Nothing compares to spring Pomarine Skuas!

Yesterdays sea watch was brilliant but todays was probably the best I have had in this country, great birds and excellent company.

Pomarine Skuas

Arctic Skua

Great Skua

05.00-18.30 with AJG,LG,SO,MB,AL,ML,PT,GH,DW et al:

Mute Swan: 3 in
Brent Goose: 64 up
Shelduck: 13 up
Gadwall: 10 up
Pintail: 1 up
Shoveler:6 up
Teal: 2 up
Eider: 1 female up
Common Scoter: 1,284 up      24 down
Velvet Scoter: 20 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 3 up
Red-throated Diver: 24 up
Black-throated diver: 5 up
Great-crested Grebe: 16 around
Fulmar:14 up   1 down
Gannet: 689 up
Hobby: 1 up
Peregrine: 1 in
Oystercatcher: 19 up
Avocet: 5 up
Ringed Plover: 2 up
Grey Plover: 151 up
Knot: 76 up
Sanderling: 121 up
Dunlin: 6 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 160 up
Whimbrel: 48 up
Great Skua: 19 up
Pomarine Skua: 129 up
Arctic Skua: 44 up
Mediterranean Gull: 4 down
Little Gull: 31 up
Kittiwake: 105 up
Little Tern: 54 up
Sandwich Tern: 233 up
Arctic Tern: 87 up
Commic Tern; 1,110 up
Black Tern: 34 up
Guillemot: 2 up
Razorbill: 1 up
Auk sp 8 up   3 down
Sand Martin: 3 in
Swift: 2 up
Swallow: 9 in
Harbour Porpoise: 5+
Grey Seal: 1
Fox
              Pomarine Skua Flock Sizes and Times
1 @ 05.42,     8 @ 05.44,       1 @ 05.50,       5 @ 06.05,
7 @ 06.17,     2 @ 06.44,       2 @ 06.58,       6 @ 07.00,
7 @ 07.05,     6 @ 07.12,       2 @ 07.15,       3 @ 07.25,
4 @ 07.32,     2 @ 07.38,       1 @ 07.50,       1 @ 08.00,
3 @ 08.40,     1 @ 09.03,       1 @ 09.10,       2 @ 09.30,
4 @ 09.40,     1 @ 09.55,       4 @ 09.58,       1 @ 10.16
1 @ 10.25,     3 @ 10.32,       8 @ 11.10,       1 @ 11.15,
2 @ 11.20,     2 @ 11.30,       2 @ 12.20,       7 @ 12.26,
1 @ 12.43,     2 @ 13.18,       7 @ 13.55,       2 @ 14.03,
5 @ 14.13,     1 @ 15.10,       2 @ 15.15,       1 @  15.40,
1 @ 15.49      5 @ 17.52,       1 @ 18.09.

 Pomarine Skuas

 Fulmar over the beach

 Avocets

Female Eider

An excellent days sea watching!

Bonxie over the sea watch Hide

A marathon sea watch today 05.00-19.30 with: AJG,MH,CP, ML,MB,GH,SO,BB, NB et al

Brent Goose: 41 up
Shelduck: 6 up
Gadwall: 2 up
Common Scoter: 1,267 up       4 down
Velvet Scoter: 3 up      4 down
Red-throated Diver: 27 up
Black-throated Diver: 4 up
Great-crested Grebe: 17 around
Fulmar: 6 up   1 down
Gannet: 263 up
Cormorant: present n/c
Shag: 1 up
Little Egret: 1 out
Oystercatcher: 10 up  1 down
Grey Plover: 25 up
Knot: 9 up
Sanderling: 5 up
Dunlin: 2 up
Common Sandpiper: 1 up
Greenshank: 1 in
Bar-tailed Godwit: 614 up
Whimbrel: 48 up
Great Skua: 84 up
Arctic Skua: 25 up
Mediterranean Gull: 9 up
Little Gull: 13 up
Kittiwake: 54 up   9 down
Iceland Gull: 1w still at The Patch
Little Tern: 15 up
Sandwich Tern: 396 up
Arctic Tern: 171 up
Commic Tern: 9,245 up
Black Tern: 3 up
Guillemot: 8 up
Auk sp: 3 up   6 down
Swift: 1 in
Sand Martin: 13 in
Swallow: 11 in
Harbour Porpoise: 6+
Grey Seal: 1
Fox: 1

Tern Passage!

Another morning of northerly winds and nothing moving.
05.45-07.15 with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Shelduck: 2 down
Shoveller: 2 down
Common Scoter: 23 up
Great-crested Grebe: 24 around
Fulmar: 2 around
Gannet: 15 around
Oystercatcher:  2 up
Whimbrel: 3 in
Oystercatcher  2 up
Great crested Grebe 13 on
Common Tern: 22 up, c100 on patch
Sandwich Tern: 12 up
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
Grey Seal: 1

A very tired and cold Chiffchaff recovering on the power station fence early morning

A walk around the area with AJG found a minimum of 3 Ring Ouzels , 19 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Whimbrel but little else of note.

 1w Iceland Gull still at The Patch but nothing else of note

A poor shot of a Peregrine dive bombing a Common Buzzard over the power station this morning

This afternoon I went to the fishing boats, minutes after settling down to what I thought was going to be a long slow watch, the wind shifted from a northerly vector to a southerly vector, almost immediately Terns started to appear on the horizon. I was joined by AJG and MH , due to the height of the tide we moved to the Sea watch hide where the Tern passage continued till at least 18.00hrs when I left.

13.50-18.00 with AJG, MH, DW, LG, ML & MB.

Brent Goose: 3 up

Common Scoter: 32 up

Red-breasted Merganser: 2 up

Red-throated Diver: 2 up

Fulmar: 5 up  1 down

Gannet: 53 up    27 down

Oystercatcher: 3 up

Great Skua: 6 up

Arctic Skua: 10 up

Mediterranean Gull: 8 up    2 down

Kittiwake: 26 up          19 down

Little Gull: 76 up

Commic Tern: 5,385 up

Arctic Tern: 64 up under counted!

Sandwich Tern: 73 up       16 down

Little Tern: 1 up

Auk sp: 3 up   6 down

 2 of 7 Ring Ouzels around The Desert this morning

An early morning walk with AJG around the Trapping area, Desert and Beach saw 7 Ring Ouzels, 29 Wheatears, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Swallows, a few Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs.

 Little Owl Scotney Farm

Around Scotney 77 Whimbrel, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 36 Avocet, a Greenshank, a Little ringed Plover, 4 Ringed Plovers, 20 Dunlin, a Peregrine, 2 Marsh Harriers,  4 Wheatears, 8 Swifts, the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and a few Swallows.

 Wheatear Scotney Farm

Yellow Wagtail Scotney Farm

A sea watch from the turning circle this afternoon was quiet as expected:

14.10-15.10
Common Scoter: 5 up
Fulmar: 1 down
Gannet: 2 up   1 down
Oystercatcher: 1  up
Great Skua: 1 up
Mediterranean Gull: 3 up
Sandwich Tern: 3 up
Commic Tern: 27 down

Late afternoon on Burrowes the Ring-necked Duck and 2 Pintail still from Makepiece but little else of note. From the causeway between Burrowes and the New Diggings many Swallows, Sand Martins, Hose Martins and some Swifts, also the Summer plumage Slavonian grebe still present.
A short-eared Owl was being mobbed by Gulls opposite Southview Cottage per Dave Bunney.

 1 of at least 25 Wheatears around The Point today

A cold walk around the The Desert with AJG was surprisingly birdy with 4+ Ring Ouzels, 9 Wheatears, 2 Whimbrel, a Swallow, Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, and Chiffchaffs.

 1w Iceland Gull at The Patch

At The Patch absolutely no up channel passage, though the 1w Iceland Gull was still present c150 Commic Terns feeding off shore, 6 Great-crested Grebes still hanging around, a 1w Mediterranean Gull and 2 Whimbrel there.

 Whimbrel by the access track

On the reserve 4 Whimbrel by the access track,  on Burrowes 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Dunlin, a Turnstone, 2 common Sandpiper, 6 Swifts over, the long staying Ring-necked Duck and 2 Pintail.

At Denge Marsh 2 Hobby's, the Greater White-fronted Goose and the usual reed bed species.

 Hobby over Denge Marsh

1 of 7 Ring Ouzels in The Desert today

Another wander around The desert this afternoon found 7 Ring Ouzels and more Wheatears making a minimum of 25.

 Hobby chasing Sand Martin's over the ARC this evening

Early evening on the ARC and New diggings the rain showers had bought down many Hirundines, c150 each of Swallow and Sand Martin, c20 House Martins, 8+ Swifts and 2 Hobby's chasing the Sand Martins.

Shelduck in front of Hanson this evening

Pied Flycatcher!

05.50-08.30 from the sea watch hide with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Brent Goose: 42 up

Shelduck: 5 down

Common Scoter: 143 up

Great-crested Grebe: 4 around

Fulmar: 2 up   1 down

Gannet: 23 up   2 down

Cormorant: present n/c

Grey Heron: 1 in

Oystercatcher: 1 up   2 down

Bar-tailed Godwit: 32 up 

Pomarine Skua: 1 up @07.58

Arctic Skua: 5 up

Mediterranean Gull: 6 up

Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w at The Patch

Kittiwake: 5 up  1 down

Sandwich Tern: 18 up

Commic Tern: 26 up

Guillemot: 1 up   1 on

Auk sp: 3 up

Swallow: 22 in

 Pied Flycather in a private garden

In a private garden a female Pied Flycatcher, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, 4 Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff. Many thanks to Dave and Sheila Bunney for sharing and allowing access.

 Willow Warbler in a private garden

My first Common Sandpiper of the year

On the reserve several Whimbrel by the access track. On Burrowes a Grey Plover, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 5 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whimbrel, Ring-necked Duck and a pair of Pintail of note.

A Swift over the ARC was my first of the year but little else of note here. A Slavonian and Black-necked Grebe on the New Diggings looking stunning it their summer dress.

At the old lighthouse this afternoon 3+ Willow Warblers.

Pebble Hook-tip by the MV today

Pomarine Skuas!

 One of todays magnificent Pomarine Skua's

 An Excellent days sea watching at Dungeness:
05.45-09.15 + 10.00-11.00 + 14.00-18.00 + 19.10-20.15 with AJG, LG, SO RW, DW et al.

Brent Goose: 7 up
Shelduck: 10 up
Garganey: 2 up
Common Scoter: 668 up   225 down
Velvet Scoter: 22 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 5 up
Red-throated Diver: 6 up 1 on
Black-throated Diver: 6 up
Fulmar: 15 up
Gannet: 47 up  28 down
Oystercatcher: 21 up
Dunlin: 2 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 162 up
Whimbrel: 81
Great Skua: 34 up
Pomarine Skua: 25 up
Arctic Skua: 12 up
Mediterranean Gull: 67 up
Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w still at The Patch
Little Gull: 65 up
Kittiwake: 104 up  8 down
Sandwich Tern: 152 up  22 down
Commic Tern: 284 up
Little Tern: 13 up
Black Tern: 1 up
Auk sp: 25 up  3 down
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 5+
Pomarine Skua times: 3 @ 15.00, 1 @ 15.15, 4 @ 15.34, 2 @ 15.39, 3 @ 16.04, 4 @ 16.30, 2 @ 17.09, 1 @ 17.12, 1 @ 17.17, 1 @ 17.20, 1 @ 17.41, 2 @ 19.50.
Many thanks to Matt Eade for the heads up that the Poms were on there way.

This Fox was on the beach in front of the sea watch hide this afternoon taking no notice of the gallery of sea watchers

An excellent wander around the ARC before the sea watch started with a Cuckoo calling as I climbed out of the car, followed by a Bittern booming, a Nightingale singing in deep cover competing with Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats. Near the tower a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling from some Sea Buckthorn.
05.40-07.40, 10.00-11.00, 14.00-17.30 with AJG, SO, RW.

Brent Goose: 14 up
Shelduck 1 up
Gadwall: 4 up
Garganey: 1 up
Common Scoter: 515 up
Red throated Diver: 10 up
Great-crested Grebe: 17 around
Gannet: 134 down
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 7 up
Ringed Plover: 2 up
Grey Plover:18 up
Knot: 2 up
Dunlin: 24 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 16 up
Whimbrel: 126 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 7 up
Great Skua: 5 up
Arctic Skua: 5 up
Mediterranean Gull: 10 up
Iceland Gull: 1x 1w at The Patch
Kittiwake: 1 up 13 down
Sandwich Tern: 125 up
Commic Tern: 273 up
Black Tern: 1 up
Guillemot: 1 on
Razorbill: 1 on
Auk sp: 4 up
Swallow 2 in
Carrion Crow: 1 in

After looking at Cap-Gris Nez totals for today on Trektellen I don't know why we bother sea watching.


This evening the reserve was deserted, the Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Burrowes unfortunately on the distant islands, also there a Turnstone, a Sanderling, a Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit. The Ring-necked Duck was also still on Burrowes.

Although the sea has very quiet the last couple of days the land has been quite productive. I managed to jam in on a fly over Serin while having a cup of tea at the observatory yesterday, while at Scotney 42 Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits and Ruff were showing well on the sward. Around Scotney Farm 12 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Corn Buntings and a Little Owl, on the back lakes 30 Avocet, a Greenshank, a Little-ringed Plover, 10 Dunlin and a Peregrine. Last night I joined Nick G in an excellent walk around Romney Marsh where we came across 3 Short-eared Owls and heard a Long-eared Owl.

 1 of 3 on Romney Marsh last night

 Bathing Redstart

Today there were plenty of common migrants around probably 3 figure numbers of Willow Warblers, 25+ Wheatears, smaller numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Garden Warblers, Lesser and Common  Whitethroats, 2+ Whinchats, 5+ Redstarts, 1+ Grasshopper Warbler, a Wood Warbler and 10+ Whimbrel around The Desert. Many thanks to LG for the calls and tweets and a special thanks to Dave & Sheila Bunney for allowing me into there home for really superb views of all the birds in there garden which was positively jumping with birds.

 Soggy Redstart

 Willow Warbler

 Soggy female Redstart

 Blackcap

 Willow Warbler

 Redstart at the observatory

1 of 2 Whinchats in The Desert

A bitterly cold morning saw a slight improvement in the early sea watch:

05.40-08.40 from the sea watch hide with AJG,LG & DW.

Common Scoter: 45 up

Red-throated Diver: 8 up  1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 17 around

Fulmar: 10 up

Gannet: 21 up   58 down

Cormorant: 89 around

Oystercatcher: 12 up

Bar-tailed Godwit: 27 up

Whimbrel: 21 up

Arctic Skua: 8 up

Great Skua: 4 up

Kittiwake: 135 up

Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w at The Patch

Sandwich Tern: 264 up

Arctic Tern: 37 up

Commic Tern: 101 up

Guillemot: 10 up   2 on

Razorbill: 3 up

Auk sp: 111 up

Harbour Porpoise: 4

 Cetti's Warbler at Denge Marsh

I could only see 1 Slavonian Grebe on the New Diggings this morning in a brief look. The Ring-necked duck was still missing from Cook's Pool but seen on Burrowes by CT. A pleasant walk around the reserve saw 2 Garganey from Firth plenty of warblers including at least 4 Lesser Whitethroats, the White-fronted Goose still present, as is the Hooded merganser. A Bittern was booming from the ramp and 4+ Whimbrel were around the reserve.

 Red-breasted Mergansers past the fishing boats this afternoon

12.50-17.00 from the fishing boats joined by AJG:
Common Scoter: 68 up   3 down
Red-breasted Merganser: 7 up
Red-throated Diver: 3 up
Black-throated Diver: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 11around
Gannet: 17 up  
Bar-tailed Godwit: 21 up
Whimbrel: 85 up
Arctic Skua: 2 up
Great Skua: 4 up
Kittiwake: 24 up
Sandwich Tern: 76 up
Common Tern: 25
Arctic Tern: 11 up
Commic Tern: 147 up
Guillemot: 1 up  
Razorbill: 1 up
Auk sp: 6 up
Swallow: 5 in
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

 Whimbrel  past the fishing boats

Grey Seal ripping a Harbour Porpoise calf apart after killing it!

 The highlight of this mornings sea watch!

Another very slow sea watch this morning with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
06.00-08.00 from the sea watch hide:
Mute Swan: 2 drifted down channel
Brent Goose: 1 down
Shelduck: 3 down
Common Scoter: 17 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 3 down
Red-throated Diver 4 up
Great-crested Grebe: 7 around
Fulmar: 4 down
Gannet: 71 down
Oystercatcher: 8 up
Curlew 1 up
Whimbrel: 3 up
Arctic Skua: 1 up
Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w at The Patch
Kittiwake: 21 down
Sandwich Tern: 202 up
Common Tern: 17 up
Mediterranean Gull: 1 on patch

Auk sp: 21 down

Willow Warbler: 5 behind hide

Wheatear: 1 behind hide

 1w Iceland Gull at The Patch

 Chiffchaff at Lloyds

Around the old lighthouse, station Gorse, Lloyds and West Beach 10 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Black Redstart and a Wheatear.

 Willow Warbler at West Beach

On New Diggings c50 Swallows, 4 Sand Martins, 2 Slavonian and 2 Black-necked Grebes.

 Garganey from Firth

No sign of the Ring-necked Duck or Water Pipits today on Cook's Pool. On Burrowes a Garganey still, along with a Pintail, Goldeneye and Little Ringed Plover of note.

 Sandwich Tern at the fishing boats

A much better sea watch this afternoon from the shelter of fishing boats basking in the sun:

14.00-16.45 joined by MH & AJG.

Pintail: 4 up
Common Scoter: 59 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 3 up
Red-throated Diver: 2 up
Great-crested Grebe: 16 around
Gannet: 3 up   18 down
Bar-tailed Godwit: 111 up
Whimbrel: 153 up
Mediterranean Gull: 5 up
Kittiwake: 2 down   1 up
Sandwich Tern: 36 up    19 down
Common Tern: 5 up
Auk sp:  4 down
Harbour Porpoise: 8+

 Whimbrel past the boats

 Mediterranean Gull past the boats

 Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit past the boats

 Pied Flycatcher

Late afternoon in the Old Lighthouse Garden another Pied Flycatcher, a Common Redstart, 3+ Willow Warblers and 2+ Chiffchaffs.

Terrible image of a male Redstart

Highlights from the MV last night a Pebble Prominent, a Pine Beauty and 10 Tawny Shears,