Purple Heron currently in a bush at Stodmarsh viewed from river bank, 05.50. ##ukbirding #kentbirding @rarebirder.bsky.social

The 2 adult Common Cranes again this morning flew very low over Stodmarsh lake past reedbed hide at 05.17 towards Collard's/Stodmarsh Court Farm. Wood Sand also at reedbed hide. ##ukbirding #kentbirding

2 adult Common Cranes low south west over Stodmarsh lake at 05.05, may have come down in the Collard's/Stodmarsh Court Farm area. ##ukbirding #kentbirding

Red-foot showed better over the Lampen Wall a little while later. Looks to be a 1st summer, so not the Reculver bird from earlier in the week. ##ukbirding #kentbirding

Female Red-footed Falcon Stodmarsh on far side of the lake #kentbirding #ukbirding

An amazing 8 raptor day (10 if you include Owls) at Stodmarsh yesterday with, in seen order Tawny Owl, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, White-tailed Eagle, Kestrel, Buzzard, Peregrine, Merlin and Long-eared Owl. The only obvious missing raptor was Red Kite. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Really looking forward to doing this event with Paul McVeigh at the Folkestone Book Festival on Sunday. Tickets still available…

3 Glossy Ibis's roosting on Lydden Flood at dawn then flew to Willow Farm at 06.45. The 1st winter Red-necked Phalarope is present for its 4th day in it's usual patch on Lydden Flood. Worth Marshes Sandwich. #ukbirding #kentbirding

An excellent day on Worth started with 3 Glossy Ibis out of roost towards Willow Farm then finding a juv Red-necked Phalarope on Lydden Flood and supporting cast of White-tailed Eagle, 2 Hen Harriers, juv Red-rumped Swallow, 3 Raven birds also 1000+ hirrundines. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Another visit to the Scotney BBS which was showing rather well this morning, I didn't arrive till 11.00 and not another person till young Jack arrived around midday🤷‍♂️ A super smart little bird! Flight pic courtesy of a Merlin. 100s more images to look at. #UKBirding #Sussexbirding

A poor phonescoped image of the American Golden Plover in the MOD enclosure at Jury's Gap this afternoon. Later, while rechecking the Golden Plover flock on the field I discovered 4 Dotteral, 2 ads + 2juvs, but no further sign of AGP. The Dotteral flew off and out to sea at 18.14 #kentbirding

Male Honey Buzzard over Stodmarsh 08.25 for a few minutes this morning, harassed by a female Marsh Harrier before heading east. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Great morning on the patch #Stodmarsh. The 2cy Red-foot I 1st discovered in the early hrs on Sunday was still present (again, early hrs) while nearby at Undertrees farm there were 2 Common Cranes at 5.00am. These seen again later over the lake just after 7.00am heading east #ukbirding #kentbirding

Absolute f*@#ing illiterate moron flushing every bird ,then whipping his c*@k out and pissing facing the hide. Needs better signage or a decent fence at Sandwich 😡😡 #Pegwell

A bit of shaky hand held videoscoped Kentish Plover ##Pegwell bay yesterday afternoon #ukbirding #kentbirding

Bittern out in the open at Stodmarsh this morning. #ukbirding #kentbirding #birds

Drake Green-winged Teal on Minnis flood, Worth this evening. On far side from gate below the blue doored buildings. Also 2 Water Pipits still present. @rarebirder.bsky.social #ukbirding #kentbirding

Three Little Gulls on Stodmarsh lake. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Little Gull currently on Stodmarsh lake #ukbirding #kentbirding

No Caspian Gulls or Sandwich Terns at #Pegwell today but a smart Pale-bellied Brent Goose with 206 Dark-bellied Brent's. Awful light conditions for #swarovski #phonescoping @rarebirder.bsky.social #ukbirding #kentbirding

Great morning at Stodmarsh, 1st Garganey of the year, 5 Hen Harriers (3 males), 12 Water Pipits, 18 Cattle Egrets, 3 Long-eared, 2 Tawny & 1 Barn Owls. 18 Lsr Redpolls, 3 adult Med Gulls and this near adult Caspian Gull. #ukbirding #kentbirding #rarebider

First Garganey of the year at Stodmarsh in front of marsh hide this morning #ukbirding #kentbirding #rarebirder

WeBS at Stodmarsh this morning was uneventful, wildfowl nowhere near the numbers they used to be. Just 259 Shoveler, 124 Teal, 1 Pintail, 6 Pochards & 16 Tufties. Lots of Coot (74) Best of the rest were 3 LeO's, 2 Raven & 1 Cattle Egret. Still not had Bearded Tit this year 🤷‍♂️ #ukbirding #kentbirding

The very smart 1st/w Caspian Gull at Seasalter outflow this afternoon. Also, a 3rd/w on the mudflats plus a 1st/w Yellow-legged Gull present. Many Duck on the Alberta pools and scores of waders on the mudflats. #ukbirding #kentbirding @rarebirder.bsky.social

A great day spent in North Holland with David Mairs and Francis Solly twitching the stunning drake Speckled Eider on the South West coast of Texel. A place I've never been before. The Eider was too far out for photographs but managed some ropey #swarovskioptik #phonescoping. After a couple of hours

Caspian Gulls #Pegwell this morning in the pouring rain🌧🌧 #ukbirding #kentbirding

Incoming tide #Pegwell this morning lots of Wigeon, Sanderling, Dunlin, Knot & Barwit. Also, Oycs, Redshank, Golden & Grey Plover. At least 38 Linnet & 40 Skylark on the point (none with yellow faces tho😪)Amongst the masses of GBb & Herring Gulls were 10 Caspian Gulls. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Long weekend birding highlights inc, 2 Tundra Bean Geese, Hawfinch, 6 Hen Harriers, 9 Water Pipits, drk Scaup, 4 Spoonbill, Lsr-spotted Woodpecker, 36 Russian White-fronts. But best of all was patch gold when a 2/w Glaucous Gull flew down, then back up river past the 3 of us #ukbirding #kentbirding

Most of the 48 Bewick's Swans at Hawthorn Corner, Walland Marsh, on Monday. Long-tailed Duck was still on the New Diggings, Dungeness RSPB. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Stodmarsh pretty much as Friday with 6 H Harriers (2♂️) 3 LeO's, 5 Barnacle Geese, & 12 Woodcock were the highlights. The incoming tide at Grenham had 2 Purple Sands amongst the waders 4 Red & 1 Black-throated Diver a flock of 30 Com Scoter, also a raft of 217 Great-crests. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Today at Stodmarsh, were 22 Snipe and 13 Woodcock picked up using the thermal imager, 6 Hen Harriers out of roost (2 males), 1 Cattle Egret with the Galloway's, 3 Long-eared Owls, 5 Barnacle Geese with the Greylags & 2 Raven while at Collard's the drk Scaup still resides #ukbirding #kentbirding

More disturbance #Pegwell this morning when brainless Kayakers travelled around the edge of the bay then upriver only to return half hour later. A few Gulls remained on the water but all waders, ducks, gese and Gulls on the point took to the skies 😡😡😡 #ukbirding #kentbirding

Watching the incoming tide at Pegwell this morning was ruined by the Border Force travelling into the mouth of the Stour with noisey engines, heard long before they arrived, at well over the 5 Knot speed limit putting up every single bird present 😡 Did see 3 Caspian and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls before

Struggled to 52 species for WeBS count at Stodmarsh today with every pool and lake frozen except a small part on the far side of the lake where all the ducks and Coots had gathered. Highlights were 4 Hen Harriers (1 male) and 1 Long-eared Owl. At Collard's a couple of unfrozen patches had a

Managed to locate 2 Hawfinch at Godmersham this morning but dipped the Iceland Gull at Deal. Faired better at Sandwich with Barn & Short-eared Owls, Dartford Warbler and 4 Grey Partridge but, no sign of the Scops Owl at Broadstairs Cricket Ground this evening. #ukbirding #kentbirding

A 3.5hr wander around the Seaton lakes with @russblackman.bsky.social finally connected with the redhead Smew almost at the last minute. Also, 4 Buzzards, 5 Barnacle Geese, a flyover Cattle Egret. Worth marsh from Jubilee Road 2 of 4 White-fronts, distant Barn Owl & Gw Egret #ukbirding #kentbirding

This afternoons incoming tide #Pegwell held 3 Caspian (2 ad & 1 1st/w) & 2 Y-legged Gulls, Peregrine, good no.s of Sanderling & Dunlin, 8 Pintail, 1 Avocet and 61 Golden Plover and, sadly no sign of the Scops Owl 😪 at Broadstairs a Barn Owl did put in an appearance. #ukbirding #kentbirding

A short session at Grove/Stodmarsh this morning where the ground and pools were frozen saw just 3 Hen Harriers out of roost (2 males), just 1 Water Pipit. Highlight was a Jack Snipe and the 3 LeO's still. Godmersham had 5 Tree Sparrows and 2 L Owls but😪 no Hawfinch today. #ukbirding #kentbirding

A good start to the new year at Stodmarsh yesterday, with 6 Hen Harriers, 3 LeO's, Scaup, 7 Water Pipits, Woodcock, Firecrest, Grey Wags, 25 Corn Buntings and, a new record count (for the valley) of 34 Cattle Egrets. #ukbirding #kentbirding

What an end to a very foggy day, the excitement happening in the evening after news of a Scops Owl just round the corner from my mums. On-site far too early, but well worth the wait. First seen with thermal imaging and seen well with minimal torch use. Pic Rob Ratcliffe. #ukbirding #kentbirding

A morning spent at Godmersham Park in a foggy and drizzling setting. Had a brief Hawfinch opposite the Old Vicarage. It was good to see at least a dozen Tree Sparrows (now a scarce bird in Kent). A similar no. of Greenfinchs and a drake Mallard x Pintail in the stream. #ukbirding #kentbirding

A slow wander around a dull grey misty mizzly Grove Ferry was fairly quiet. Highlights, 3 Hen Harriers (1 male), 3 Long-eared Owls, 1 Bittern, 1 Water Pipit, 1 Barn Owl, and 3 Woodcock. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Great afternoon spent at New Hythe watching a superfluous American Yellow Warbler along millstream. A fantastic find by local patch watcher Glen Honey. Also present, Siberian Chiffchaff, Firecrest, and Com Chiffs. Photo Rob Ratcliffe. Grt to see so many kent birders there. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Short-eared Owl showing very well at Restharrow Dunes Sandwich Bay this morning. Filmed with phone only. #ukbirding #kentbirding

6 Hen Harriers out of roost again at Grove end of Stodmarsh this morning (2 males). Also Merlin, 3 LeO's & 4 Woodcock. At Collard's the drake Scaup still present as were 26 Cattle Egrets, 13 Corn Bunts & Firecrest. At #Pegwell this afternoon, 6 Caspian Gulls inc adults. #ukbirding #kentbirding

Just a short session at the Grove Ferry end of Stodmarsh today where I met up with CPRE's David Mairs. 5 Hen Harriers out of roost inc 2 grey males. Also 11 Marsh Harriers, Merlin, Spawk, Kestrel & LeO. And with 5 Woodcock that flew into roost, these were the highlights #ukbirding #kentbirding

Another cracking Gulling session #Pegwell this lunch time with 16 Caspian Gulls including 6 adults, 3 4th/w, 3 3rd/w & 2 of each 1st &2nd winters. Oddly no Grey Plover and only 2 Barwit. No Blackwit in the garage pool but, 1 lone Avocet. #ukbirding #kentbirding 3 Casps phonescoped.

Only 4 Hen Harriers out of roost at Stodmarsh this (just 1 male). 9 Caspian Gulls at Pegwell late morning on the incoming tide, incl 4 adults & good numbers of waders again (slightly too late for counts but). Greg Lee has full counts👍 The Fulmar taken at North Foreland yday #ukbirding #kentbirding

Six Hen Harriers again at the Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry roost this morning including the 2 grey males, strangely though, only 3 maybe 4, are seen coming in in the evenings. Perhaps they sneak in after dark? Times, m 07.22, rt 07.25, rt 07.27, m & rt 07.37 & rt 07.41 #ukbirding #kentbirding

A good session on the incoming tide at Pegwell Bay this morning produced 7 Caspian Gulls, 1 Yellow-legged, 7 Snow Buntings, Peregrine, hundreds of Waders inc Barwit, Blackwit, Sanderling, Dunlin, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank and Oycs. Plenty of Wigeon. #ukbirding #kentbirding