An outrageous and brilliant find by Martin Casemore. Whilst Empidonax Flycatchers offer one of the greatest identification challenges its large size, jizz, peaked crown, green upperparts, pale loral spot, yellow-washed underparts, bill structure and shape and long primary projection all seem consistent with this species.
Acadian Flycatcher at Pt. Pelee May 2011
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at Pt. Pelee May 2011
A smaller, neater proportioned and smaller-billed species than Acadian Flycatcher.
Teal 1W
Commic Tern c.15W
Common Buzzard 2 Marsh Harrier 1 juvenile
Sparrowhawk 3
Kestrel 4 Swift 1W
Swallow c.8,000 mainly west
House Martin c.7,000 mainly west
Sand Martin 11W
Pied Wagtail 11W
Yellow Wagtail 2W
Meadow Pipit c.75W Tree Pipit 1W
Wheatear 4 Redstart 1
Reed Warbler 1
Blackcap 10
Whitethroat 8
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Chiffchaff 170 with many flying north and others appearing to arrive in off sea
Spotted Flycatcher 4
Siskin 30W + others very high heard
Grey Heron 21 W (flock of 19 followed by 2)
Yellow Wagtail 12 S
Sedge Warbler 1
A migrant flock of Grey Herons west over Rodmell
Whilst not as impressive as the 38 that flew west in formation at Beachy in October 1988 I cursed they weren't Cranes or that there wasn't a Great White Egret amongst them. The latter thought tempted fate, as a couple of hours later there was a pager message to the effect that a Great White Egret had been seen amongst a flock of 10 Grey Herons seen arriving in off the sea at Dungeness!
First seen at 7pm in close company with a Little Egret it proved very mobile being seen a couple more times in flight and once on the deck before last being seen still with the Little Egret flying towards Southease where I suspect it will roost at the regular Little Egret roost site in the wood just west of the river north of Southease bridge, being the same place the Squacco roosted.