STEVE ASHTON'S WILDLIFE GALLERY

June 2008

Whiskered Tern and American Golden Plover.

Another new life tick for me today, in the shape of an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, seen at Pegwell Bay this morning, with some good scope views, although too distant for any photo’s. I started off at 04.00 am, entering the Grove Ferry reserve, and going down the river bank, noting all the usual suspects in the Dawn Chorus. My plan was to start early at the water meadows, being the place where the Whiskered Tern had been seen the previous morning by Martyn Wilson. I met Martyn, Marc Heath, Allan Ashdown and Steve Ray, whom all had the same idea, and we spent 30 minutes by Paddy’s Bench, but no Whiskered Tern in sight. We were joined by Pete Solly, and made our way round to the main lake at Stodmarsh, where Martyn picked out the WHISKERED TERN, settling on a post, and spending the next 2 hours there, with sorties out over the lake periodically, allowing a few photo opportunities, although conditions and light were appalling. We eventually lost site of the bird, so retraced our footsteps, and returned along the river bank to the Grove Ferry end of the reserve. The RBA pager alerted us to the presence of an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, showing well at Pegwell, so picking up Mike Gould whom had just arrived at Grove, we drove to Pegwell, and straight away connected with the bird, some 50 metres out on the Salt Marsh, feeding in amongst a pair of Grey Plovers. The first of this species I have ever seen, made all the better by the bird being an Adult, in full Summer plumage. Sandwich Terns were seen, as were Bar-Tailed Godwits, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, and a TEMMINCK`S STINT. All in all a good weekend, with 3 new life ticks obtained, and some great views of quality birds.

DAY LIST. (Grove Ferry). Blackbird, Chaffinch, Wren, Nightingale, Robin, Mute Swan, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Great Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Moorhen, Coot, Cuckoo, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Song Thrush, Green Woodpecker, Mallard, Collard Dove, Pheasant, Blackcap, Starling, Swift, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Cormorant, Wood Pigeon, Marsh Harrier, Shoveller, Little Egret, Greenfinch, Common Tern, Chiffchaff, Magpie, Whiskered Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Shell Duck, Long-tailed Tit, Teal, Bittern, Jay, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Common Snipe, Stock Dove, Skylark, House Martin.
(Pegwell Bay). Temminck`s Stint, American Golden Plover, Sandwich Tern, Oyster-Catcher, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Dunnock.