Swift, swallow and house martin were in abundance over Burrowes pit in the showery weather today. Other sightings included cuckoo, spotted flycatcher in the willow trail at ARC, hobby at Makepeace hide and two little gull at Denge Marsh.

What do you do if your Wildlife Explorer group meets at a very windy place?

Make kites, of course!

Whilst the Marsh Harrier team were off surveying breeding bitterns and harriers, the Purple Heron team got down to making Fish Kites. Using wire, sticks, string and crepe paper they produced some amazing kites: colourfully decorated and carefully constructed. They were then off to a suitably windy place to fly them..which they all did beautifully.

Our next meeting will be our annual trip out. On Saturday 22 June 2013 we will be meeting at Bedgebury Pinetum for a day out exploring trees and woodlands. If you are aged 7 to 16 years old and you would like to join us please contact Heather Chantler ( RSPB Dungeness Wildlife Explorer leader) for details on 01797 320588.

Pop in to the RSPB Dungeness shop and save £10 when you buy any two single 12.75 kg sacks of selected bird seed and seed mixes. 

Offer ends 4 June 2013, subject to availability. Offer excludes 12.75kg Premium peanuts, Buggy nibbles and High energy sprinkles.

The shop at RSPB Dungeness is open from 10am to 5pm every day.

A cattle egret was found yesterday afternoon (with the cattle!) in a field to the right of the entrance track.  It has been present all day today, although it has been disappearing into a ditch fairly regularly.   A scaup is still around (currently on the ARC pit) and there are plenty of hobbies hunting over Hooker's pits and Denge Marsh.

A pretty miserable, cold and grey day was brightened by the news that the local ravens appear to have fledged three young.  A good selection of waders (dunlin, sanderling, common sandpiper  and black-tailed godwit were on the islands of Burrowes pit and the scaup were still present.