RXwildlife Sightings

Dawn highlights from the viewpoint today included, 40 Yellow Wagtail leaving their overnight roost, 11 Whimbrel feeding in the nearby fields, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Cuckoo in song. Little Egret numbers leaving the roost have plummeted in the last week with only seven leaving the roost this morning. Back on the Beach Reserve around 7am highlights included two Swift in flight over Ternery Pool, 3 Little Tern roosting on the low water sand, 35 Common Tern were also present there. A strange find along the shore was a Devil’s Coach-horse beetle, normally these are encountered along the footpaths.

Last week I heard on Radio 4 the sad news that Bob Scott had died of cancer on 26 March. In the 1960s Bob was the warden of both the Dungeness Bird Observatory and the RSPB reserve there. He was a great influence and inspiration to me in my early birding years at Dungeness, and much later when we were both involved in Gullivers wildlife tours. He was a wonderful character who mixed easily with all types of all ages, and his infectious enthusiasm and banter will never be forgotten. I feel I was just very lucky to have known him.
Guardian Obituary and Times Obituary.