Folkestone & Hythe Birds
and other natural history
Last updated: 22nd June
The 2009 area year list is currently 158 species.
22nd - A Honey Buzzard flew north-east over Folkestone.
16th - A Little Egret flew over Westenhanger.
14th - It remains quiet as is usual for this time of year. A Curlew, a Cuckoo, a Little Owl, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Sedge Warblers, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Med Gulls were in the Botolph's Bridge area.
7th - A Little Egret flew west over Hythe, a Hobby was seen over Peene and 2 Buzzards were at Saltwood Castle.
6th - Still quiet: a Hobby, a Tufted Duck and 2 Sedge Warblers were at Nickoll's Quarry.
4th - A Cuckoo at Nickoll's Quarry.
3rd - 60 Common Scoters were off the Willop Outfall, 2 Sedge Warblers were singing there and a Med Gull flew over. A Hobby was seen over Hythe.
2nd - A Cetti's Warbler along the canal at Seabrook.
1st - A Cuckoo, a Little Owl, a Turtle Dove, a Sedge Warbler and 2 Cetti's Warblers at West Hythe.
May
31st - A quiet end to the month.
26th - About 60 Swifts flew west at Hythe.
25th - A Honey Buzzard and 3 Common Buzzards flew over Folkestone and a Tree Pipit flew over Crete Road East.
24th - 2 Cuckoos and 3 Tufted Ducks were at Botolph's Bridge and there were 4 Buzzards at West Hythe.
Cuckoo at Botolph's Bridge (Brian Harper; website)
23rd - 60 Common Scoter were off Hythe Redoubt.
22nd - It remains quiet. A couple of Turtle Doves were at Hythe Ranges where a few Swallows and Swifts trickled westwards.
18th - Cuckoo and Turtle Dove at West Hougham.
17th - Singles of Arctic and Great Skua flew past Copt Point. A Hobby was at Nickoll's Quarry. Turtle Dove at Botolph's Bridge.
16th - A Hobby and a Buzzard were at Saltwood Castle.
14th - An Icterine Warbler was singing at Samphire Hoe until at least 07:15 this morning but was not present later in the day, also a Whinchat there. A Whinchat was again at Abbotcliffe. 3 Common Sandpipers were at Folkestone Reservoirs.
13th - Singles of Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and Garden Warbler were at Abbotcliffe this evening and 2 Whinchats were at Samphire Hoe.
11th - Very little of note in a very strong north-easterly wind.
10th - The first Turtle Dove was at West Hythe and a Swift and a reasonable number of Swallows came in off the sea at Abbotscliffe. At least 3 Purple Sandpipers were still on the rock groyne off Stade Street (Hythe Bay).
9th - A calmer day saw the first Whinchat and a Hobby at Blackhouse Hill (Hythe) where a Nuthatch, 2 Marsh Tits and 2 Mandarins were also seen. 7 Purple Sandpipers were on the rock groyne off Stade Street (Hythe Bay).
Whinchat at Blackhouse Hill, Hythe (Ian Roberts)
8th - A strong westerly wind has been keeping migrants to a minimum with just a few Swallows continuing to struggle in and there has been no movement of any sort at sea.
5th - A Cuckoo near Hythe was the only sighting of note.
4th - Swifts, Swallows and House Martins continue to arrive but otherwise it remains quiet.
3rd - 24 Whimbrel were at Nickoll's Quarry.
Whimbrel at Nickoll's Quarry (Brian Harper; website)
2nd - Just a few Swallows in off the sea.
1st - A Wood Warbler was singing at Kiln Wood, Pedlinge.
April
29th - 5 Swifts were seen over Hythe. A Cuckoo and 2 Cetti's Warblers were at West Hythe.
26th - A Hobby at the Capel-le-Ferne Cafe and a Swift over Cheriton were new for the year. At Abbotscliffe a Tree Sparrow and 3 Lesser Whitethroats were notable and 2 Yellow Wagtails and 17 Swallows flew in off the sea there.
25th - A Great Skua flew east past Copt Point and a Common Sandpiper there was also new for the year.
24th - 11 Avocets and a Pintail flew east past Copt Point.
23rd - A House Martin, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warblers were all that was of note at Abbotscliffe.
22nd - A Black Kite flew north-east near Westenhanger. A Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Wheatears were at Abbotscliffe and 2 Yellow Wagtails, 6 House Martins and 11 Swallows flew in off the sea there.
21st - An Osprey flew north over Brockhill CP.
19th - Very little of note apart from 8 Swallows in off the sea at the Gun Site.
18th - A better day, the highlight of which was a Wryneck at the Gun Site. A Yellow Wagtail and 5 Sand Martins were also new for the year at Hythe, where there was also a Wheatear and a few Whitethroats. An Arctic Skua and 20 Whimbrel flew east at sea and a Buzzard was seen again over Folkestone.
Wheatear at Hythe and Cetti's Warbler at West Hythe (Brian Harper; website)
17th - On a damp morning the only bird of any note reported was a Lesser Whitethroat near Lympne.
16th - A Buzzard was seen over Folkestone.
15th - A Lesser Whitethroat was at Abbotscliffe, where a few Swallows trickled east.
14th - A Greylag Goose and 50 Sandwich Terns flew east past Folkestone and 60 Common Scoters were offshore.
13th - A Marsh Harrier flew over Hythe and Swallows and Willow Warblers continued to arrive in small numbers.
12th - A Merlin along Donkey Street was new for the year, and a Sedge Warbler, a Corn Bunting and 4 Reed Warblers were in that area. A Buzzard flew over Hythe.
11th - Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Tree Sparrow were new for the year at the Gun Site, where a Marsh Harrier flew in off the sea and 2 Ravens were noted. Another Whitethroat and a Mandarin were at Hythe.
10th - 2 Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a Corn Bunting at Botolph's Bridge were new for the year and a Marsh Harrier flew east there.
9th - Just a single Swallow of note at Copt Point.
7th - A Buzzard flew over Folkestone.
6th - A Ring Ouzel was at Abbotscliffe and 4 Pintail, 5 Arctic Skuas, 13 Common Terns, 65 Gannets, 95 Common Scoters and 260 Sandwich Terns flew east past Copt Point. A Buzzard flew over Folkestone and a Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcaps were seen there.
5th - Migrants continue to trickle through with a Swallow, a Wheatear, a Black Redstart and 3 Willow Warblers in the Redoubt / Botolph's Bridge Road area and a Buzzard was at West Hythe. 2-3 Ravens flew past at Capel-le-Ferne.
Buzzard at West Hythe (Brian Harper; website)
4th - A fine male Redstart was at Abbotscliffe and 2 Willow Warblers and 3 Wheatears at Hythe were also new for the year. 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and 15 Sandwich Terns were noted offshore there and 2 Cetti's Warblers were also present. Elsewhere there was a Blackcap at Horn Street and 2 Nuthatches at Brockhill CP.
2nd - 2 Purple Sandpipers were at Hythe (by Hotel Imperial) and 2 Sandwich Terns were offshore there.
1st - The first migrant Blackcap and a Mandarin were at Saltwood Castle.
For a review of January to March 2009 click here.
