31/01/2020

Posing Goldcrest

I forced myself out into the horrible biting east wind today in my desperate search for a Smew and Goosander at Dungeness this winter. I walked around every lake on the reserve failing to find any, the best I could find was a few Goldeneye and the Black-throated Diver. The Glossy Ibis was still at the top end of Cooks Pool, also 5 Ruff there, but no sign of any White-fronted Geese today. The scrub was very quiet, just the odd roaming Tit flock with a few Goldcrest and a couple of Chiffchaffs. By Midday the drizzle had set in and with the biting east wind making a thoroughly miserable afternoon.  

Great White Egret over Wigeon and Pintail at Dengemarsh

 

30/01/2021

I found this dog Fox and Vixen locked together, I quickly withdrew and left them to be.

With such poor weather and the lockdown, finding birds has been quite difficult. There are still c300 Russian White-fronted Geese around Dengemarsh, along with all the other usual feral Geese. A small number of Dartford Warblers around the peninsular, along with a few Chiffchaffs and Firecrests but still no Smew or Goosander, could this be the first winter on record that no Smew are recorded at Dungeness?

At least the Glossy Ibis is still present, with plenty of Great White Egrets and the Black-throated Diver. 

At Scotney the usual feral Geese and the elusive Long-tailed Duck. On Walland at least 23 Bewick Swans and 2 Whooper Swans. My weeks highlight was the appearance of a superb male Hen Harrier hunting over the fields in front of my house, the first male I have seen from the garden.

1 of 4 Redwing high up in Lydd Wood, the first I have seen this year.

My first Dartford Warbler of the year on the peninsula

The Glossy Ibis is still present, seemingly spending most on its time around Cook's Pool, now that its favourite island on the ARC has been submerged by all this rain.

Not sure that the new strategy for discouraging the Herring Gulls from taking over the Tern rafts is going to work, early days and work in progress.

The Gorgeous Black-throated Diver that commutes between the ARC and New Diggings. a short vide of this bird can be seen  HERE 

Although quite distant this splendid male Hen Harrier was the first male I have seen from the garden

 Bewick Swans on Walland this morning

22/01/2021

There are still c200 White-fronted Geese around, these were in fields between the airport and Dungeness Road. The Black-throated Diver on New Diggings has now been joined by a Red-throated Diver.

The now elusive Glossy Ibis over the screen hide

Couldn't find an Iceland Gull or Glaucous Gull in this throng at Dengemarsh

A nice flock of 36 Corn Buntings at Dengemarsh

The first lambs of spring at Dengemarsh today

 

21/01/2021

Sea Watch  07.40-08.40 by AJG:

Common Scoter: 140W

Velvet Scoter: 4W

Red-throated Diver: 7W

Fulmar: 2W

Gannet: 26W

Cormorant: present n/c

Kittiwake: 7W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Auk sp: 242W

First Green Woodpecker of the year today from the garden

Slightly oiled Red-throated Diver, presumably the bird that was on Lade Pits.

Another hike today saw very little across the fields in the near gale force wind, small numbers of Lapwing were being disturbed by hunting Marsh Harriers, while Grey Herons and Great White Egrets were keeping low in the ditches. I didn't encounter any White-fronted Geese today and only very small numbers of Greylags, so I presume they were all out around Scotney.

The reserve was very quiet but a slightly oiled Red-throated Diver was new on the New Excavations. On Burrowes just 3 Goldeneye of note, most of the islands are now submerged, but on the bright side this meant there were only a small number of Cormorants present. Carrying my walk onto the New Diggings where the Black-throated Diver was showing well albeit in dreadful light conditions and the resumption of the rain, also 4 more Goldeneye there.

Slightly oiled Red-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver

View from the left side of Dennis's Hide now that scrub and Sallow have been cut. The Tern raft has also been moved nearer to the viewpoint.

An extra viewpoint over hayfield 1 & 2 has been cut opposite the entrance to Christmas Dell hide
 

18/01/2021

Early morning sea watch by AJG 07.40-09.10:

Brent Goose:7E

Red-throated Diver: 57E

Gannet: 56E

Cormorant: 1,000s present

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Auk sp: 1310E 

Some of the minimum of 326 Russian White-fronted Geese on Boulderwall Fields /Dengemarsh

Another wander around the area today found nothing new, though the sight and sound of 320+ Russian White-fronts flying around was a joy to behold. The usual Marsh Harriers and at least 6 Great White Egrets were seen, along with a party of 6 Bearded Tits. The  brighter weather encouraged several Chiffchaffs out, Cetti's Warblers were calling all around and Water Rails were squealing from the reed beds. The Black-throated Diver is still on the New Diggings with at least 7 Goldeneye for company. The islands on Burrowes have largely been submerged, those that are left are smothered in Cormorants, I dare say the expected rain in the next few days will engulf the rest of the islands.

Elsewhere the Long-tailed Duck is still at Scotney per CT. The Iceland Gull is still frequenting The Patch per DW.

Spooked by the Air-Sea Rescue Helicopter

Incoming to Boulderwall fields

Some on Lydd Fields

Black-throated Diver on the New Diggings being camera shy

 

17/01/2021

Being unable to sea watch from The Point as the Dungeness Estate is closed to visitors, I am grateful to 

AJG for sending me his sea watch totals:

07:40-09:10

Brent Goose: 30E

Common Scoter: 3E

Red-throated diver: 278W

Gannet: 98W

Cormorant: 1,000s present

Kittiwake: 22W

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4W

Common Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Auk sp: 358W

hopefully in the next few months I might be able to join him, I won't hold my breath.

The X Between Dengemarsh and the Power Station

With the weather being so awful in the last few days and not being able to sea watch, I have been very good with the pandemic restrictions, as I couldn't be bothered to go out. This morning was different with the sun shining I made my down to Dengemarsh Gully. At Springfield Bridge a flock of 20 Corn Buntings, a Great White Egret and the ever present Marsh Harriers were the highlight. In the Gully just the usual Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks and a single Cetti's Warbler. From the Gully I walked along the beach to the X

constantly checking the sea, but only seeing flocks of Cormorants tooing and froing. At the X I chucked out some stale bread, at first the Gulls ignored it but after a few minutes some of the Herring Gulls took some interest, their cries attracted more Gulls and eventually the mass of Gulls at The Patch came down and joined them, including a 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull, although it was mostly into the sun which didn't help photography wise, it did show highlight its gorgeous almost transparent primaries.

Another disappointing Harrier count at Pigwell this afternoon with just 1 bird coming to roost, a noisy Little Owl was a bonus.

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

 

10-11/01/2021

1 of several Reed Buntings at Dengemarsh in the rime frost

In general it is very quiet at the moment, though  count of 340+ Russian White-fronted Geese at various sites around the peninsular today was the standout highlight, though I can't be 100% sure that some weren't double counted. The Black-throated Diver was still on the New Diggings along with 4 Goldeneye, a large Tit flock on the causeway held 2 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests and at least 20 Long-tailed Tits. At the ARC I couldn't find either the Dusky Warbler or the Glossy Ibis though both could easily still be present, plenty of squealing Water rails and several unseen calling Bearded Tits.

At Scotney the Long-tailed Duck is still on its favoured lake per JY.

The 2w Iceland Gull is still making intermittent appearances at The Patch per DW.

 Dengemarsh in the freezing fog

A new viewpoint has been cut into the brambles at Hookers

Gadwall on Ice at Hookers

Pintail at Hookers

Storm damage to Scott Hide

Black Redstart on the football club fence, year ticked from the garden.

Goldeneye on Burrowes

1 of at least 6 Great White Egrets around

At least 128 Russian White-fronted Geese on the Boulderwall Fields today

Another 23 White-fronts were in the Whimbrel field by the entrance track

At least another 86 white-fronts opposite Cockles Bridge

 There were at least another 90 White-fronts at Dengemarsh making a total of 340 today though there could be some double counting.