The common, but dainty, Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend. The species name refers to its ‘laughing’ call.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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#RSPBDungeness
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A handsome male Pochard Aythya ferina at #RSPBDungeness at the Easter weekend, more frequently a winter visitor but a small number are a breeding species here. Many have now left so perhaps this one is resident…
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In a far-flung corner of #RSPBDungeness a Forsythia, a surprise find whilst I was trying to track down a male Greenfinch from its wheezy song, and then intrigued to know how Forsythia, a member of the Olive family, got its name: I read it is after a founder of the RHS: William Forsyth.
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Winter duck visitors to #RSPBDungeness will soon slip away, for some like Wigeon and Shoveler or even Pochard and Tufted, a dramatic absence or obvious decrease in numbers, whilst for a scarce visitor, like this Goldeneye at the weekend, a loss of a jewel on the water.
#kentbirding
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Come along & learn about the development plan for RSPB Dungeness reserve this Thursday evening at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory to hear Craig Edwards. What’s been going on and why, plus what will be happening going forward to re-establish it as a premier reserve #rspbdungeness
#kentbirding
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The smart male Goldeneye Bucephala clangula at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend (with 2 females); a regular passage migrant and winter visitor here. Other ducks incl: Gadwall; Pochard; Shoveler; Teal; Tufted; Wigeon.
#kentbirding
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Not all Great White Egrets at #RSPBDungeness were windswept at the weekend (see previous post), especially when sheltering amongst the reeds.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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A windswept Great White Egret Ardea alba at the new diggings at Boulderwall at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend. A frequent visitor but surely it is just a matter of time before it becomes a resident breeder.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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A lineup of gulls for the @sussexornitholo.bsky.social outing to #Dungeness at the weekend: Herring, Great Black-backed & Yellow-legged (a Caspian Gull also there but declined to take the photo opportunity at #RSPBDungeness).
#ukbirding
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Cygnus cygnus, Whooper Swan Icelandic visitors at #CocklesBridge on the edge of #RSPBDungeness for a final @sussexornitholo.bsky.social sighting from the 7/2/26 outing and just enough time to see Bewick’s from NE Arctic, Bean & Pink-footed Goose on #WallandMarsh.
#ukbirding
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1 of 6 Cattle Egret Bulbulcus ibis, with sheep in place of cattle, at Cockles Bridge near #RSPBDungeness yesterday (10/1/26); a former Kent rarity.
#kentbirding
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Lovely to see Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus swimming on the choppy waters of Burrowes at #RSPBDungeness on Saturday (27/12) as more likely to be found on Walland Marsh as with Whooper also wintering from the Siberian Arctic.
#kentbirding
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Different Ardeidae poses at #RSPBDungeness here at the ARC on 13/12/26. The Grey Heron sometimes adopts this ‘sunning posture’ - it was a pleasantly mild sunny day.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
@rspb.bsky.social
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10 joined me for the last @sussexornitholo.bsky.social outing of 2025 - here at #RSPBDungeness watching a busy female Goldeneye at Burrowes (also from this viewpoint: Cormorant; Egret (Little & Great); Gadwall; Gull (G & Lesser BB + Herring; Shoveler; Teal; Tufted Duck)
#ukbirding
#kentbirding
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These days perhaps the Grey Heron gets overlooked in the presence of more exotic members of the Ardeidae family so here’s a shout out for Old Nog, Old Frank, Julie-the-bogs, etc, with its smart headdress. A number to be found at #RSPBDungeness most days (this last weekend).
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Bucephala clangula - winter is here: Goldeneye at #RSPBDungeness on 29/11; my last here during the first winter period of 2025 was 1/3 before the spring migration back to Scandinavia/NE Europe.
#kentbirding
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Sheep Egret! 6 Bubulcus ibis (Cattle Egret) between #RSPBDungeness and #CockleBridge on 29/11/25. An increasingly common visitor.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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Flowers and berries at #RSPBDungeness for #WildflowerHour. Gorse and Sea Buckthorn on yesterday’s wild weather day.
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For #MushroomMonday a solitary Stubble Rosegill Volvopluteus gloiocephalus at #RSPBDungeness
#fungifriends
#fungi
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Anas strepera asleep at #RSPBDungeness, resident here (In the 19thC only 1 breeding pair of Gadwall was recorded in Britain but now at least 1000) though more often a winter visitor, perhaps from Iceland or to the NE (they breed as far as the Pacific).
#ukbirding
#kentbirding
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Well camouflaged - Limnocryptes minimus, the Jack Snipe, a ‘half Snipe’, at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend. If it doesn’t move you don’t see it. A scarce winter visitor.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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Only a quick snap of a Great White Egret Ardea alba at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend but it does show how long their legs are, not always so obvious when they are standing in water or in reedbeds.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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Panurus biarmicus (Bearded Tit or Reedlings) were obliging at #RSPBDungeness on 25/10/25; perhaps 6, with the grit tray in use as they change from mainly invert to seed feeding.
@saocousins.bsky.social
@drrjwarren.bsky.social
#kentbirding
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Locally the weather has been a bit dank & grey so here are a couple of cheerful Large-flowered Evening Primrose (brightening up #RSPBDungeness at the weekend). But beware they are “taxonomically complex” and possess “an almost unique cryogenic condition” (Stace & Crawley). @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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Cattle and Cattle Egret at Denge Marsh #RSPBDungeness at the weekend. From the hide Great and Little Egret, Grey Heron and Bittern also seen in an Ardeidae bonanza.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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A dabbling duck adabbling - a female Teal, Anas crecca, at #RSPBDungeness last weekend when Storm Amy wasn’t around.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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Couldn’t resist this snoozing male Shoveler, Spatula clypeata, at #RSPBDungeness at the weekend. A “Widespread but thinly distributed breeding species” (Kent Bird Report 2023) but though I see them here every visit I cannot recall ducklings.
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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Egretta garzetta at #RSPBDungeness on Saturday (27/9) “Formerly scarce but now breeding. Common and widespread” (Kent Bird Report 2023). First reported in significant numbers in U.K. in 1989 and first bred in 1996 (when I first recorded seeing one).
#kentbirding
#ukbirding
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