11/10/2025

A fairly slow but enjoyable sea watch this morning from the fishing boats, with 240 Brent Geese moving west 40+ Mediterranean Gulls going East into Lade Bay and few other bits, along with several Harbour Porpoises and Seals. Per Jacob, Little Gulls were moving West late afternoon from the fishing boats.

When I arrived home for breakfast there were 200+ Greylag Geese in the field opposite my house, a quick scan through them soon revealed a Pink Footed Goose among them, a from the garden year tick.

Pink Footed Goose among the Greylags in the field opposite my house

 After some domestic stuff I went to the reserve where there were 3 Caspian Gulls viewed from Dennis's, also c50 Golden Plover & 150 Lapwing. A wander up to Firth with Sean O found the Curlew Sandpiper, while we there all the gulls and waders on Burrowes were spooked by a Marsh Harrier, enabling us to spot a Little Stint flying around with the Golden Plover and Lapwing.

2 Near adult Caspian Gulls on Burrowes 

Curlew Sandpiper in front of Firth

09/10/2025

 Another morning with no sea watching, I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms, hopefully things will pick up in a few days time.

A wander around The Desert instead and TA was also quiet, 2 very distant Glossy Ibis flying around the reserve, Skylarks, Siskins, Reed Buntings and Chaffinches overhead in small numbers, a big decrease in the number of Hirundines and also much fewer Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps around and just a single Wheatear, pick of the bunch were 3 Dartford Warblers flitting around the Gorse.                                                           Wheatear in The Desert

At the back of Scotney the usual Lapwing, Golden Plovers, Linnets, Goldfinches, Pied Wagtails, Skylarks,Reed Buntings, Common Buzzards, Marsh Harriers, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels, but I was unable to find the Buff-breasted Sandpiper or American Golden Plover, there was still at lest 2 Yellow Wagtails present.

On the way home I dropped in on the local Little Owl that was keeping an eye on a Common Buzzard.

A visit to the reserve this afternoon saw the long staying Curlew Sandpiper, a few Golden Plover and Lapwing but there was disturbance from the work parties. 

A Nathusius Pipistrelle which was found in the visitor centre is now in care.

A Bloxworth Snout a very rare visitor to my trap

Palpita vitrealis a beautiful but relatively common micro

07/10/2025

A late start this morning owing to a dentists appointment, not sure what hurt the most, a tooth extraction or the bill for it.😅

I stopped off at the local Little Owl that was as usual glaring at me, then on to Scotney.

Local Little Owl

As I cycled around Scotney several parties of Tree Sparrows were seen and heard, among the 100s of Linnets and Meadow Pipits, 6 Yellow Wagtails dozens of Pied Wagtails and Skylarks with fewer Reed Buntings and just the 2 Corn Bunting, several 100 Golden Plovers, 6 Ruff but no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, but it would not surprise me if it is still around.

The Curlew Sandpiper was still on the reserve this afternoon, I think this is the first one I can recall swimming.

Curlew Sandpiper in normal pose

The Garganey was still at Firth

I saw at least 4 1w Caspian Gulls from Dennis's and Dengemarsh, Chiffchaffs were again abundant around the reserve, also at least 6 Great White Egrets, 2 Common Snipe, 100s of Lapwing and 100s of Feral Geese, as I left the reserve 2 Glossy Ibis dropped into Cooks Pool. Soon after I left John Young found a Pink Footed Goose at Makepiece, I guess I must have overlooked it.

06/10/2025

Early morning on The Point lots of Meadow Pipits moving overhead with fewer Swallows, A few Siskins, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Skylarks and Tree Sparrows over, in the bushes plenty of Chiffchaffs and small numbers of Blackcaps, 4 Glossy Ibis flew over and out to sea and a Merlin was hunting over the beach.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still present, but more distant maybe because the farmer was working in the field, plenty of Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails, Reed Buntings and a couple of Yellow Wagtails also there.

At Jurys Gap the American Golden Plover was roosting on the shingle between the village and the Coastguard houses in the company of c300 Golden Plover, it was again distant, the view made worse by the heat haze coming of the shingle. A Glossy Ibis flew west over the Scotney GP.

Curlew Sandpiper on Burrowes from Dennis's Hide

 I only did Burrowes today, apart from the Curlew Sandpiper there was an adult and 1w Yellow Gull there along with a French and a Norwegian ringed Great Black-backed Gull.

They walked straight past the sign that says assistance dogs only, then up the bank past the sign board that requests visitors to keep off the bank. I guess some people believe they are entitled to do as they please, especially with a mutt in tow.

04-05/10/2025

A 1w Caspian Gull with a Norwegian ringed Great Black-backed Gull by the entrance track to the visitir centre yesterday. This was about the extent of my birding in the appalling weather yesterday.

2 of 16 Ruff on the Scotney Sward today. I spent far to much time trying to read the metal ring and failed miserably. 

The local Little Owl was enjoying the more clement weather today

This Shag was the star bird at the fishing boats this afternoon

This Heligoland ringed Gull was among the Gulls coming to my stale bread offerings, but nothing else of note.

A Garganey from Firth this afternoon

Also seen on the reserve this afternoon were a Little Stint, 2 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper and a Hobby.

Glossy Ibis at Christmas Dell this afternoon

A Lesser Whitethroat at Chistmas Dell this afternoon

02/10/2025

In an early morning walk around The Desert. c50 Siskin, 10 (6+4) Crossbill, 2 Brambling, 4 Redpoll, c20 Reed Buntings, c350 House Martins, c50 Swallows and a single Great Spotted Woodpecker all flew over, on the deck still some Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, Meadow Pipits, Stonechats and Skylarks, with Kestrel and Sparrowhawk  hunting.

I visited South View to see the Red-breasted Flycatcher which had moved next door by the time I arrived, though a little while later it came back to South View, where it remained for the rest of the day but was considerably more elusive than it was yesterday.

Another visit this afternoon found it still elusive, so with my knees playing up I joined Dave for a cup of tea and a chat in his front garden, while we were chatting the Flycatcher flew in for a drink by a small pond giving superb views, a Stonechat also came in. Again many thanks to Dave and Sheila for their hospitality. 

Red-breasted Flycatcher inspecting the small pool

Red-breasted Flycatcher taking a closer look

Red-breasted Flycatcher about to take a drink

Stonechat

 

01/10/2025

Not what I expected the DBO ringing team to trap in the TA, Many thanks to them for showing the bird

Linnet at the Dungeness Bird Observatory

In The Desert this morning lots of Siskins flew over mainly unseen along with Reed Buntings and at least a couple of Crossbill. In the Brambles Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Reed Buntings and Stonchats, a Marsh Harrier flew south along with a few Swallows, 2 Black redstarts were at West Beach. Jacob got brief but good enough views of a juvenile Pallid Harrier which hopefully hang around.

At Scotney the Buff-breasted Sandpiper continues to reside in its chosen field, but wasn't showing as I cycled past, though I did see several Wheatears, Yellow Wagtails and Golden Plover before I got distracted by news of the Red-breasted Flycatcher. Apparently there was very little of note on the reserve today which is not surprising with the amount of works that are taking place at the moment.

The superb Red-breasted Flycatcher in the garden of David and Sheila Bunney, many thanks to them for their hospitality without which these images would not be possible.

Crunching on a a big fat Bluebottle

29/09/2025

Raven over The Desert this morning

Chiffchaffs were the stars today with 100s and probably 1,000s of them across the peninsula, many were ringed today along with Blackcaps and a few Crests. Lots of Siskin overhead along with Skylarks and small numbers of Hirundines. Other bits included Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Firecrests and Hobbys. A Wryneck was found at the Teasel bank early afternoon but was typically elusive.

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still in its chosen field at Scotney. No news from the reserve today.   

Chiffchaff

A spotted Flycatcher in a private garden