The sea fog that had been present for the past 2 days had lifted and France looked closer than ever. Straight southerlies first thing and another good morning on the headland.
A slightly later start for me but as I walked along the tarmac path just before South Foreland lighthouse I heard the arresting calls of several Bee–eaters moving high above me. they remained unseen, I just couldn’t get on them. I presumed these might have been part of the flock of 10 that was found the day before in west Dover but it seems Iain R had 9 fly in off the sea and East at Folkestone Warren 20 mins before. A few minutes later and Sandwich bird obs tweeted 4 over and just after that Mark K had one fly over him in the Dover area too, it seems like there were quite a few in south east Kent today.
I thought the conditions seemed good for birds of prey so I got comfortable above the valley and at 10.00 am I had a Honey Buzzard fly in off the sea and gain height to the distress of the local gulls, the bird flew off NE and was later seen over Bockhill. Distant pics below.
My first HB since moving down here and first since I had 3 in a day just to west of here in the middle of June last year, have a look
PERDIX BIRDER 