Sea Watching

Excellent sea watching from the fishing boats this morning and late this afternoon producing 40+ Arctic Skuas, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Manx Shearwater, large numbers of terns mainly Common and Sandwich with at least 2 Artic Terns, 1 Roseate Tern, 10+ Black Terns, 20+ Little Terns, 1 Little Gull, a few Kittiwakes, Good numbers of Gannets, 5 Teal, 15+ Guillemots off shore and the Glaucous Gull still, also Harbour Porpoises on show constantly and 1 Grey Seal.

At the ARC highlights were 2 Little Stints, 1 Ruff, 3 Common Sandpipers, 200+ Golden Plover and the Goosander.
At Galloways/Dengemarsh 4 Northern Wheatears, 10 Common Whitethroats, 1 Little Owl, t5he Great White Egret and a Sprrowhawk bathing in a puddle on Dengemarsh Road.
At Scotney Highlights were 150 Golden Plover, 2 Ruff, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Marsh Harriers also 1,000+ Greylag Geese

Western Bonelli's Warbler

I started the day at Galloways where there was 1 Common Redstart, 3 Whinchat, 4 Northern Wheatears, 2 Stonechats, plenty of Yellow Wagtails overhead and several each of Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat. As i made my back towards Dengemarsh i received a call from Mark to say that a Bonelli's Warbler had benn trapped at the obs. A few minutes later i was at the obs being shown this fantastic little warbler and a bit later the juvenile Green Woodpecker.  

After the warbler was released into The Moat i spent some time hoping to see and photograph it in the bushes alas it was not to be. Around The Moat and the Desert Willow Warblers were numerous as were Common Whitethroats, Yellow and Pied Wagtails, also seen 2 Common Redstarts.
On the sea from the fishing boats a mixed flock of 100+ Common and Sandwich Terns feeding off shore with a few Gannets, also a raft of 22 Guillemots and the Glaucous Gull gave a fly by.
At the ARC this afternoon a Cuckoo by the track to Hanson. From the hide 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 1 LRP, 1 Ringed Plover, 12 Dunlin, 244 Golden Plover,300+ Lapwing and the Goosander. Also a Little Egret fishing only a few yards out giving superb views of its fishing skills.

Swallows and Martins

First thing this morning sheltering from heavy rain 200+ Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Knot, a few Lapwings, the Goosander and the usual Wild Fowl.
A soon as the rain eased the Goldies departed but in came 4 Wood Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 9 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint to be joined by another later, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns and many more Lapwings with many Swallows and Sand Martins over the pit.
At The Point no sign of the Wryneck in a brief search but 1 Black Redstart, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 10+ Northern Wheatears and little else of note.
At Scotney 100+ Golden Plover, 2 Ruff, 1 Whimbrel, 5 Curlew, 10+ Yellow Wagtails and many more Swallows and Sand Martins over the pit.

Monday 22/08/2011

At The Point the Wryneck showed for enough time for me to grab this poor shot, but the best yet for me. Also there 40+ Yellow Wagtails and many Swallows and Sand Martins 8 Northern Wheatears and little else.

 At the ARC Pit this Wood Mouse? feeding unconcerned on the track to Hansen. From the hide a bit of clear out with just the regular Goosander, Little Gull, LRPs, Golden Plover and Common Sandpipers with many Swallows and Sand Martins over the pit. Also 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Northern Wheatears and 30+ Yellow Wagtails  by the Screen Hide.

 At Galloways 4 Whinchats, 6 Northern Wheatears, 4 Stonechats, 30+ Yellow wagtails, 6 Willow Warblers, 14 Common Whitethroats and Common Redstart.

 At Dengemarsh 4 Hobbies, 5 Willow warblers, 6 Common Whitethroats, the Great White Egret from Springfield Bridge also there 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpipers, many Reed and Sedge Warblers and 100+ Yellow Wagtails.

More Cricket

After having a lay in this morning and arriving late at the lighthouse to find that the Wryneck was still present, though just as elusive as yesterday, I wasted another couple of hours trying to get pics of it and failed miserably.(Steve thought his pics were dodgy he should see mine). There were still plenty of Yellow and Pied Wagtails also 6+ Northern Wheatears and good numbers of Swallows and Sand Martins moving through. At the south end of the ARC Pit a Little Gull and the Goosander hiding amonst the Pochard and more Yellow Wagtails.
Hanson Hide was full so I cut my losses and spent the rest of the day listening to and watching the cricket.

Wryneck

I'd like to be able to say the image below was taken today. But the Wryneck today was very elusive, just seeing it was difficult let alone getting pictures of it. There was very little else of note around apart from Yellow Wagtails and 1 White Wagtail so i spent alot of time this morning listening to the cricket.  

Wryneck Dungeness 3rd September 2010

Yellow Wagtails and Sand Martins

Around The Point this morning hundreds of Sand Martins moving through with a few Swallows. On the ground 100+ Yellow Wagtails, 8 Willow Warblers, 25+ Common Whitethroats, 8 Northern Wheatears, 6 Stonechats, 30+ Pied Wagtails and a Black Redstart. On The Patch 1 Black Tern, 3 Little Gulls and a few Common and Sandwich Turns with the Gulls. From the fishing boats 2 Black Terns, with small numbers of Gannets, Terns and 2 Guillemots feeding off shore.

On the reserve highlights were 6 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 30+ Yellow Wagtails, the Great White Egret, 4+ Marsh Harriers, still plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers, 3 Cetti's Warblers singing, 1 Water Rail, 2 Stonechats, 2 Hobbys and many more Sand Martins.

 At the ARC Pit this afternoon, highlights were 76 Knot, 200+ Golden Plover, the Goosander, 2 LRPs, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Little Gull and 20+ Yellow Wagtails at the south end.

Knot at the ARC after being flushed by Marsh Harrier

   

Golden Plover after being flushed by Marsh Harrier

Grey Heron and Little Egret fishing infront of Hanson Hide.

Marsh Harrier from Hanson Hide

A Slow Start

First stop this morning at the ARC Pit was disappointing. Very few birds there not even the Lapwings and Golden Plovers just the usual wild fowl and the Goosander 2 LRPs and Common Sandpiper.
At the fishing boats Mark and Bob were already there not seeing much. When they left at 10.00 I decided to carry on for another couple of hours. In that time there was 2 Arctic Skuas E, 1 Balearic Shearwater W, 150+ Gannets W, a mixed flock of 50+ Common and Sandwich Terns with 2 Little Terns back and forth feeding along the shore, also the  2W Glaucous Gull gave a couple of fly bys.
Back at the ARC just after Midday was much better, with the Lapwings back 200+ Golden Plover, 56 Knot, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Ad Med Gull and 200+ Sand Martins over the pits.     

A Small Fall

A drive across Walland Marsh first thing this morning was very productive with 20+ Tree Sparrows at various stops along with 4+ Marsh harriers, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great spots and 1 Turtle Dove. The ditches were still full of Reed and Sedge Warblers.

At the ARC an Avocet was new in joining 200+ Golden Plover, 400+ Lapwing and a few LRPs, Common and Green Sandpipers and Dunlin also the Goosander and a Little Gull. On the track to the Water Tower a few migrants with 6 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 15+ Common Whitethroats, 6 Willow warblers also many Reed and Sedge Warblers, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great Spots, 1 Sparrowhawk, the Cetti's Warblers being particularly vocal this morning. Later in the day 25 Knot joined the waders. 

Around The Point, The Moat and The Desert 16+ Yellow wagtails, 40+ Pied Wagtails, 6 Willow warblers, 15+ Common Whitethroats, 2+ Black Redstarts, 6+ Stonechats, 8+ Northern Wheatears one with an apparently deformed bill, a few Linnets and Mippits and a few Swallows and Sand Martins moving with 2 Swifts.

Note the elongated upper mandible.

A sea watch this afternoon was uninspiring with just a few Terns and Gannets feeding off shore with 1 Black Tern and a few Sand Martins going out to sea. On the the beach a party of 7 Turnstones and the Glaucous Gull still present.

A Purple Patch

My day started at the ARC Pit where the Goosander was sitting on an island near the hide, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 200+ Golden Plovers, 500+ Lapwing, 4 LRPs, 1 Snipe and no sign of the B.N.Grebe. In the pines by the water tower 4 Willow Warblers, 6+ Common Whitethroats, 2 G.S.Woodpeckers, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 200+ Sand Martins, 6 Swifts, 2 Marsh harriers and Common Redstart.

Another visit to the pit late morning added 24 Knot, a confiding Little Egret catching tiddlers and Damselflys infront the hide.



 A mid morning visit to The Patch found 2 Black Terns amongst the Comic and Sandwich Terns. Behind the hide 2+ Black Redstarts and 2 Willow Warblers flycatching from the perimeter fence.
Mid afternoon at the RSPB reserve was very quiet probably due to the strong SW wind, but as i plodded around the south end of Dengemarsh to view the flooded field i flushed a Juvenile Purple Heron from the ditch beside the path. The Heron flew off to the north end of Dengemarsh and i managed to get poor record shots of it as it first headed straight into the sun and then dirctly away. I let the Obs know and Mark Hollingworth who shortly met me at Hookers looking for the bird. We went back to the Dengemarsh hide where a short while later the Heron gave a flight view to 7 of us as it flew across the reed bed and appeared to land in the channel where last years Purples nested.
A short late afternoon visit to the fishing boats found 50+ Terns fishing off shore with 3 Black Terns also seen 2 Fulmars, 1 Kittiwake, several Gannets and 6+ Harbour Porpoises.

Purple Heron



Purple Heron