In the best part of 5 hours sea watching in 2 periods from the fishing boats 24 Arctic Skuas, 9 Little Gulls, 4 distant Shearwaters (Prob Balearic), 2 Black Terns, 2 Med Gulls, 1 Eider, 3 Whimbrel, the usual Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, 5 Swallows in, the Glaucous and Yellow Legged Gull on the beach and several Porpoises off shore. 

At the ARC Pit a very sparse show, with 6 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Garganey, 12 Wigeon, the Goosander 2 Common and 1 Sandwich Tern plus the Lapwings over the road at Boulderwall  Farm the Cattle Egret as ever a distant white blob. At Scotney 200+ Golden Plover and 2 Marsh Harriers near the wind mills.

Stormy Sea Watch

In 5rs at the fishing boats between 08.10-13.10 including a 20 min nap the grand total:

2  Balearic Shearwaters (Probably the same bird)
19 sightings of Arctic Skua probably involving only 4-5 birds
9 Guillemots
1 Common Scoter o/s
50-100 Gannets
100+ Terns (Common and Sandwich)
2W Glaucous Gull still on the beach

Growing its Tail

 A sea watch this morning and another this afternoon in the company of Mark H we saw 1 Balearic Shearwater, 5+ Arctic Skuas were milling around beating up the Terns off which 200+ were feeding o/s as were 200+ Gannets, 2 Little Gulls W, 5 Common Scoter W, 1 Black Tern W, 1 Fulmar W, 6 Swifts went out, 1 Grey Seal and several Porpoises were o/s, 4 Northern Wheatears were on the beach and the Glaucous Gull was by the approach road.
In between sea watches on the reserve The Cattle Egret and Great White Egret distant as usual, the leucistic Heron gave a fly by, 2 Ravens, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 1 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Hobby, and 2+ Marsh Harriers. On the ARC from Hanson highlights were the usual Lapwing and Golden Plover, 6 Dunlin, the Goosander, 1 Little Gull, 1 Black Tern, 1 juv. Garganey and a Water Rail.

A Very Pleasant Sea Watch

After a plod from the lighthouse round the moat and back, finding only 2 Common Whitethroats, 4 Yellow Wagtails over and a few Swallows and Sand Martins on the move a sea watch was the order of the day.
DW was already at the fishing boats and had had Shearwaters and Skua's. I was there from 09.30- 13.30 the last hour in the car.
Arctic Skua's were on view virtually non stop though probably only about 20 individuals were involved as they were cruising up and down beating up the terns. 3 Bonxies W and 1 E, at least 3 Balearic Shearwaters were feeding off shore (DW had a Manx earlier), a super flock of 9 Greenshanks and 2 Sanderling W, 2 Little Gulls, 1 Shag o/s, 3 Barwits N, 20+ Guillemots o/s, 3 Wigeon W, 7 Teal W, 26 Common Scoter W, several hundred Common and Sandwich Terns with Gannets  o/s. On the beach 4 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Northern Wheatears and a Sparrowhawk.

9 Greenshanks

Balearic Shearwater

Balearic Shearwater

I resisted the temptation to go to Springfield Bridge on the news of a Corncrake being seen there. But went to the ARC Pit to be told in the car park by PT of a myriad of waders there only to see most  them go as i walked along the track to the hide leaving just 1 Little Stint, 3 Barwits, 50+ Oycs and 6 Dunlin.
A look at Boulderwall Farm for the Cattle Egret drew a blank but 4 Whinchats by the track were compensation.

White Heron Full House

In very misty conditions at Galloways this morning 3 Whinchats, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 4 Common Whitethroats, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Stonechats and a constant trickle of Swallows west.

 Next stop Dengemarsh and the Gully in the persistant mist. As i slowly drove down the track, the aberrant Grey Heron landed briefly in the field then flew into the gully briefly, before disappearing in the mist. Also seen there 5 Common Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, the Great White Egret, the usual wild fowl, Swallows still trickling west and a Little Owl on the chicken shed. 

Aberrant Grey Heron

Aberrant Grey Heron

Aberrant Grey Heron

 At a still misty Scotney 48 Golden Plover, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Stonechats, 2 Yellow Wagtails 1,000+ Greylag Geese, Several Hundred Canada Geese, 4 feral Barnacle Geese and 2 Marsh Harriers.

At the Midrips the mist cleared to reveal 3 Northern Wheatears, 3 Curlews, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 18 Oystercatchers, 13 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 1 Common Sandpiper, 9 Yellow Wagtails,  3 Kestrels, 11 Sandwich Terns and the Swallows still moving west.

A brief look at the northern end of the  trapping area found 2 Willow warblers, 1 Blackcap and a fly over Greenshank.

At Boulderwall Farm the Cattle Egret showing distantly, 2 Hobbys, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Tree Sparrows.

On the ARC from Hanson Hide the now usual flock of 200 Golden Plover and Lapwing, 190+ Knot, 10 Dunlin. 1 Blackwit, 1 Little Gull and the Goosander.

On Walland Marsh 25 Tree Sparrows near Midley, 15 Tree Sparrows on the feeders and a Turtle Dove near the Woolpack. A very good days birding clocking up 98 species without really trying.

Slow Day

Migrant Hawkers in The Desert

 A plod around The Point produced few migrants. 1 Common Whitethroat in the Desert and 3 in the Moat, 1 Hobby over the trapping area, 2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 100+ Swallows and a Honey Buzzard out to sea after being alerted to the presence of several. A raptor watch from the obs. produced another Honey Buzzard. The Glaucous Gull could be seen flying around the fishing boats from the road.

Knot, Golden Plover and Dunlin.

At the ARC the usual Lapwing flock, 200+ Golden Plover, 190+ Knot, 16 Dunlin, 1 Little Stint, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers and the Goosander.
At Boulderwall Farm the Cattle Egret showed distantly also a Hobby, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Wheatears and a Whinchat, a Common Buzzard also circled in the distance.
At Dengemarsh the Great White Egret still present also 2 more Hobbys.

Up, Up and Away

Finally this morning after 5 cancellations i got my balloon flight. A brilliant experience pity about the cloud cover. 

Dungeness from 2500 feet

The walk from The Moat towards the north end of the trapping area was virtually bird less untill i got there i found a flock of 40+ Yellow Wagtails. In the bushes 12 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 10 Common Whitethroats, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 3 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Sparrowhawk.

Chiffchaffs

The Moat and the trapping area this morning produced the usual Willow Warblers and Common Whitethroats. Chiffchaffs are now appearing 6 today, with 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Redstart, 2 Swifts, 2 Tree Sparrows over, 4+ Sparrowhawks and 2 Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard all of which came over high had a look at the sea and went back inland.

An hour and a half at the fishing boats at lunch time found just a few Common and Sandwich Terns with Gannets feeding off shore.

Highlight of the day was the re-appearance of the Cattle Egret at Boulderwall Farm though distant. 

Chasing a young Rabbit

Common Terns

First stop The Midrips this morning where there was 10 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 juv. Sanderling, 6 Ringeed Plover, 3 Oystercatchers, 4 Shelducks, 32 Yellow Wagtails and 40+ Linnets, which was disappointing as there has been no shooting on the ranges for a week now.

At Scotney Highlights were 2 Marsh Harriers, 54 Golden Plover and 5 Curlew.

 Galloways highlights were 6 Wheatears, 1 Stonechat and 6 Common Whitethroat.

Dengemarsh highlights 1 Hobby, 2 Wheatears, Little Owl and the Great White Egret.

An hours sea watch from the fishing boats early afternoon produced 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas, 2 Black Terns, numerous Gannets, Common Terns and Sandwich Terns feeding off shore including an oiled Common Tern, 1 Grey Seal and several Porpoises.

In my garden a an Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar munching my Geraniums.

 

Fishing Boat Watch

An hour and half sea watch from the fishing boats late afternoon produced 8 Arctic Skuas, 2 Balearic and 2 Manx Shearwaters, numerous Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, 2+ Little Terns, a couple of Arctic Terns, 4 Swifts out to sea, several Porpoises and 1 Yellow Legged Gull on the beach.