Folkestone & Hythe Birds

15th - A Black-throated Diver, 7 Manx Shearwaters and 90 Common Terns flew east past Samphire Hoe.

14th - A Bee-eater flew north at Church Hougham at 15:30. There was a small movement of waders, with a Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, 2 Dunlins and 6 Oystercatchers past Samphire Hoe and 2 Common Sandpipers were on the seawall. 3 Manx Shearwaters also flew east there.

13th - Another quiet day in gusty winds. A Grey Wagtail, 2 Swifts and 5 Dunlin flew east at Samphire Hoe. 

12th - Little of note. 

11th - A Honey Buzzard flew in off the sea at Abbotscliffe at 10:15. 3 Lapwings and 160 Wood Pigeons flew east at Samphire Hoe.

10th - A quieter day although 2 Turtle Doves flew west at Samphire Hoe (a long overdue addition to the site list, and the 200th species to be recorded there). 

9th - A Montagu's Harrier flew east over Samphire Hoe at 11:00 and a Honey Buzzard came in off the sea at 12:00. It was quiet at sea although a Great Northern Diver flew west close inshore. 

8th - 5 Pomarine Skuas flew east past Samphire Hoe (at 09:00) as did an Arctic Skua and 2 Shovelers. There was a trickle of visible migration into the easterly wind, comprising 13 Swallows, 12 Goldfinches, 2 Swifts, 2 Siskins and a Yellow Wagtail.

7th - A Red Kite and a Short-eared Owl at Samphire Hoe, also 2 Common Sandpipers there. 

6th - 3 Pomarine Skuas flew east past Samphire Hoe, as did 3 Greenshanks, a Grey Plover, 2 Sanderlings and 4 Dunlins. On land the first Tree Pipit, a Hobby and 5 Siskins flew east.

5th - 7 Pomarine Skuas flew east east past Samphire Hoe (6 at 07:25 and 1 at 19:10) as did a single Arctic Skua. A Short-eared Owl was reported and a Common Sandpiper was seen on the beach. 14 Swallows, 2 Swifts, a Yellow Wagtail and a Hobby flew in/east.

4th - Single Arctic Skua, Great Skua and Little Gull flew east past Samphire Hoe, also 2 Wheatears there and 6 Siskins flew east. 

3rd - A flock of 8 Pomarine Skuas flew east past Samphire Hoe at 10:00, as did an Arctic Skua, 2 Little Terns and 105 Sandwich Terns.

2nd - A Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Black-throated Divers, 11 Little Terns, 125 Sandwich Terns, 260 Bar-tailed Godwits and 330 'commic' terns flew east past Samphire Hoe, a Hobby, a Yellow Wagtail and 7 Swallows flew in off the sea there, and a Willow Warbler, 3 Wheatears and 12 House Martins were seen.

1st -  Singles of Black-throated Diver and Arctic Skua flew east and Manx Shearwater flew west at Samphire Hoe. 2 Swifts at the Gun Site.

April 

30th - A Pomarine Skua, 22 Arctic Skuas, 80 'commic' terns (including several Arctics), 120 Sandwich Terns and 145 Gannets flew east past Samphire Hoe, whilst a Manx Shearwater flew west, and a Hobby and a Lesser Whitethroat were seen.

29th - An Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skuas and 80 Bar-tailed Godwits flew east past Samphire Hoe. 

27th - 15 Pomarine Skuas flew east past Samphire Hoe, also 2 Arctic Skuas and 220 Sandwich Terns. 2 House Martins, 2 Swallows, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Wheatear and a Jay were also noted there and a Cuckoo and a Sedge Warbler were in the Botolph's Bridge area. 

26th - Another Swift at the Gun Site but otherwise fairly quiet - Little Egret, Wheatear, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Swallows and 7 Whitethroats at Samphire Hoe.

25th - A Hobby, a Yellow Wagtail and 22 Swallows flew in off the sea at Samphire Hoe and 2 Ravens were seen in the morning. Single Black-throated Diver and Shag flew east. The first Swift was at the Gun Site.

24th - There was a decent movement at sea, with 2 Great Skuas, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Shags, 2 Velvet Scoters, 3 Little Terns, 4 Black-throated Divers, 7 Barnacle and 40 Brent Geese, 11 Little Gulls, 17 Cormorants, 70 Common Scoters and 230 Sandwich Terns mainly going east past Samphire Hoe. A Redpoll, 7 Yellow Wagtails and 13 Swallows arrived in off the sea, and a Black Redstart, 2 Willow Warblers and 5 Whitethroats were seen.

23rd - A Manx Shearwater, a Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 26 Mediterranean Gulls and 70 Sandwich Terns flew east past Samphire Hoe in the morning, whilst 3 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Swallows flew in off the sea, and a Wheatear was grounded. There was a heavy passage of Sandwich and 'Commic' Terns there in the afternoon.

22nd - There was a little visual migration at Samphire Hoe, including a Sand Martin, 7 Swallows, 27 Chaffinches and 30 Siskins in/east. 10 Little Gulls and 10 Whimbrel flew east at sea there. 

21st - An Arctic Skua and 175 Sandwich Terns flew east past Samphire Hoe.

20th - A Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and 3 Whitethroats at the Gun Site. 4 Swallows and 4 Yellow Wagtails flew in/east at Samphire Hoe and single Great and Arctic Skua flew past, whilst 3 Willow Warbler were present. 15 Swallows in off at the Cafe in the afternoon. The first Reed Warblers at Botolph's Bridge and Donkey Street, also another 4 Swallows there.

19th - After a rainy start there was a little movement at sea, with 3 Arctic Skuas, 4 Grey Plovers, 8 Knot, 20 Whimbrel, 52 Bar-tailed Godwits and 92 Sandwich Terns east past Samphire Hoe. A pair of Mandarin at Brockhill CP.

18th - Quieter at sea, with little more than 165 Sandwich Terns moving east at Samphire Hoe, and a single Eider west. 

17th - An Arctic Skua, 3 Bonxies, 4 Sanderlings, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 10 Teal, 27 Shoveler, 50 Commic and 150 Sandwich Terns flew east past Samphire Hoe. A Yellow Wagtail flew in off the sea there.

16th - A Black-throated Diver, a Great Skua, 7 Whimbrel, 10 Velvet and 170 Common Scoters and 420 Sandwich Terns flew east past Samphire Hoe. A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling there and single Wheatear and Whitethroat were seen. A Whitethroat at the Gun Site.

15th - Just a single Wheatear at Samphire Hoe and 14 Siskins flew east. 

14th - The first House Martin at Seabrook, also a Wheatear and 2 Willow Warblers there. A Buzzard inland of Capel-le-Ferne. 

13th - The first Whitethroat and 2 Common Terns at Samphire Hoe, and 2 Black-throated Divers flew east. The first Yellow Wagtail at Botolph's Bridge.

 Yellow Wagtail - Botolph's Bridge (Brian Harper)

12th - Single Manx Shearwater and Great Skua flew east past Samphire Hoe and 2 Velvet Scoters flew west. 6 Swallows flew in off the sea and a continental Coal Tit, 2 Willow Warblers and 4 Black Redstarts were present.

11th - There was a large movement of 346 Gannets east past Samphire Hoe and 2 Shovelers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 7 Whimbrel, 80 Brent Geese and 146 Sandwich Terns also flew east. On the land just a single Wheatear was seen.

10th - There was an early movement of 180 Sandwich Terns and 60 Gannets east  past Samphire Hoe, but little else.

9th - The first-winter Glaucous Gull its first appearance for a while off Samphire Hoe and a Blackcap, 3 Swallows and 12 Siskins were noted there.

8th - A Raven flew west at the Cafe at 2 p.m. 1,500 Wood Pigeons flew north over Botolph's Bridge. Otherwise rather quiet recently in cold conditions.

7th - Just 12 Siskins east at Samphire Hoe. 

6th - 3 continental Coal Tits at Samphire Hoe. 

5th - A small arrival of migrants, with a fine male Redstart at Hythe and a Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers and 9 Chiffchaffs at Samphire Hoe. 210 Siskins flew east at the latter site and 2 Swallows came in off the sea.

4th - A Swallow flew in off the sea at Samphire Hoe. 

3rd - Another continental Coal Tit at Samphire Hoe also a Firecrest, a Black Redstart and 2 Willow Warblers there. A Marsh Harrier flew in off the sea and 30 Siskins went east. 13 Sandwich Terns off Hythe.

2nd - There appeared to have been a small arrival of tits at Samphire Hoe with 3 continental Coal Tits, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Great Tits and 2 Blue Tits new in. The Water Pipit was seen again on the beach at the west end and a Firecrest, a Corn Bunting and 2 Black Redstarts were also present. 170 Wood Pigeons flew west.
A Swallow flew west at the Cafe in the afternoon. A Cuckoo and 20 Swallows were reported at Nickoll's Quarry.

1st - Just 2 Firecrests at Samphire Hoe. 

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For a review of last year click here.

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