Geoff Burton

Left Kowa telescope and tripod by the side of the road opposite the Grove Ferry Inn, Stodmarsh yesterday. If anyone has found it or has any news please DM me. Thanks

Not a bad morning for early July. Shag for second day, Hen Harrier, 2 Avocets and Hobby at Swalecliffe and male Red-backed Shrike at Uplees. A mixed bag!

Reported comment from someone on a field trip to Oare Marshes last week on being pointed out the Bonaparte’s Gull. “I’m not bothered, I’ve seen loads of them in France” …

Drake Velvet Scoter with a duck Common Scoter landed off the Obs at 9 am. Our latest here since May records in 1991 and 1992.

Moor Green Lakes, 3 LRPs and Green Sandpiper #berkshirebirds

My first Berkshire Barn Owl

A Willow Warbler singing in the bushes opposite the Obs. Our earliest ever, I think!

Spring has finally sprung for me with a couple of spankers in male Wheatear and drake Garganey at Oare Marshes

Added Blackcap and Peacock butterfly to my year list while gardening. Not rare, well gardening is😀

A wet and windy morning sees me cowering indoors. No more than 10 feet from the dining room window a Firecrest appears briefly. What a jewel bravely ignoring the weather 👍

Mass twitch at the Swalecliffe Obs

@LeeEvansBirding This gull was seen on the beach at Swalecliffe on 23 October and a few times since. Ringed at Pitsea Landfill Site in 2014, seen in North Norway in May 2017. More information from North Thames Gull Group

A lot of large white-headed gulls back at Springfield Landfill this morning including 23 Great Black-backed Gulls. Does anybody know red-ringed T4AT? I've not recorded this one before

Long-tailed Duck present for 14th day. Also Great Northern Diver, 4 Red-throated Diver, Eider, 6 Common Scoters, Grey Plover, 10 Little Gulls W, 2 Sandwich Terns, Short-eared Owl, Kingfisher

A total of 67 Little Gulls W at Seasalter. Also 2 Eiders, 50 Common Scoters, Merganser, 9 Kittiwakes, 2 Razorbills and 2 Short-eared Owls in off.

Good start to the day with Hooded Crow, Long-tailed Duck, Pomarine Skua, Merganser, Eider, Razorbill. 2 Great Northern Divers

@BarryWright12 @MurrayOrchard Interesting list of observers

@BarryWright12 @MurrayOrchard All I remember about it is that a number of observers were convinced it was one and suggested a two bird theory. Whether that was made clear and argued with BBRC, I don’t know.

@MurrayOrchard @BarryWright12 Perhaps there should be a revue of the disputed Western Sandpiper

@BarryWright12 Upland Sandpiper?🤔……nocmig at Sandwich😬

Morning at Oare Marshes in stiff E wind. 31 Little Gulls, in 4 groups, flew across Swale heading S inland around 10.30am. Red-throated Diver off the sea wall hide. 3 Spoonbills, 2 Tufted Ducks and Spotted Redshank on east flood. Otherwise quiet

Today is the 46th anniversary of the juvenile Spotted Sandpiper at Bough Beech Reservoir. This “unspotty youth” remained for 11 days. It was the 37th for Britain but, with over 200 records since then, only one, an adult, has been seen in Kent, in June 1994. Time for another?