Dusky catch up.

Most of the locals, as well as quite a few visitors were up bright and early looking for any of yesterdays goodies that remained or in the hope of finding new arrivals carried on the light breeze overnight. I had decided on a gentle walk round the farm and the Freedown when I got a message from Phil that the Dusky Warbler had been re-found in the paddock.

As it had disappeared yesterday before I got a look I made my way up to the area everyone was watching. After a few tantalising glimpses I did manage of few seconds when it appeared on the ground it a gap in the vegetation. After that it promptly flew off to the edge of a garden nearby. Fortunately it carried on regularly giving its quiet "Tak" call, not unlike a Lesser Whitethroats call, but less sharp and emphatic. It was this call and Brendans sharp ears that had led to it being found this morning. We could see it moving about, but on the few occasions it came in the open, it moved on before I could get my camera on it.

In all honesty it hasn't got a lot of attractive features, but as a vagrant from Siberia that should be migrating to South East Asia its arrival always causes some excitement. It is also the first record for Bockhill, although there had been one previously near the South Foreland Lighthouse in Oct 1992.

The pictures I got were not very good, but it wasn't a willing subject!

At least once a year there is a gathering of migrant House Martins on the Monument, and today was the day. I always happens on warm sunny days, but I have no idea what causes them to cling to the stone face in the way that they do. There have been times when they seem to cover the whole surface.

Meanwhile Swallows where feeding over the paddock in good numbers. For the first time during this autumns migration House Martins out numbered Swallow by about two to one. Other birds around today were three Ravens and a Honey Buzzard. I missed the Honey Buzzard as I had dashed off to Ripple after a Lesser Grey Shrike had been reported there, it turned out to be a Great Grey Shrike, perhaps the one that had been in the Freedown yesterday.