national records the Kent bird is again the odd one out with no other records away from Shetlands or the west coast. This individual mirrors a record in Gwent in 2012 that wintered, evidence that vagrants can literally turn up anywhere and as with both records often inland, how many others are missed? Roughly due west from Murston the unbelievable news that a male Golden winged Warbler had been seen on a housing estate at Larkfield near to New Hythe lakes spread like wildfire across the birding world in Britain. Its presence took a while to surface on the grapevine but on a cool Thursday morning the car park at Tesco and surrounding streets found many hundreds of birders patiently waiting to hopefully see it.

Golden-winged Warbler, Maidstone February 1989; field sketch by Norman McCanch

12 They were not to be disappointed as it was located nearby and so began a quite remarkable few months as the local community reacted to its presence with fundraising scouts, guides, Tesco café proving very popular and non birding partners doing their weekly shop whilst the other marvelled at the beauty of this stunning North American vagrant . It's long stay from 24th Jan to 10th April 1989 is to this day still thought to represent one of the largest twitches ever in the UK, it remains the sole UK record and even within the rest of the western Palearctic there is only one other record, of a bird on the Azores in October 2012. Some of the tales surrounding this birds stay are firmly etched in birders minds with invites into gardens, birders boarding a double decker bus to get a higher elevation and the good nature of the locals who embraced its presence.

Next up, With over fifty records in Britain and Ireland, a Blackpoll Warbler near Tunbridge Wells on 19th Nov 2011 was both an incredible inland east coast record and secondly literally a stones throw away from a bird at Bewl water in East Sussex between 10th to 20th Dec 1994, also a winter record. More recently another bird turned up in East Sussex at Pett level on 15th Oct 2010 a date which tends to fit the national pattern of occurrence in October. As expected the national bias of records is the South west with thirty records, twenty five of them on the Isles of Scilly. The other east coast record is represented by a bird at Flamborough, East Yorks, in Autumn 1993, again completely unexpected.

The fact that the Kent bird was found by a birder Andy Appleton outside his garden is testament to the fact that anything can turn up even inland and close to home, always expect the unexpected and worth doing some chores in the garden or in the garage it could be your lucky day. It's short stayed allowed only a handful of birders to see it, it's disappearance was also unexpected given the weather at the time.

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Red-eyed Vireo, Ontario, July 2000; field sketch by Norman McCanch

Red eyed Vireo is the most regularly occurring of these magnificent seven in the UK and Kent has been host to two records, both seen by very few birders and both at Dungeness. The first was a bird on the RSPB reserve between 3rd to 10th Oct 1984 followed by another two years later trapped at the nearby bird observatory on Oct 7th 1986. With nearly two hundred national records the distribution of this species is as usual predominantly in the West Country, though Suffolk has had four records, one in East Yorks, four in County Durham and two in Northumberland.

This is a typical almost expected Autumn vagrant in the UK following suitable winds from the south west and it can only be a matter of time before another east coast record, maybe Dungeness will be lucky a third time.

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Acadian Flycatcher, Dungeness 2015 by Chris Bond

An Acadian Flycatcher at Dungeness on Sept 22nd 2015 is the jewel in the crown both in terms of its rarity status with this sole recent record and the fact that it's identification is by no means straightforward with the Empidonax flycatcher group. It's discovery was remarkable having been found by Martin Casemore on the shingle beach at Dungeness presumably having just made landfall either by way of a boat or simply a long journey. Several thousand miles away in the Americas I saw the daily events of this ultimate rarity unfold as it remained till dusk enabling many to see it when it was relocated in the nearby garden of Dave Bunney, a birder that lives at Dungeness. It was never seen again but it's tell tale sign of faeces deposited was duly potted and analysed using DNA technology thus revealing indeed it's suspected identification as an Acadian Flycatcher. The only other record in Europe was one found dead in Iceland in 1967. Who knows what the eighth species of Nearctic passerine to be found in Kent will be, with records of Grey cheeked Thrush in Herts, Northern Mockingbird and Northern Oriole in Essex, two records of Northern Parula in Dorset and Lark Sparrow in Suffolk. Kent continues to throw us that unexpected record, autumn is often an exciting time for vagrants nationally and Kent is no exception, though as has been seen with a few of the species winter can throw the occasional surprise. Barry Wright

15 BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR SPRING 2016 - MARCH TO MAY - Chris Hindle

Where necessary the acceptance of records within this report is subject to ratification by the “British Birds” Rarities Committee (species in capital letters) or the KOS Rarities Committee. The results of these deliberations are regularly published on the KOS Website.

WEATHER______

The start of March was dominated by low pressure which brought wet and fairly cold weather to Kent. After this, high pressure became established from 13th-23rd with a period of settled weather. The end of the month was less settled and on 28th Storm Katie brought 60-70 mph winds to Kent causing widespread damage and travel problems including the closing the QE2 Bridge at Dartford. At the start of April the weather was unsettled and dominated by low pressure with frequent showers or longer periods of rain. The second half of the month was mostly cold, bright and showery with frequent northerly winds that brought wintry showers on 26th. Total rainfall for the month at Bishopstone was 37.5mm. May began unsettled and windy with low pressure in charge but by 5th a warmer and more settled pattern became established with high pressure close to the UK. For the rest of the month anticyclonic and easterly weather types prevailed with plenty of fine, warm and sunny weather although it was cooler down the North Sea coasts.

EARLIEST SPRING MIGRANTS IN 2016______

For some species like Whimbrel, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Black Redstart, Blackcap and Chiffchaff it can be difficult to unpick wintering birds from newly arrived migrants.

Arrival dates compared to last year: (-) = earlier, (0) = the same, (+) = later

Garganey – two were found at Dungeness RSPB on Mar 15th (+1) Osprey – one flew N over Ramsgate on Mar 31st (-43) Hobby – one was seen at Stodmarsh on Apr 8th (+7) Little Ringed Plover – one flew over Dungeness RSPB on Mar 25th (+8) Whimbrel – one flew N at Sandwich Bay on Apr 3rd (+17) Common Sandpiper – there was one at Bough Beech on Apr 4th (-8) Greenshank – one was recorded at Sandwich Bay on Apr 4th (-9) Wood Sandpiper – one was seen at Sandwich Bay on May 2nd (+7)

16 Black Tern – two birds were at "the Patch" on Apr 16th (-4) Little Tern – two flew past DBO on Apr 10th (+3) Sandwich Tern – one was seen feeding offshore at DBO on Mar 1st (-6) Common Tern – two birds were at "The Patch" on Mar 26th (-4) Arctic Tern – seven were seen at DBO on Apr 10th (-6) Turtle Dove – one in a garden at Sandwich on Apr 14th (-5) Cuckoo – one was heard at Bough Beech on Apr 4th (-2) Common Swift – one flew over Swalecliffe on Apr 15th (-2) Sand Martin – two reported over fields at St Nicholas-at-Wade on Mar 11th (+3) Swallow – birds seen at Dungeness RSPB, and Leeds and Lympne Castles on Mar 23rd (+11) House Martin – one flew past Abbotscliffe on Mar 31st (+8) Tree Pipit – a bird was recorded at Pegwell Bay on Apr 1st (-8) White Wagtail – one was seen at Walmer Beach on Mar 10th (+9) Yellow Wagtail – two were seen at Scotney GPs on Mar 30th (-7) Nightingale – one was singing at New Hythe on Apr 4th (-2) Black Redstart – two birds were recorded at DBO on Mar 10th (+8) Common Redstart – males were at Chamber's Wall and Bockhill on Apr 3rd (- 9) Whinchat – one was found at Lydd Ranges on Apr 9th (-5) Northern Wheatear – one seen at Hythe on Mar 22nd (+14) Ring Ouzel – a singing male was found at Swale NNR on Mar 29th (+9) Grasshopper Warbler – one was trapped and ringed at DBO on Apr 12th (0) Sedge Warbler – one was singing at Dungeness RSPB on Mar 29th (-1) Reed Warbler – one heard at Nickoll's Quarry on Apr 3rd (-8) Lesser Whitethroat – one was heard at Whitstable on Apr 8th (-5) Common Whitethroat – singles at Chamber's Wall and Sissinghurst on Apr 3rd (-8) Garden Warbler – one was seen at Stodmarsh on Apr 14th (-1) Blackcap – three were new arrivals in gardens at Folkestone on Mar 19th (-5) Chiffchaff – two birds were found at Chamber's Wall on Mar 9th (+2) Willow Warbler – on Mar 30th there were three at DBO and singles at Hythe and Sandwich Bay (+3) Spotted Flycatcher – the first birds arrived at Foreness, Dungeness RSPB and Chartham on May 2nd (+6)

WILDFOWL______

Eight Bewick's Swans were still present at Higham Marshes on Mar 4th and there were 15 at Walland Marsh on Mar 13th whilst the two Whooper Swans seen earlier in the winter were still at St Mary's Marsh on Mar 18th.

17 One or two Tundra Bean Geese first seen on Sheppey on Feb 12th were still present at Capel Fleet on Mar 20th and one of them may have been the bird seen at Elmley between Apr 7th and 23rd. Another was seen at Dungeness from Mar 26th-Apr 29th and there was one at Oare Marshes on Apr 19th. Up to 332 White-fronted Geese were recorded at Swale NNR during March with the last bird seen there on Apr 5th. The only other sighting was nine at Scotney GPs on Mar 2nd.

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was seen inland at Bough Beech on Mar 18th and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose was reported from Pegwell Bay on Mar 24th with 20 there on May 2nd including a Canadian bird that had been ringed in Iceland. The adult Black Brant first seen at Foreness on Feb 27th remained there until Mar 7th whilst another was seen at Pegwell Bay on Apr 14th and 23rd.

In the spring up to 12 Egyptian Geese were seen at Sevenoaks WR, Edenbridge, Biddenden, Penshurst Estate, Leeds Castle, Elmley, Reculver, Oare Marshes, Hayesden, Barden, Higham Marshes and Cliffe Pools whilst up to five Mandarins Ducks were counted at Whetsted GPs, Seaton, Bough Beech, Brockhill CP, Penshurst Estate, Chesterfield Wood, Edenbridge, Grove Ferry, Brokes Hill Farm and Cliffe Pools. There was also an interesting record of three birds flying past DBO on Mar 16th.

A bird initially reported as a male American Wigeon at Oare Marshes on May 28th was considered to be a hybrid.After the first two Garganey were discovered at Dungeness RSPB on Mar 15th up to four birds were seen at Dungeness RSPB, Sevenoaks WR, Elmley, Sandwich Bay, Cliffe Pools, Swale NNR, Seaton, Oare Marshes, Cheyne Court, Bough Beech and Grove Ferry/Stodmarsh. In addition a flock of eight flew past DBO on Apr 14th with singles past DBO on May 6th, 10th and 16th and Mill Point on May 6th.

A Red-crested Pochard was seen at Dungeness RSPB on Apr 22nd, a male Scaup was recorded at Murston from Mar 8th-11th and a Long-tailed Duck flew past DBO on May 5th.

There were inland records of seven Common Scoter at Bough Beech on Mar 19th and also two on Apr 12th coinciding with a big movement of 2,047 past DBO the day before.During March three Velvet Scoter flew E past DBO on 8th with singles on 17th and 26th and one at Sandwich Bay on 18th. In April 14 flew past DBO on 2nd with three on 9th and two on 10th and there were 11 at Folkestone on 11th. During May singles flew past DBO on 2nd and 18th.

In March up to seven Smew were seen at Dungeness RSPB and Lade Pits with the last two birds at Dungeness RSPB on Apr 6th. During March and April

18 up to nine Goosanders were seen at Bough Beech, Oare Marshes, Hayesden, Sevenoaks WR, Whetsted GPS, and DBO with the last reports of a bird at Castle Coote on Apr 10th and at Ham Road on May 5th and 6th.

PARTRIDGE TO GREBES______

A Black-throated Diver was recorded at Sandwich Bay on Mar 15th with two off Walmer Beach on Mar 18th and one there on Mar 26th and 31st. During April up to seven birds were regularly seen at DBO with one or two at Mill Point, Walmer and Samphire Hoe and in May up to six were seen at DBO until 18th with three off Mill Point on 5th and one on 7th.

During the spring up to four Great Northern Divers were seen at DBO with one or two seen regularly on the coast between and Thanet.

With a SE gale blowing on Mar 9th there was an exceptional count of 415 Fulmars flying past DBO. Within this total were 17 blue phase birds more commonly seen in Arctic waters. A blue phase bird was also seen from Mill Point on the same day whilst another flew past DBO on Apr 23rd.There was an unusual spring record on two Sooty Shearwaters off DBO on Apr 9th.The first Manx Shearwater of the spring flew past DBO on Mar 27th followed by one or two on nine days during April with 19 on Apr 11th. Nine birds flew past Samphire Hoe on Apr 29th and one was seen at DBO on May 1st with three the next day when one also flew past Samphire Hoe. During May singles were seen off DBO on 6th and 18th with two on 3rd and 13th and five at Foreness on 30th.

During the spring one or two Shags were seen at Samphire Hoe and Abbotscliffe whilst up to three Bitterns were seen at Grove Ferry/Stodmarsh, Swale NNR, Oare Marshes and Dungeness RSPB and the Cattle Egret first found at Biddenden in February was still present on Apr 17th.In March and April up to eight Great White Egrets were seen at Dungeness RSPB with one or two recorded at Walland Marsh, Appledore, Elmley, Grove Ferry, Sandwich Bay, Bough Beech, Scotney GPs and Lade GPs. In addition, in May, two birds flew S out to sea at DBO on 2nd, two flew along the at East Farleigh on 11th, there was one at Grove Ferry from 27th-30th and one at Oare Marshes from 29th-30th.

Single White Storks were seen at Dungeness RSPB on Apr 10th, DBO on Apr 18th, Hythe on Apr 26th, Walderslade on May 3rd and Swalecliffe and Grove Ferry on May 16th.

What may have been the same adult Purple Heron was identified at Reculver Marshes on Apr 11th, at Stodmarsh on 13th and Sandwich Bay and Wade

19 Marsh on 14th. Others were also recorded at DBO on Apr 28th and Grove Ferry on May 15th, 18th and 25th.

A Glossy Ibis was seen flying N over Cliffe Pools on Apr 5th and was seen again at Cliffe Pools and Higham Marshes between Apr 10th and 12th. A different bird was seen at Oare Marshes from Apr 11th-23rd and one was recorded from Grove Ferry on Apr 22nd and from Pegwell Bay on Apr 27th. In May birds were seen at Grove Ferry on 15th, Elmley on 19th and Cliffe Pools/Higham Marshes on 22nd.

During the spring one or two Spoonbills were seen at Stodmarsh, Harbledown, Conyer, Pegwell Bay, Swale NNR, Dungeness RSPB and Oare Marshes whilst three flew past DBO on May 10th.

A Red-necked Grebe was reported from DBO on Apr 22nd and in March and April one or two Slavonian Grebes were seen at Dungeness RSPB, DBO, Conyer, Elmley, Sandgate, Hythe and Mill Point. During spring up to seven Black-necked Grebes were seen at Dungeness RSPB with smaller numbers at DBO, Oare Marshes, Scotney GPs and Bough Beech.

BIRDS OF PREY______

A Honey Buzzard was reported from Stodmarsh on May 13th with another at Elmley on 14th whilst on 15th birds were recorded at Pegwell Bay, Whitstable and North Foreland with singles at Sandwich Bay on 16th and 19th and Seabrook on 28th.

There was a succession of Black Kite reports this spring with first flying E over Hythe on Apr 3rd and others seen at Harrietsham on Apr 14th and on Apr 19th. During May single birds were observed at Margate and Shuart on 5th, Grove Ferry and Deal on 6th, in the Dover/Folkestone area on 7th, Bockhill, Riverside CP and Grove Ferry on 15th, Pegwell Bay and Eastry on 16th and Swanley on 20th. During the spring there were single figure counts of Red Kites at many sites throughout the County but the highest counts were on May 17th when there were 10 at Sandwich Bay and 20 over Whitstable.

During March and April one or two Hen Harriers were recorded from Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry, Pegwell Bay, Sandwich Bay, Worth, DBO, Botany Bay, Whetsted GPs and Lade GPs. During May single birds were seen at Grove Ferry, Pegwell Bay, Shuart, Worth and at DBO until the last one at Grove Ferry on 22nd. A male PALLID HARRIER was photographed flying through NR on Apr 10th and is the fourth county record. In May a ring-tail Montagu's Harrier flew over Gravesend on 1st, a male was seen at

20 Bockhill on 11th and 12th and a female was seen at Dungeness RSPB on 12th with ring-tails at Wateringbury on 16th, Dungeness RSPB on 20th and a first year male at Sandwich Bay from 24th to 29th.

A Goshawk was reported from near Canterbury on Mar 13th and a Rough- legged Buzzard drifted W over Rodmersham on Apr 4th whilst another was reported from Snargate on Apr 17th.

The first Osprey of the spring flew N over Ramsgate on Mar 31st after which single birds were seen at Folkestone, Hythe, Swalecliffe, Grove Ferry, Bough Beech, Tankerton, Ramsgate, Longfield, Canterbury, Allhallows, Pedlinge and Lydd.

A male LESSER KESTREL was seen at Pegwell Bay briefly on May 4th. If accepted by BBRC it will be only the 21st for the UK and the third record for Kent. During the spring one or two Merlins were recorded from Dungeness RSPB, Reculver, Sandwich Bay, Lade GPs, Higham Marshes, Elmley, Swale NNR, Bough Beech, Shuart, Swalecliffe and Stodmarsh with the last report from Reculver on May 4th.

RAILS TO WADERS______

A Common Crane seen flying over Westwood in Thanet on Mar 13th was seen later that day flying over Cooling Marsh whilst one that flew over Hythe on Apr 7th was found at Worth Marshes on 8th and 9th where there were three birds on 10th. One was also seen flying over Oare Marshes on Apr 29th.

A GREAT BUSTARD flew in off the sea at Samphire Hoe on May 4th. This seems a good candidate for a genuine wild bird rather than from the reintroduction scheme on Salisbury Plain.

A BLACK-WINGED STILT was seen at Cliffe Pools on Apr 16th with three there on 17th and one at Grove Ferry on May 6th. A COLLARED PRATICOLE was seen at Stodmarsh with Hobbies on May 11th. If accepted this will be the tenth Kent record for this species.

A Dotterel was found on Sheppey on Apr 30th and a Temminck's Stint was reported from Pegwell Bay on May 7th. A Sanderling was identified inland at Sevenoaks WR on May 11th whilst during spring one or two Purple Sandpipers were seen at Dover, Hampton, Minnis Bay and Hythe with the last bird at Broadstairs on May 8th.

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Purple Sandpiper by Steve Ashton

A Little Stint was found at Cliffe Pools on Mar 28th with another at Grove Ferry on May 5th, a Curlew Sandpiper was found at Pegwell Bay on May 7th and during March and April up to three Spotted Redshank was seen at Oare Marshes, Elmley, Milton Creek, Cliffe Pools and Murston.After the first Wood Sandpiper was recorded at Sandwich Bay on May 2nd one or two birds were seen at Dungeness RSPB, Reculver and Sandwich Bay with a high count of 13 at Grove Ferry on 5th.

A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was found at Sandwich Bay on Apr 8th where it remained until 12th. If accepted by BBRC this will be the 15th Kent record. During March and April one or two Jack Snipes were found at Elmley, Grove Ferry, , Dungeness RSPB and DBO.

AUKS TO GULLS______

Pomarine Skua numbers at DBO in April and May 2016 Apr 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 2 1 1 - 3 - - - - - 2 7 - - 34 May 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 121 1 34 9 1 1 - 1 - - - 1 7 - -

22 One Pomarine Skua also flew past DBO on May 22nd. There were also eight off Mill Point and 12 at Kingsdown on May 5th and the next day there were 23 at Bockhill, 13 at Samphire Hoe, three at Folkestone and five at St Margarets- at-Cliffe. At DBO four Arctic Skuas flew past on Mar 26th and then during April and May up to 26 were regularly seen there with smaller numbers at Samphire Hoe, St Margarets-at-Cliffe and Mill Point.Three Great Skuas were seen off DBO on Mar 9th with single birds on Mar 26th, 27th and 30th. During April and May up to 15 were seen regularly at DBO and in addition there were smaller numbers off Mill Point, St Margarets-at-Cliffe and Samphire Hoe.

Up to three Roseate Terns were seen feeding and roosting off Swalecliffe between May 19th and 21st and a GULL-BILLED TERN spent the afternoon at Dungeness RSPB on May 22nd. After the first two Black Terns were seen at DBO on Apr 16th up to 40 birds were seen there with up to five at Bough Beech, Stodmarsh and Mill Point.

Black Tern by Steve Ashton An adult Little Gull was seen at Mill Point on Mar 9th with others inland at Bough Beech on Mar 18th and 30th and three at Dungeness RSPB on Mar 28th. During April and May up to 77 birds were reported from DBO with smaller numbers at Dungeness RSPB, Cliffe Pools, Oare Marshes, Swalecliffe, Nickoll's Quarry, New Hythe, Elmley and Scotney GPs. An adult LAUGHING GULL seen at Hastings the day before was found at "the Patch" on May 26th. This is the ninth Kent record of which six have been seen at DBO.

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Laughing Gull by Gavin Coultrip

During spring up to three Yellow-legged Gulls were recorded from DBO, Sandwich Bay, Whiteness, Kingsgate, Higham Marshes and Herne Bay whilst a second winter Caspian Gull was found at Scotney GPs on Mar 1st with another at DBO on Mar 19th and a first winter bird at Dartford on Mar 20th and two at DBO on May 31st. The juvenile Iceland Gull first seen at Dartford Marshes on Feb 27th was still present on Mar 1st and a juvenile seen at "The Patch" on Mar 26th and Apr 1st was also reported from Scotney GPs on Apr 4th and may have been the bird seen at DBO on Apr 11th, whilst a second winter bird was seen briefly at DBO early on Apr 17th. A white-winged Gull first seen at Dungeness on May 29th was eventually identified as a Herring x Glaucous Gull hybrid and remained there until the end of the month.

DOVES TO WOODPECKERS______

The most unexpected event of the winter and spring was the finding of a first winter RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE (form meena) in a garden at Otford between Feb 18th and May 12th. If accepted this will be the thirteenth for Britain and a new species for Kent.

At least one of the two roosting Long-eared Owls seen during the winter at Dungeness RSPB was still present until Mar 11th whilst during the spring one or two were recorded at Betteshanger CP, Conyer, Botolph's Bridge, DBO, Foreness, Shuart and Bishopstone.

During March and April single Short-eared Owls were recorded from 20 mainly coastal locations with a higher count of four at Newenden on Mar 8th. In 24 May single birds were still present at Reculver Marshes, Harty Marshes, Grove Ferry, Cliffe Pools, Lade GPs, Dungeness and Dartford Marshes.

An Alpine Swift was seen with Swallows at Kingsdown on May 4th, a Bee- eater was seen briefly at DBO on May 9th with two at Sandwich Bay on May 24th and 28th, a Hoopoe was seen at Stodmarsh on Apr 18th with another in a garden at Ashford on May 5th and a Wryneck was found at Chamber's Wall on Apr 30th.

GOLDEN ORIOLE TO HIRUNDINES______A male Golden Oriole was seen at Bockhill on May 8th and a Woodchat Shrike was seen at Seaton on May 23rd.

Woodchat Shrike by Richard Collins The wintering Hooded Crow was recorded from Swale NNR until Mar 4th and at Seasalter on Mar 17th whilst singles flew in off the sea at Foreness on Mar 26th and May 1st and there was one at Dungeness from Apr 3rd-7th and one at Abbotscliffe on Apr 23rd. During spring up to five Ravens were seen at over 20 mainly coastal sites.

In March single Woodlarks were seen at Bockhill and Foreness on 12th, at Sandwich Bay on 17th and 20th with two at Abbotscliffe on 21st and singles 25 there on 23rd and 25th and another at Cliftonville on 24th. During April one flew over Ashford on 2nd and another flew W along the coast at Reculver on 5th. The wintering Shorelark was present at Minster, Sheppey until Mar 13th.

During March and April up to five "Continental" Coal Tits were seen at Sandwich Bay, Dungeness, Walmer, Margate, Abbotscliffe, Foreness, Oare Marshes, Bishopstone, Mill Point, Shuart and Cliftonville but at the end of March and beginning of April there were counts of 14 returning birds at South Foreland on Mar 30th with 19 at North Foreland on Apr 1st.Six NORTHERN LONG-TAILED TITS were seen at Bockhill on Mar 4th, with four at Walmer on 6th and 7th and one at Sandwich Bay on Mar 8th and 22nd.

Spring produced excellent numbers of Firecrests with a spring record of 120 at DBO on Mar 30th and as many as 25 at Walmer Beach, Bockhill, Sandwich Bay, Samphire Hoe, Church Woods, Bough Beech, Margate, Kingsdown, Folkestone, Foreness, Blean Woods, Bossenden Woods, Seabrook and Faversham.

Firecrest numbers at Dungeness B.O. during the last 10 days of March March 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st Nos. 2 4 25 35 101 70 50 52 120 30

Firecrest by Alan Woodcock

26 CETTI’S WARBLER TO WHEATEARS______

A Wood Warbler was seen at Sevenoaks WR from Apr 28th-30th with others at Foreness and Dungeness RSPB on May 2nd and DBO on May 3rd. The "Siberian" Chiffchaff trapped and ringed at Snodland on Feb 12th was still there on Mar 25th and there was another at DBO on Apr 11th. An IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF was heard and seen at Reculver on Apr 20th whilst another was discovered at Northdown Park from Apr 23rd-28th. If accepted by BBRC these will be the third and fourth records for Kent.

The wintering Dartford Warbler was still to be seen at Sandwich Bay on Mar 4th.After the first Grasshopper Warbler was trapped and ringed at DBO on Apr 12th one or two birds were subsequently recorded from Shuart, Grain, Hythe, Worth, Sandwich Bay, Cliffe Pools, Swanscombe, Grove Ferry/Stodmarsh, Northward Hill, Reculver Marshes and Dargate.A Marsh Warbler was recorded at Foreness on May 28th.

After the first Ring Ouzel was seen at Swale NNR on Mar 29th up to five birds were then recorded from 18 mainly coastal locations with a pronounced arrival on Apr 12th.

A male Pied Flycatcher was found at Dungeness RSPB from Apr 10th-12th and another was seen at Northward Hill on Apr 11th whilst a female was recorded from New Hythe on Apr 28th. During May a female was reported from Hothfield on 9th.

Pied Flycatcher by Terry Laws

27 During the spring up to six Black Redstarts were seen at various coastal sites mainly between Reculver and Dungeness with one also inland at Canterbury.

A Red-rumped Swallow flew NE at South Foreland and Kingsdown on Apr 19th and another flew along the cliffs at Pegwell Bay on May 6th with others seen at Capel-le-Ferne on May 8th, Grove Ferry on May 18th and Folkestone on May 23rd.

DUNNOCK TO BUNTINGS______

The wintering Richard's Pipit was still seen at Swale NNR until Apr 2nd.During March up to five Water Pipits were present at Stodmarsh with single birds at Swale NNR, Wouldham, Sandwich Bay, Cliffe Pools, Swanscombe Marshes, Dungeness RSPB, Conyer and Halstow Marshes. In April there was still one at Grove Ferry on 12th. In April a Serin flew over DBO on 5th, two flew past St Margarets-at-Cliffe with one at Abbotscliffe on 17th, another was seen at Bockhill on 19th with the final reports for the month from Foreness on 29th and Dungeness RSPB on 30th. In May single birds were seen at Hythe on 5th, DBO on 13th and Bockhill on 14th. Four Twite were reported from Cliffe Pools on Apr 12th and during May, five Crossbills flew over Blean on 9th and one flew over Capel-le-Ferne on 14th. A male Common Rosefinch was found singing in the trapping area at DBO on May 28th. Eight Hawfinches were counted near Eastling on Mar 31st.

Brambling by Warren Baker

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DBO = Dungeness Bird Observatory BBRC = British Birds Rarities Committee RSPB = Royal Society for the Protection of Birds “The Patch” = the warm water outflow from Dungeness Nuclear Power Station NNR=National Nature Reserve NR=Nature Reserve LNR=Local Nature Reserve FC = Field Centre WR = Wildlife Reserve GP = Gravel Pits

CONTRIBUTORS______

This summary owes much to the contributors to the various sites in “Latest Sightings” on the KOS Website at www.kentos.org.uk, KOSForum, Twitter and the RBA Hotline. Records have been contributed by A. Appleton, M. Baldock, M. Banks, P. Beckenham, P. Beraet, Bockhill Birders, R. Blackman, J. Bloor, A. Borlase, Bough Beech (per C. Langton), M. Bournat, E. Brown, K. Browne, S. Broyd, N. Burt, G. Burton, F. Cackett, S. Carter, M. Casemore, J. Chantler, P. Chantler, D. Chesterman, M. Chidwick, P. Cliffe, S. Coates, R. Collins, G. Coultrip, K. Cutting, DBO (per D. Walker), R. Dean, T. Dunstan, D. Eade, P. Earley, B. East, P. Eerdmans, R. Elvy, D. Faulkener, D. Feast, Folkestone and Hythe Birds (per I. Roberts), A. Ford, J. Frid, S. Goodrich, M. Gould, P. Graham, V. Green, A. Greenland, J. Guiver, J. Hall, N. Hando, S. Haughie, R. Heading, M. Heath, A. Hindle, C. Hindle, M. Hindle, A. Holcombe, B. Holcombe, M. Hollingsworth, N. Jarman, K. Jarvis, C. Johnson, D. Johnston, N. Keem, M. Kennett, A. Lapworth, A. Lawson, K. Leader, A. Lipczynski, P. Lloyd, I. Macey, A. Malone, J. Massey, N. McCanch, K. McDonnell, S. McMinn, M. McVail, S. Message, T. Millard, P. Milton, S. Mount, M. Orchard, R. O'Reilly, F. , A. Perry, J. Perry, S. Piggott, M. Pollard, C. Powell, K. Privett, M. Puxley, D. Rumsey, R. Rackliffe, M. Roser, K. Ross, J. Russell, B. Ryan, Samphire Hoe (per L. Collins, P. Holt, D. Smith, and P. Smith), L. Sampson, SBBO (per I. Hodgson), G. Segelbacher, Sevenoaks WR (per S. Clerici), I. Shepherd, J. Shilling, F. Simpson, D. Smith, P. Smith, D. Snowdon, W. Stoneham, T. Swandale, Swale NNR (per R. Smith, D. Faulkner, I. Davidson), D. W. Taylor, P. Thompson, W. Tofts, P. Trodd, D. Tutt, J. van der Dol, M. Wilson, S. Wood, A. Woodcock, B. Woolhouse, B. Wright and M.Wright.

Please send records for this review to: Chris Hindle, 42, Glenbervie Drive, Herne Bay, Kent. CT6 6QL 29 Email: [email protected]

Records sent to me may not all be used for this report as I try to extract the more interesting sightings. However all records are equally important and I forward them to the appropriate Area Recorders who enter them all onto the KOS database.

Letters and Notes

Birds feeding at nectar rich plants

In the past I have often caught small migrants in springtime with a sticky residue gumming up the feathers on their foreheads, sometimes associated with sticky yellow or orange pollen.

Species such as Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps seem to be particularly prone to this and observations in southern Europe, North and West Africa suggest that much of this is derived from Acacia blossoms, although other plants may also be involved.

This year I have seen similar sticky stuff affecting locally breeding species here in East Kent. I have seen Robins, Dunnocks and Great Tits around my garden affected, but few of them seem to have the pollen present as well. So far I have not been able to identify the plants responsible; I am pretty sure it is not growing in my garden, but my neighbours have several large Magnolia and a fairly monstrous Eucalyptus, so my observations continue.

I would be interested in hearing of any such observations involving resident, locally breeding species, particularly if you can provide any information on potential sources of nectar and pollen used by birds in our gardens.

Norman McCanch

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Fifty Years Ago

Laughing Gull An adult seen at Lade Pits, Dungeness on May 11th by WFAB and DWT is the first British and second European record of this American gull. It is of interest that the third European record came shortly afterwards, when one was seen in France

(Fifty years ago to the month before the current bird! Found by our esteemed President!)

KBR 1966

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Norman McCanch

INDOOR MEETINGS Meetings are held on the second THURSDAY of the month (Oct. to April) Venue - Grove Green Community Hall, Grovewood Drive, Maidstone - just south of Junction 7 of the M20 and adjacent to Tesco’s Supermarket. The hall will be open from 7.15pm for a 7.45pm start.

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