Kent Highlights for September 2026

                                                        10th 

                                            DUNGENESS  RSPB

                              

Red necked Phalarope

An afternoon visit to Dungeness Rspb on the 10th was rewarded with good but distant scope views of the Red necked Phalarope from the  Dennis Hide.

There wasn't much else to be seen as there was essential work being carried out on the islands, i did hear a Whimbrel and i saw 2 Clouded Yellows.

12th

SWALECLIFFE

Wryneck.

A very enjoyable local twitch to Swalecliffe on the 12th for the recently found Wryneck was very successful with great views obtained.

Great to bump into the Swalecliffe regulars and would just like to wish Andy .T. every success in his adventures in pastures new.

Wryneck.

14th

DUNGENESS NNR

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Having started the morning at Oare Marshes which was very quiet other then a small movement of Meadow Pipits (21) & Swallows (15) we decided to check out the West Flood when news came out of a Bonelli's Warbler sp in the trapping area at Dungeness, our minds were quickly made up and we were soon heading there.

By the time we got down there the Bonelli's had been confirmed as a Western by call !!

Great this would be a very welcome Dungeness site tick for me & a lifer for AE, plus more importantly they are great looking birds.

Unfortunately by the time we got there it had been lost to view but almost certainly still present , we started our search at it's last known location , there was a small mixed flock of Tits & Chiffs but alas no sign of the WBW with them, other birders started to appear so we split up, AE went one way & i went the other leaving the small group checking out the aera we had just left.

I managed to locate a few Chiffs & Willows including some very bright birds, then after about 20 mins i got a phone call from AE informing me he had relocated the WBW on call, i headed of past the other birders informing them AE had refound it, they joined me and eventually thanks to AE great hearing (& knowledge) we all connected with this superb Western Bonelli's Warbler .

Western Bonelli's Warbler.

We also saw a Merlin & Spotted Flycatcher in the trapping area with a constant movement of Swallows overhead.

Happy with our views of the WBW (special thanks to original finder Tom.R.) we headed off to the Rspb reserve.

Spotted Flycatcher.

RSPB

Red necked Phalarope.

The Red necked Phalarope was still present and still patrolling the same area at the back of Burrowes viewing from Dennis Hide.

There also a White-winged Black Tern (found earlier originally on Arc by MC) in front of the Dennis hide.

Presumably a different bird to the one in August ??

White-winged Black Tern.

19th

OARE  MARSHES

House Martin

Heading to Oare marshes on the 19th and along the approach road just past the Church we noticed a huge movement of House Martins.

The sky was full of them , they were also hawking low over the fields giving fantastic views , a very conservative estimate of 4000+ birds.

There was also lesser numbers of Swallows (500+) and we saw only a handful of Sand Martins later in the morning near the sea wall.

Sky full of  House Martins.

Eventually we dragged ourselves away and once on the reserve we had distant views of an Osprey on a post on the Sheppey side of the Swale, we also saw it flying over Horse sands later in the morning.

Digi-scoped Osprey.

Other highlights were 15 Cattle Egrets on the still very barren dry East Flood plus a single Wheatear also on the East flood, such a shame the way the East flood is seemingly being left to dry up and become over grown with vegetation, this used to be such a wader magnet in the autumn and a very important stop off point for them, a great habitat lost, real shame . 

HOLBOROUGH MARSH

1st winter Grey Phalarope.

 After a morning visit to Oare Marshes we were undecided what to do then news broke that a  1st winter Grey Phalarope  had been discovered on a very small pool at Holborough Marshes near Snodland.

So after a quick dash up the M2 we were soon enjoying this magical little wader.

Digi-scoped

Having a walk around.

Grey Phalarope.

We decided to have a walk around the site and saw a Red Kite , Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher  by the river.

Kingfisher.

25th

OARE  MARSHES

Bearded Tit

A walk to Uplees on the lookout for migrants was mostly disappointing as there were very few bird's around, we did see a flock of 20+ Bearded Tits in the reedbed on the way back though which are always great to see.

Bearded Tits.

A Grey Wagtail & Water Rail at Dans Dock was good to see, we also saw a large flock of 24 Grey Heron's fly high over the West Flood.

24 Grey Herons

Grey Herons

There was also 3 Clouded Yellows & 2 Wall Browns along the sea wall.

Wall Brown.

30th

OARE   MARSHES

Water Rail

Another windy visit to Oare Marshes today didn't produce the hoped for Nutcracker or even a Yellow-browed Warbler (it's the hope that kills you).

However we did get superb views yet again of the Water Rail at Dan's Dock.

Water Rail

There was also 2 Raven's honking overhead as they flew through the reserve.

1 of 2 Raven's

News of a Yellow-browed Warbler near the car park at Reculver made up our minds for what to do for the rest of the day.

We were soon on the road and parking up on site. After about 5 mins the Yellow-browed Warbler started to call !!

With some patience  the Yellow-browed Warbler showed well, quite a bright bird with bold supercilium & wings bars easily seen.

Really like these small leaf warblers , frequently calling and giving tantalising brief  views most of the time but on the odd occasion it did show well.

Yellow-browed Warbler. Photo from Shetland in 2023.

I never managed a photo but the above photo is the closet match i could find of the sort of views we were getting.

A short sea watch from the Towers produced 10+ Gannets & 2 Common Scoters plus 3 Red Throated Divers on the sea (1 in summer plumage), there was also 2 Stonechats, Robin & a Rock Pipit on the rocks below.