The North end of the SBBO recording area

Today I parked up at Newdowns polytunnels and walked to Backsand then to the 100 acre field before returning to the poly tunnels via the beach.

The birding was in truth very similar to what you would see on Worth marsh or Pegwell without expending anywhere near the effort I did today but whatever, I probably needed the exercise.

Needless to say whitethroats were everywhere but sedge and reed warblers were pretty thin on the ground. Backsand proved to be pretty full of water with no sand/mud banks showing however it was there that the bird of the day was seen – a spoonbill. I assume this is one of those that has been showing at Pegwell. Whilst the bill had the yellow on it of an adult there was still a small amount of black on the wingtips that could be seen in the video I took of the bird. The bird was still there when I left at 9.30 but by this time it was settling down for a sleep.

Spoonbill - Backsand

(The picture is a “grab” from the video, my camera still being repaired.)

After Backsand I walked north but had to get onto the river bank to avoid a humongous black bull that was in with the cows. The river bank was alive with whitethroats but no sign/sound of the lesser we had there a week or two back. I did however hear the willow-chiff as well as 2 chiffs calling as normal. On the mud of the river (before the tide covered the lot) were 2 little egrets.

Once past the cows/bull I returned to the field then went across to the 100 acre field and returned to Newdowns via the beach. A nice walk but only common stuff was seen but it did include 2 mistle thrushes and a cuckoo.