Marc Heath

Excellent session on the Nethergong/Chislet Marshes patch this morning. Highlights included 4 TREE SPARROW (patch tick). Also 1 Ring Ouzel, 100+ White fronted Geese, 1 Merlin, 2 Firecrest, 9 Grey Partridge and 2 Coal Tit. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

A 40 minute seawatch from Herne Bay Downs in a gale force West wind tonight only produced 12 Sandwich Tern, 1 Wigeon, 3 Golden Plover and 3 Common Gull. Should've stayed indoors! @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

A session scanning the Southern end of Chislet Marshes tonight produced c75 White fronted Geese, 1 Brent Goose, 154 Greylag Geese, 15 Egyptian Geese, 6 Marsh Harrier and c15,000 Starling putting on a murmaration before moving off towards Grove Ferry. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Highlights seawatching off Herne Bay Downs this morning included 2 Great White Egret WNW, a patch tick Merlin west at sea, 666 Brent Geese, 110 Lapwing, 3 Arctic Skua, 60 Little Gull, 111 Kittiwake, 1 Razorbill and 1 Red breasted Merganser. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Common Darter and Willow Emerald Damselfly from today at Nethergong, Kent. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

Pleasant hour at Nethergong produced 1 Brambling, 20+ Common Darter, 10+ Willow Emerald Damselfly and 6 Migrant Hawker. @kentishplover.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #kentbirding #KentDragonflies

A Raven flying over Bishopstone last weekend at eye level. The first time I have managed to photograph this species on the patch. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

🚨 The new Red List for Britain’s dragonflies is here! The 2026 review draws on 1.3 million+ records collected over 20 years. 8 species are now classed as Endangered, twice as many as in 2008. 📖 Read the full review & share: buff.ly/muwGa3Z

Superb Neil. A great watch.

Northern Lights from Bishopstone on the North Kent coast, UK, 10th October 2026. Put on an excellent show for a good hour from 19:30. Definitely a 'wow' night. @metjam.co.uk #aurora #northernlights #auroraborealis

Patch tick this morning on the Nethergong/Chislet Marshes with 2 PINTAIL on the reservoir. @kentishplover.bsky.social ##kentbirding

Northern Lights put on an excellent display on the North Kent coast at Bishopstone tonight. #Aurora #NorthernLights

An Arctic Tern (#143) was a year tick past Herne Bay Downs this morning. Also 3 Raven west along the coast. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

At last, the Herne Bay Downs year list moves on to 140 species with Red legged Partridge and Reed Bunting added this morning. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Pleasant seawatch off Herne Bay Downs this morning. 2 patch ticks included 1 Purple Sandpiper west and 2 Ruff west. Also 7 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Razorbill and 10 Mediterranean Gull. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Turnstone from this morning at Herne Bay Downs. More @ hernebaydownsbirding.blogspot.com. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

A brief seawatch and look on Herne Bay Downs this morning produced 3 Arctic Skua west, 1 Marsh Harrier west, 4 Bar tailed Godwit east, 639 House Martin West and 107 Swallow west. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Pleasant few hours on the Nethergong/Chislet Marshes patch this morning produced 2 Tawny, 2 Little and 1 Barn Owl, 17 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 5 Grey Partridge, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 singing Firecrest. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

A Knot on the beach from Herne Bay Downs this morning. More @ hernebaydownsbirding.blogspot.com. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Bittern calling as it flew over Nethergong early this morning at 01:45. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Blast from the Past! Wryneck and Hoopoe from the Stour Valley in August 2013. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Immature male Red veined Darter from the Nethergong area, Kent today. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Pleased to find 3 Red veined Darter still in the Nethergong area this afternoon. Also 200+ Migrant Hawker. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

#patchgold this afternoon when I found 2 POCHARD at Nethergong, a new species for the patch. More @ ngbirding.blogspot.com. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

A Knot this morning flying west takes the Herne Bay Downs year list to 132 species. Hopefully a few more birds on the sea passing soon. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Teneral female Red veined Darter from the Nethergong area where they have bred this year. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Superb morning in the Stour Valley. White winged Black Tern, Purple Heron, Spoonbill, Garganey, 45 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret, Whinchat. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Amazed to find 7 RED VEINED DARTER (6 teneral, 1 adult male) this morning in the Nethergong area. Also 10+ exuviae also found to prove breeding. What a result. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Clouded Yellow and Whinchat from the Nethergong / Chislet Marshes patch. More @ ngbirding.blogspot.com. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

NEW bird and butterfly for the Nethergong/Chislet Marshes patch this morning with a WOOD SANDPIPER seen and heard and a WALL BROWN. Also a Coal Tit seen in Chislet Churchyard, a rare bird here. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

2 year ticks this morning on Herne Bay Downs with 12 Black tailed Godwit east and then 22 Black Tern east and back west. Also seen were 55 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper, 32 Sandwich Tern and 20 Common Tern. @kentishplover.bsky.social #Kentbirding

Male Southern Migrant Hawkers in flight. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Male and female Willow Emerald Damselfly. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Male Southern Migrant Hawker from Nethergong yesterday. More @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

Found 2 LESSER EMPEROR, male and female (patch tick) at Nethergong this morning along with 4 Red veined Darter. Only record shots but an excellent site record. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

Male Southern Migrant Hawker from Nethergong today. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Teamdragonfly #KentDragonflies

A couple of hours in the Nethergong area produced 3 Southern Migrant Hawker, 2 Norfolk Hawker, 4 Emperor Dragonfly, 2 Black tailed Skimmer, 2 Willow Emerald Damselfly and a few Common Blue Damselfly and Common and Ruddy Darter. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

2 Quail singing in the Chislet Marshes area this morning at 04:20. This one sounded only a few metres away. @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding

Led a @naturetrek.bsky.social Dragonfly tour today at New Hythe, Kent where the highlights included 35+ Lesser Emperor and 2 Norfolk Hawker. A good range of species were also seen. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social ##KentDragonflies

Female Willow Emerald Damselfly. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

Male Keeled Skimmer from Hothfield Common, Kent. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies #DragonflyWeek

Did a private Dragonfly tour today at New Hythe for 2 clients. Highlights included 30+ Lesser Emperor, 6+ Norfolk Hawker, 1 Beautiful Demoiselle and a good supporting cast of odonata. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies #DragonflyWeek

🐉✨ Welcome to #DragonflyWeek! We're celebrating the UK's incredible dragonflies and damselflies. Take a look at the events and activities happening this week: buff.ly/SyIUefv 📸 Tag us in your favourite dragonfly and damselfly pictures!

Teneral Female Southern Migrant Hawker from Oare Marshes, Kent. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

What I presume is a brief Quail call over Bishopstone @ 22:20 last night? @kentishplover.bsky.social #kentbirding #nocmig

Red-veined Darter (male & female) on Kingsdown beach this evening.

A 04:15 start on Chislet Marshes in the hope of finding a Quail (I didn't). Even @ 04:30, 3 Norfolk Hawker and 3 Emperor Dragonfly were flying around. Also saw my first 7 Willow Emerald Damselfly of the year along with 12 Emerald Damselfly. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #KentDragonflies

An incredible record of a male SCARCE BLUE-TAILED DAMSELFLY seen today on the outskirts of Canterbury visiting a garden pond. Photos by Jason Moule. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social ##KentDragonflies