Feasting on the leftovers

After a three month absence, I'm back on the Dungeness shingle for a stay. For how long? A piece of string comes to mind...

My itinerary on arrival was one that was target specific - RSPB for American Black Tern and observatory fridge for Beautiful Marbled. Both successful. Both worthy in their differing ways. The purist will salivate at the subtle tern and deride the Lepidoptera in the pot. However, my purity is sullied.

What was unadulterated was the splendid loose flock of chats that I spent over an hour with in the desert, with up to eight Stonechat, two Whinchat and a Wheatear. They tolerated me as they moved around a small area of gorse and broom, in the process picking up 3-4 Whitethroats and two Great Tits that adhered themselves to the mobile chats.

As dark fell we wandered out to take in the Mediterranean vibe of the singing Tree Crickets. It's good to be back.

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