Wednesday 24 June 2020

Gull-billed Tern at Dungeness

I had a feeling this year was going to be my Gull-billed Tern year and when news came through last night regarding one on ARC pit at Dungeness I thought this would be my chance to finally add it to my life list. I left early but had to divert as the road down to the M25 was closed apparently due to a murder enquiry but I still arrived before 7am. The bird had been seen to leave the roost at 4am but hadn't been seen since and I had to wait until 9.30am before I saw it flying in from the Tower end where I'd already found a Black-winged Stilt. The small crowd were more than happy when I put the shout up and as the bird moved closer and closer I was glad it proved to be the target and not a Sandwich Tern which did run through my mind as I called it.


Gull-billed Tern

I watched the bird until 10.30am when it flew over Burrowes pit to rest and I decided to have a quick look at the sea. The only thing of note here was a RNLI lifeboat picking up a group of people and delivering them to the Border Force patrol. I had another go at seeing the Tern and after an hours wait it flew in again and gave a decent display to the handful of birders for the afternoon shift. As I stood waiting I picked up a large raptor coming in toward the pit and as it got close enough I could confirm it was a Honey Buzzard which again delighted me and the other guys on site.

View over ARC pit


Border force doing what they do 
The Honey Buzzard 
The year list nudged forward to 224
The life list now sits at 412 with my first new bird of the year

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

No comments:

Post a Comment