It's been a great week here at Dungeness with spring migrants arriving daily, a few winter visitors still around and a couple of rarities to add to the fun. Migrants have included little ringed plover, common tern, sand martin, swallow, yellow wagtail, wheatear, sedge warbler and willow warbler. Of our winter visitors a few goldeneyes and smew can still be found along with six Slavonian grebes and two black-necked grebes. Three penduline tits have been busily feeding in the reedmace by the ARC site willow trail. Seeing them can require a little patience but a view of these delightful little birds is well worth the wait.
The other rarity causing a good deal of excitement is a pallid swift. The bird was first spotted yesteray when identification could not be confirmed but luckily it was seen again earlier today over Denge Marsh and Hooker's pits where several local birders were able to have a closer look at it. It was last seen over the ARC site before torrential rain put paid to any further observations!