Mayesbrook today

A few Willow Warbler's around today and a single Swift thru, and nice to see the first little Egret of the autumn.

Subalpine Warbler - Holland Haven

Just back from filthy twitching this superb bird, and my first in Essex, having seen seven others in Kent, Norfolk, Dorset and Scilly and have all been males bar one.

The Bird is favouring the Large hedgerow in the Holland Haven CP car-park and was also quite vocal at times and showed well distantly.

some heavily cropped record shots.

Sparrowhawk's

Visited Mayesbrook Park this afternoon and a very vocal juv Sparrowhawk was seen with both parents near bye.

Also still half a dozen Swifts and now 4 Egyptian Geese.

Wind Swept Kent

A trip to Dungeness started promising with Balearic Shearwater and Pom skua early on, as well as several Arctic skua two each of Little and Black Terns along side hundreds of Common, Sandwich and a few Arctic terns all going west.

Good number of Harbour Porpoise moving through also.

A search for Lesser Emperor dragonfly along the long pits was unsuccessful probably due to high winds, and the Great white egret failed to show on the RSPB reserve.

We then headed to Elmey where an immature Purple Heron had been reported several days now but again we drew with a blank.

Moths

A selection of Moths trapped this week.

the snout

black arches

pebble hook tip

canary-shouldered thorn

poplar hawk moth

Rainham 29th July

Three Marsh Harrier past thru this afternoon a female and two probable juv's all heading eastwards.

Several Yellow Wagtail and a single Wheatear were the first return birds for the site, and a small selection of waders, highlights were Whimbrel and Greenshank, with several Hobby hawking over the reserve.

Plenty of juvenile Whitethroat and Long-tailed tit along the sea wall.

Barking Bay 23rd July

Just back from the bay and a huge increase in Common Sandpiper with no fewer than 21 birds being seen feeding along the tide line, also 2 Ringed Plover accompanied by a single Little Ringed.

Still plenty of activity amongst the tern colony with many juveniles flying and a 3rd calender year Yellow-legged Gull.

ringed plover

little ringed plover

common sandpiper's