CROYDON RSPB MEMBERS' GROUP - TRIP REPORT

At our first stop, to the north of Dymchurch, we braved the rain to scan flooded farmland behind the seawall for the dotterel that was rumoured to be have joined a flock of golden plovers in the area. For some time it looked as though we might be unlucky - when a hobby passed overhead in pursuit of an unfortunate small passerine, the plover flock revealed its presence by taking to the air briefly, but then dropped down again several fields away from us, still frustratingly out of range. However, as we were on the point of leaving, the flock took off again, this time landing at a comfortable viewing distance and allowing us to find our target bird, which proved surprisingly easy to pick out from the other plovers.

Although the rain had ceased by the time we reached the shingle bank behind the power-station at Dungeness, we were grateful to escape from the wind into the relative shelter of the hide for our careful check through the whirling mass of seabirds over 'the Patch'. Sandwich and black terns were noted here and, with perseverance, we were able to distinguish a few first-year Arctics from the more numerous common terns. Both adult and first winter little gulls were also present, while an Arctic skua and several gannets were seen passing in the far distance, battling their way westwards into the wind. Back along the beach, another little gull demonstrated its diminutive stature as it sheltered in the lee of roosting herring gulls.

After lunch, by now enjoying sunshine and crystal-clear visibility, we found several black-tailed godwits and a few teal roosting at Pett Pools and good numbers of curlews on the surrounding pastures. Several late sand martins were seen hawking for flies over the levels.

A large flock of linnets and a smaller one of skylarks were active in the ploughed fields behind the caravan site at Rye Harbour. Little grebes were plentiful on Ternery Pool, where drake shovelers and wigeon were back almost to full plumage after eclipse. A greenshank flying overhead was readily identified by its three syllable call before coming into view and a little egret feeding at a flooded scrape in the shingle presented no problems either. On the beach, a few sanderlings and grey plovers were roosting among ringed plovers, with a large flock of oystercatchers nearby. As we turned back inland beside the River Rother, several wheatears on the fence line allowed close approach and a small covey of grey partridges was seen further out among the low shingle banks on the reserve. A little owl, backlit by the sinking sun as it sheltered amid the sparse vegetation, made a nice finale.