My first early morning’s birding for a few days. Warm South Easterlies continue and my search for the first ‘real’ southbound migrant passerine was rewarded with an early Juvenile Common Redstart near the Radar station.
The bird hasn’t completed is post juvenile moult and really looks like juvs you see on breeding grounds of which I was under the impression were non existstent in Kent. 2 Reed Warblers and a Garden Warbler were in bushes nearby, 2 Yellow Wagtails flew over West as did around 35 Swallows, 18 of which appeared to have roosted in trees near the car park overnight. A juvenile Marsh Harrier flew north at great height over the Port of Dover.
The Local YellowHammer population has done well in terms of breeding numbers but Im yet to see a Juvenile Corn Bunting despite the good numbers of adults and singing birds throughout the year, I may not be looking hard enough at them but I’ve picked them up easily enough here in the past.
A days work up in London gave me a chance to pop in on one of my old Gull spots; Erith pier which held 2 smart Juv Yellow–Legged Gulls among the throng of tatty larids.
PERDIX BIRDER 