May 8th - 19th + a lifer!!

With visits still at a premium, here is a quick run down of what's been happening, firstly I have been to Portugal and Spain between the 2 dates above, seeing Black Kites, White Storks and Woodchat Shrikes while in Portugal for 2 days then this week a couple of days near Valencia on the southern Spanish coast produced evidence that migration is still in full swing there, from the hotel garden I had, 1000's of Common Swifts coming in off the sea in a constant flow for at least half an hour 20+ Honey Buzzards, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher as well a couple of small flocks of Swallows and House Martins, so things may still reach us yet!! Also seen were Beeeater, Woodchat Shrike, several Serins and Lesser Kestrel, sometimes work isn't so bad!!!
Back at the patch a guided walk on the 11th produced my first TURTLE DOVE (86) year and later a brief HOBBY (87). Being away meant my next visit was on the 17th when 4 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS (88) were found which is a promising number. Today I finally caught up with my first HOUSE MARTIN (89) on the patch this year, must be the latest 'first' ever of this bird!

Goldfinch preening

Goldfinch

Spotted Flycatcher

Little Owl

There has been one other major event and that was the obviously the DUSKY THRUSH found by Steve Tomlinson, I was out at Dunge and got a text from Stephen but with an appointment booked for 10am there wasn't really enough time to get to Margate and make it back, after a couple of texts, my Wife took the first appointment and I just had to be back for 11am for the next one!! I got to Margate at 9am saw the bird and caught up with a few friendly faces only to set off again at 9.30am, in actual fact, I'm not as interested in twitching as I used to be, and these days find it much less pleasurable but I do love seeing new birds, so a quick visit when it wasn't over run with people was about right for me.

Dusky Thrush record shot, a new bird for me :-)