Saturday 16 March 2024

16/03/2023

  With a gentle NW breeze blowing I wasn't expecting an exciting sea watch, it didn't disappoint.

06.30-08.30 with SO from the sea watch hide.  Wind NW 1-2 Temp 9°

Brent Goose: 134E (9 parties)
Shoveler: 1E
Common Scoter: 17E   1W     
Great-crested Grebe: 1W    8 present 
Oystercatcher: 5E    1W
Black-headed Gull: 12E     
Mediterranean Gull: 1E 
Common Gull: 6E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 2E     
Guillemot: 12E   2W  16 present   
Auk sp: 4E       
Red-throated Diver: 26E    42W 
Fulmar: 1E      2W
Gannet: 37E    24W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Carrion Crow: 6 in off
Harbour Porpoise: 4
A brazen Mink at Denge Marsh early afternoon


A pleasant wander around Denge Marsh and the reserve late morning/early afternoon with Colin Turley in warm sunshine was mainly uneventful, apart from an encounter with a brazen Mink that literally trotted along the bridleway towards and past us by just a few feet. From Denge Marsh hide the Black-necked grebe was showing fairly well and 2 Goldeneye but not much else. Christmas Dell was as usual very quiet, though the new island creation works looks very promising, time will tell. Another Black-necked grebe and a great Northern Diver were the highlights from the old Makepiece viewpoint, plenty of Black-headed Gulls were dipping for insects but sadly no Little Gull. 
Elsewhere the Black-throated Diver was at southern end of the ARC, a few Wheatears were seen around the peninsular, also a few Chiffchaffs and Redwings but no big arrival.
Great Northern Diver on Burrowes
These 2 Common Gulls have been loafing at the northern end of Denge Marsh Flood for a few days now


Friday 15 March 2024

15/03/2024

  A much quieter sea watch this morning probably due to the poor visibility and rain.

06.45-09.00 with TW,TH, DW, OL, RW from the sea watch hide, Wind SW 6 Temp 11° 

Brent Goose: 92E        9W
Common Scoter: 85E     
Great-crested Grebe: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1E
Kittiwake: 13E       2W
Black-headed Gull: 9E     
Mediterranean Gull: 5E 
Common Gull: 11E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2E
Sandwich Tern: 9E     1W
Guillemot: 31E   2W     
Auk sp: 28E    12W       
Red-throated Diver: 37E    6W 
Fulmar: 3E      3W
Gannet: 187E    42W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Peregrine: 1 
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1

After breakfast I took a stroll around the muddy tracks of the hay fields to Dengemarsh Hide. A Great White Egret jumped out of the old pump site, also a pair of Bearded Tits there. On hayfield 3 a Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, 2 Pintail and some Shelduck but no sign of any hoped for Garganey, a Raven with a full crop flew over towards its nest site. As I reached hayfield 2, 2 Water Pipits jumped out of the long grass calling and gave me the usual view that I've been getting (see image below) From Dengemarsh hide a Black-necked Grebe still present also the 2 female Goldeneye but little else of note,
The typical view I've been getting of the Water Pipits as they fly off to another field
On my back home for lunch I spotted an alba Wagtail in one of the Lydd Fields
After lunch heading for the beach the Glossy Ibis flew over the road and into the horse paddock, as I reached the estate entrance a message from DW that he had found a Wheatear behind the fishing boats, a few minutes later I was there but found no sign, this was no doubt due to my incompetence as a little time later RW went there and found 2 Wheatears, mean while I was in Hanson hide looking at a distant Great Northern Diver and Black-throated Diver. On returning to my car I drove back to the fishing boats where I managed to find both of the Wheatears, while there a pair of Egyptian Geese came in and landed by Mr T, I was more pleased to see these as I believe they are the first ones I have seen on the ground at the fishing boats.
My first Wheatears of 2024

Egyptian Geese behind the fishing boats by Mr T
 

Wednesday 13 March 2024

13/03/2024

  
3 distant Velvet Scoters passing East this morning
Another good sea watch today with the highlight for me being 2 Spoonbills, the first I have seen on a sea watch at Dungeness.
06.30-11.30 with TW,TH, CP & RW from the sea watch hide.  Wind SW 4 Temp 9°

Brent Goose: 1,880E 
Wigeon: 1E 
Pintail: 68E
Velvet Scoter: 3E  
Common Scoter: 51E     3W
Great-crested Grebe:  60+ present
Kittiwake: 16E
Black-headed Gull: 291E     
Mediterranean Gull: 31E 
Common Gull: 661E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 present
Sandwich Tern: 2E     1W
Guillemot: 68E   16W      21 present
Auk sp: 65E    19W       
Red-throated Diver: 83E    13W 
Fulmar: 1E      3W
Gannet: 47E    19W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Spoonbill: 2E  First ones I have seen on a Dungeness sea watch
Peregrine: 1 in off presumed local bird
Skylark: 9W
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Brent Geese passing this morning
Peregrine that came in off the sea this morning, presumably a local bird that had been on a hunting sortie.
The Dengemarsh Black-necked Grebe
My all around Dengemarsh saw 2 Water Pipits, flight views only as when they do land they are hidden among the Cotton Grass. Also 12 Dunlin, 2 Curlew, 3 Redshank and at least 6 pairs of Lapwing. There is still lots of Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler around the reserve, those around the hay fields seem to be particularly jumpy.

Another Black-necked Grebe from Makepiece
A very distant Black-necked Grebe from Firth 
Gorgeous Little Gull on Burrowes today
Great Northern Diver on Burrowes late afternoon
There is possibly 3 Great Northern Divers present on the reserve, as Steve M and Alan P saw 2 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver on ARC at the more or less the same time I was seeing this one on Burrowes.
I don't think I've ever this boat at Dungeness before

Tuesday 12 March 2024

12/03/2024

A Thoroughly miserable day on the peninsular.

06.45-09.00 with TW, RW, from the sea watch hide.  Wind SSW 3 Temp 9°  Rain    poor visibility

Brent Goose: 164E (5 parties)
Wigeon: 2E 
Pintail: 4E
Eider: 2E immature drakes
Common Scoter: 33E     4W
Great-crested Grebe:  46 Minimum present
Kittiwake: 8E
Common Gull: 6E
Great Black-backed Gull: 12E
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 2E
Guillemot: 48E     13W     8 on
Razorbill: 1E    
Auk sp: 8E     2W
Red-throated Diver: 42E    24W 
Fulmar: 3E         1W
Gannet: 85E    23W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Grey Seal: 1

I had a wander around the hay fields from mid afternoon when the rain finally let up, but even then the drizzle and mist persisted. I found my first Black-necked Grebe of the year on Dengemarsh ( no images as I didn't fancy carrying the camera in the poor weather) also Great White Egret there. On hayfield 2 there was a stunning Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit with 14 Dunlin. A Brown Hare was behind Christmas Dell and 4 Bearded Tits were at the old pump site, unfortunately little else was seen in the way of new arrivals.

Monday 11 March 2024

11/03/2024

 

One of the Brent Geese flocks from early this morning in the fog

06.20-09.20 & 13.00-15.00 with TW, RW, DW, OL from the sea watch hide. Wind NW 3 Temp 7°  Fog

Brent Goose: 2,229E     6W
Shelduck: 2W
Wigeon: 8E 
Teal: 2E    3W
Common Scoter: 4E  2W   4 on
Great-crested Grebe:  4E   9 present
Dunlin: 2E 
Black-headed Gull: 3E
Common Gull: 2E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 3E presume same  3W    
Guillemot: 9E     11W     6 on
Razorbill: 2E    
Red-throated Diver: 29E    71W 
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 14E    25W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
Red-throated Diver from the sea with hide this afternoon

Sunday 10 March 2024

10/03/2024

   
 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, possibly 5 in this image from yesterday 
Another excellent days sea watching, which included the first Arctic Skua and the first push of Little Gulls of the spring. Also excellent numbers of Brent Geese and Red-throated Divers, also a Goldeneye which is not a common bird on a sea watch

06.20-11.20 & 13.45-15.30 with TW, DW from the sea watch hide, Wind ESE 3 Temp 7°

Brent Goose: 2,457E 
Shoveler: 4E 
Wigeon: 17E 
Pintail: 34
Teal: 9E 
Velvet Scoter: 1W  
Common Scoter: 398E     2W
Great-crested Grebe:  3E    4W    4 present
Goldeneye: 1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E
Oystercatcher:2E
Curlew: 3E 
Sanderling: 1W
Dunlin: 8E 
Kittiwake: 91E
Black-headed Gull: 31E     2W
Little Gull: 30E
Mediterranean Gull: 6E 
Common Gull: 27E
Great Black-backed Gull:  present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Arctic Skua: 1E
Guillemot: 43E
Razorbill: 2E 
Auk sp: 36E     10W
Red-throated Diver: 722E    44W 
Fulmar: 3E
Gannet: 410E   17W
Cormorant:  present n/c
Sparrowhawk: 1 female SE out to sea
Harbour Porpoise: 5+
Grey Seal: 1
The Glossy Ibis is still around its usual haunts, Both Great Northern and Black-throated Divers were to be found on the lakes, 4 Cattle Egrets by the airport road, but no noticeable sign of passerine passage.



Saturday 9 March 2024

Pale-bellied Brent Goose with Dark-bellied Brent Geese

  An excellent morning sea watching producing the first 3 Sandwich terns of the spring., fingers crossed for many more in the coming weeks.

06.45-11.45 with SO, DW from the sea watch hide. Wind SSE4-5 Temp 7°

Brent Goose: 1,569E (34 parties)
Pale-bellied Brent Goose: 3E
Shelduck: 12E (2 parties)
Shoveler: 15E (3 parties)
Wigeon: 12E  (3 parties)
Pintail: 46(8 parties)
Teal: 29E ( 6 parties)
Tufted Duck: 3E
Velvet Scoter: 7E  (1 party)
Common Scoter: 68E ( 17 parties)
Great-crested Grebe:  9E    2W
Oystercatcher: 6E
Curlew: 6E (3 parties)
Dunlin: 12E  (4 parties)
Kittiwake: 56E
Black-headed Gull: 46E
Mediterranean Gull: 4E  ( 1 party)
Common Gull: 49E
Great Black-backed Gull: 37E
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 3E
Guillemot: 108E
Razorbill: 11E 
Auk sp: 117E     
Red-throated Diver: 427E    6W 
Fulmar:5E
Gannet: 1,605E
Cormorant:  present n/c
Skylark: 1E off shore
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1
 
Velvets Scoters passing distantly this morning
2 Great Northern Divers were still on Burrowes late this afternoon
Curlew on Hay Field 2 late afternoon

Friday 8 March 2024

08/03/2024

Flock of Gannets passing the hide this morning

07.15-10.15 with RW, DW,OL,TH from the sea watch hide,  Wind E5-6 Temp 7°  

Brent Goose: 4E 
Shelduck: 4E
Shoveler: 57E (10 parties)
Wigeon: 33E  (5 parties)
Pintail: 71E 11 parties)
Teal: 122E ( 11 parties)
Common Scoter: 27E ( 8 parties)
Great-crested Grebe:  13E 
Oystercatcher: 2E
Avocet: 2E   
Black-tailed Godwit: 1E
Sanderling: 6E
Dunlin: 4E
Kittiwake: 2E
Black-headed Gull: 16E
Mediterranean Gull: 3E
Common Gull: 62E
Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 3E
Guillemot: 121E
Razorbill: 37E 
Auk sp: 139E     
Red-throated Diver: 80E    2W 
Fulmar: 4E
Gannet: 729E
Cormorant:  present n/c
Carrion Crow: 1E off shore
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Todays flyby Avocets

Thursday 7 March 2024

07/03/2024

  
One of the parties of Avocets passing The Point this morning
With a change in wind direction over night immediately improved the sea watching making the six hours I spent there fly by, the downside of the easterly wind was the air pollution cutting visibility noticeably. 
An early flock of Brent Geese picking up the red hue from the rising sun

06.50-12.50 joined by DW & OL from the sea watch hide. Wind E4-5 Temp 7° 

Brent Goose: 410E (26 parties)  
Shelduck: 28E ( 5 parties)
Shoveler: 27E (5 parties)
Wigeon: 3E
Pintail: 124E (9parties)
Teal: 61E ( 9 parties)
Common Scoter: 96E ( 15 parties)
Great-crested Grebe:  12E   9 on sea
Oystercatcher: 15E
Avocet: 23E   (8 + 15)
Curlew: 8E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 2E
Dunlin: 13E
Kittiwake: 36E
Black-headed Gull: 56E
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Common Gull: 68E
Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 376E
Razorbill: 73E 
Auk sp: 258E      17W
Red-throated Diver: 31E    98W 
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 138E
Cormorant: Minimum 179 present 
Black Redstart: M + F  behind hide
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Grey Seal: 1
A flock of mainly Pintail with some Shoveler passing this morning
Cormorant with a Dogfish
One of todays Black Redstarts

A Small Tortoiseshell my first butterfly of the year yesterday at the lighthouse

Tuesday 5 March 2024

06/03/2024

Brent Geese passing The Point a log way off shore
I spent most of the day sea watching, to be honest not a brilliant days watching, staring at dots miles out to sea is not to many peoples taste but I enjoy it.
07.00-10.00 &13.30-15.30 with RW, OL & DW from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 240E 
Teal: 4E
Wigeon: 10E
Pintail: 36E 
Eider: 1E adult drake
Common Scoter: 17E     2W
Great-crested Grebe: 6E  47+ on sea
Oystercatcher: 9E    1W
Kittiwake: 9E
Black-headed Gull: 14E    5W
Mediterranean Gull: 2E    2W
Common Gull: 7E       2W
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 37W    13E
Auk sp: 12E    74W
Red-throated Diver: 34E    161W 
Fulmar: 3E   2W
Gannet: 140E   27W       
Cormorant: 212W into Rye Bay
Carrion Crow: 5 present
Harbour Porpoise: 3
The Great Northern and Black-Throated diver were at the southern end of the ARC today, the Glossy Ibis was still in the horse paddock and the Scaup was still on the caravan park pit per DW, at least 3 Firecrests were around per OL.
Teal coming past this afternoon

Not all the Brent Geese were along way off shore


Very distant Pintail passing this afternoon