Dull end to October

Very quiet on the sea and around the point today with 4 Swallows out, c400 Goldfinches with a few Redpoll and Siskins over. 2 Black Redstarts and a Stonechat by the experimental station.
A plod around the Water Tower Pits was even less productive apart from a few Crests, 2 Marsh Harriers and flushing a Bittern.
Once again Dengemarsh Gully was virtually devoid of bird life.
At Scotney 640 Golden Plover and the feral flock of Barnacle Geese and Emperor Geese, 2 Stonechats and 1 Marsh harrier.
Mid afternoon from the Woolpack 3 Marsh Harriers and a flock of 150 Fieldfare.

A slow dreary day

From the fishing boats this morning a slow 1.5 hrs with highlights of 4 Red-throated Divers, 1 Bonxie, 193 Gannets, 97 Great Crested Grebes, 15 Swallows out, 1 Rock Pipit, 275 Goldfinches, a few Auks, Brent Geese, Scoter, Siskins and the adult Yellow-Legged Gull on the beach.

The only bird that gave it self up.

Round the Lighthouse a Black Redstart, 2 Skylarks, 1 Stonechat, 175 Goldfinches and a Merlin.
An hour spent at Galloways produced only 1 Kestrel, 2 Skylarks, 1 Stonechat and a few Meadow Pipits.
Dengemarsh Gully appeared to be devoid of bird life.

YBW

With very little movement on the sea half an hour at the fishing boats was enough. In that time 1 Bonxie, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Common Tern, a few Kittiwakes, Scoter and Gannets, also a Grey Seal and a few Porpoises. 

 At the Obs a Yellow-Browed Warbler was trapped along with Lesser and Common Redpolls. The YBW was seen a couple of times after release into The Moat.

Around the trapping area and Moat 6+ Firecrests, 6+ Goldcrests, 4 Blackcaps, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Ravens, several hundred Goldfinches overhead mixed with Redpolls and Siskin. Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins were more conspicuous today.

Pallas's makes the day

This morning from the fishing boats was the first time for a few weeks that no Skuas or Shearwaters were recorded. Highlights were 2 Merlin with another at lunch time, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Black-throated Diver, 4 Red-Throated Divers, a trickle of Auks, Kittiwakes and Gannets and a few hundred Goldfinches over.

Pallas's Warbler

Pallas's Warbler

Pallas's Warbler

In the trapping area a Yellow Browed Warbler popped up and was gone before i got the camera on it. Also seen there 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff and a few Redpolls and Siskins.
Dengemarsh gully was devoid of birds except for 1 Merlin. The Great White Egret  was on Dengemarsh.
Galloways was open this afternoon but only held 2 Stonechats and another Merlin.
At Scotney 70+ Golden Plover and little else. While I was there DW alerted me to a Pallas's Warbler that had been seen by Hookers Pit. In a few minutes I was there with a small gathering of birders but Pallas's. As it began to get dark just before 17.00 there was only Barry and myself left and with little help from Xeno Canto the  Pallas's appeared allowing me to take some terrible images at 1600 ISO. On the way back to the car we flushed a Ring Ouzel.

Common Redpolls

As doubts have been raised over Common Redpolls trapped at Dungeness recently, please look at the Dungeness Bird Observatory web site to hopefully allay these doubts. 

Fire in The Desert

From the fishing boats 08.00-09.45:

Red-Throated Diver: 1w                        Little Gull: 1w                                                                    
Great-Crested Grebe: 70+ off shore      Med Gull: 2w           
Balearic Shearwater: 1w                        Kittiwake 40w
Gannet: 80w                                           Goldfinch: 1600+
Wigeon: 9w                                            Redpoll: 30+
Teal: 1w                                                 Siskin: 20+
Common Scoter: 7                                 Grey Seal: 1 off shore  
Hen Harrier: 1 ring tail out                    Porpoise: 3+
Curlew: 1w
Dunlin: 2w
Grey Plover: 2w

 In the trapping area and Desert 6+ Firecrests, 100+ Redpoll, 50+ Siskin.

At the ARC Pit: 3 Goldeneye, 1 Merlin, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Water Rail (heard) and the usual wildfowl.
On the reserve 1 Merlin, 3 Marsh Harrier, 1 Bittern, 1 Great White Egret, 2 Water Rail (heard).

Busy Seawatch

Arctic Tern

From the fishing boats 08.00-10.30

Red-Throated Diver: 4w
Great-Northern Diver: 1w (Superb Summer Plumaged)
Black-Necked Grebe: 1w
Great-Crested Grebe: 20+os
Manx Shearwater: 1w
Balearic Shearwater: 1w
Shearwater sp: 1w
Brent Geese: 60
Shelduck: 3w
Mallard: 2w
Shoveler: 1w
Teal: 1w
Eider; 1w Adult Drake
Common Scoter: 105
Red-Breasted Merganser: 6w
Merlin: 2 out
Knot: 1w
Dunlin: 12w
Sanderling: 14w
Gannet: 85w
Pomarine Skua: 6w
Med Gull: 4w
Kittiwake: 160w
Yellow-Legged Gull: 1 On the beach
Little Gull: 3w
Sandwich Tern: 2w
Arctic Tern: 3w
Auks (Guillemots and Razorbills): 100s w
Swallow: 3 out
Skylark: 15 out
Goldfinch: Several hundred out (with a few Siskin,Redpoll, meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail)

At the ARC again quiet with highlights of 2 Avocet, 3 Sparrowhawks, 3 Marsh Harriers, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Stonechats and 5 Goldcrests.

Coming home across Walland Marsh a flock of 100+ Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrushes Hawthorn Corner.

Goldfinches Galore

Bonxie beating up Great Black Backs and Herring Gulls

From the Fishing Boats 08.00-12.00:
Red-Throated Diver: 4
Black-Throated Diver: 1
Great-Crested Grebe: 18+
Gannet: 100s
Brent Geese: 57
Common Scoter: 3
Wigeon: 43
Pintail: 3
Mallard: 4
Merlin: 1
Curlew: 1
Dunlin: 2
Great Skua: 12
Pomarine Skua: 3
Arctic Skua: 3
2w Glaucous Gull: 1
Yellow-legged Gull: 1
Med Gull: 105
Kittiwake: 100s
Little Gull: 8
Common Tern: 8
Sandwich Tern: 2
Auks(Razorbill and Guillemots) 100s
Skylark: 5
Swallow: 9
Goldfinch : Several Thousand with a few each of Linnet, Redpoll, Siskin, Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit.

Leach's Petrel

A late start at the fishing boats after unsuccessfully trying to locate a Snow Bunting. When I arrived a gathering of watchers had already seen some good birds including 6 Poms. I watched for c2.5hrs  and in that time numerous Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks off shore and past, 7 Bonxies, 3 Arctic Skuas, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Leach's Petrel, 28 Great-crested Grebes, 7 Common Scoter, 2 Wigeon, Little Gull, 7 Med Gulls, 1 Red-throated Diver, The Glaucous Gull, 3 Arctic Terns, 7 Common Terns, 6 Sandwich Terns, 5 Swallows, 1 Skylark, 400+ Goldfinches.

At the ARC I saw very little from Hanson or round the Willow Trail and Water Tower Pits.

Leach's Petrel. Another very poor record shot.

Leach's Petrel over a Guillemot. Another shot where imagination is essential.

Phalaropes, A Pipit and A Penduline

From the fishing boats this morning with MB who was already on site when I arrived, the totals whilst I was there were, Gannets and Kittiwakes and Auks in there 100s off shore and passing, also 8 Bonxies, 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Grey Phalaropes, 4 Red-throated Divers, 1 Little Gull, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Comic Terns, 9 Common Scoter, 12 Swallows, 3 Sand Martins, several hundred finches mainly Goldfinches. As DW arrived after being told of the Phalaropes I heard him shout Richards Pipit and saw it fly out to sea. At c12.30 the lure of the of the Penduline Tit showing well from Hanson hide and the Lesser-spotted Woodpecker being seen again by the Willow Trail was to much. After c30 minute wait I spotted the Penduline Tit on the Mace at the edge of the reed bed where it performed very well the every one in the hide. Unfortunately I can't say the same for the Lesser Pecker. Going back to the fishing boats this afternoon 7 more Bonxies, 2 Arctic Skuas, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 2+ Comic Terns and still large numbers Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks passing. As I left the 2w Glaucous  Gull was roosting on the the track  allowing me to drive up beside it. 

A very poor record of one of 3 Grey Phalaropes I saw today