Monday 31 October 2022

31/10/2022

A couple of hours wandering around the trapping area was a little disappointing this morning, Siskins and Redpolls were heard passing unseen overhead, a few continental Blackbirds, Chiffchaffs, Skylarks and 2 Swallows over were about as good as it got for me. A Ring Ousel was trapped and ringed late morning.
Drake Long-tailed Duck at Scotney today
The sward at Scotney held a few Golden Plover and 7 Ruff along with the usual feral Geese and c150 Wigeon, highlight on the lake was the distant drake Long-tailed Duck.
 
Adult Arctic Tern at the fishing boats today
An hour sea watching at the fishing boats this afternoon was enlivened by the 2 Arctic Terns, a few Sandwich terns, Gannets and Mediterranean Gulls and a Merlin, but generally disappointing.
1w Arctic Tern at the fishing boats today

Sandwich tern at the fishing boats today
Merlin at the fishing boats
Black-tailed Godwit from Hanson yesterday
Great White Egret from Hanson yesterday

The male and female Kingfisher from Hanson Hide yesterday





Speckled Crimson behind the fishing boats

Speckled Crimson in my moth trap

Friday 28 October 2022

28/10/2022

Brent Geese passing the fishing boats today
A poor sea watch today, small numbers of Brent Geese, Gannets, Auks and Sandwich Terns, the Arctic Tern and Common Tern were still present and a Merlin was hunting off shore.
Arctic Tern at the fishing boats

Common Tern at the fishing boats

Redwing flushed from the Kerton Road triangle
1 of 2 Dartford Warblers in the Kerton Road triangle
The Glossy Ibis showing well this morning at the ARC


A brilliant surprise to find this pristine Deaths Head Hawkmoth in my MV trap this morning

Small Mottled Willow moth my first for several years
1 of 4 Vestals in the trap this morning

Thursday 27 October 2022

27/10/2022

Record of a distant Grey Phalarope
08.00-13.00 & 14.00-16.00 from the fishing boats with JS, JY, JH, SM, DW
Common Scoter: 4E     1W
Red-throated Diver: 1E    1W  1present 
Great-crested Grebe: 9W  4 present
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Gannet: 369W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 4E
Turnstone: 3 present
Sanderling: 1W
Grey Phalarope: 1W
Kittiwake: 630W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 31W     1E
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 18W
Common Tern: 1W
Arctic Tern: 1 present
Arctic Skua: 9W
Guillemot: 32W
Razorbill: 1,521 W
Merlin: 1+ around, seen several times heading out to sea to hunt.
Swallow: 9 out to sea
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 3

Merlin over the fishing boats direct into the sun.
Arctic Tern

1 of 9 Arctic Skuas past
Crimson Speckled by the fishing boats
                                            Crimson Speckled by the fishing boats

A few images from yesterday
Dartford Warbler
Stonechat
Kingfisher at the ARC

Little Stints at the ARC
An odd Lapwing at Scotney

Tuesday 25 October 2022

25/10/2022

Merlin on the beach this morning
The sea was fairly quiet today with just a few each of Gannets, Little Gulls, Razorbills, Sandwich terns, the highlight was a drake Eider that flew west.
Dartford Warblers around The Desert
In my wander around The Point today there were small flocks of finches, Skylarks and a few Swallows

A very distant drake Long-tailed Duck on Scotney main pit today
A walk along the cycle path at Scotney, saw all the usual feral Geese, along with usual Duck, Lapwings and Golden Plover, a Raven, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers flew over. It was only on my back along the path that I spotted the Long-tailed Duck which I assume is the same bird seen there at the weekend by Neil Burt.
At the ARC the female Long-tailed Duck was still present, as were the 2 Glossy Ibis, Little Stint and a Dunlin.
Little Stint at the ARC today
One of 22 Great White Egrets on Burrowes this afternoon
Ruff with Lapwing on Burrowes this afternoon
Grey Wagtail on the reserve this afternoon