Arriving at the beach at 06.30, with a cold northerly blowing and leaden skies, did not bode well for sea watching. It started well with a Pomarine Skua passing as I arrived and another a little later, then the Terns started moving and passerines and hirundines started arriving. A Northern Wheatear landed in front the hide and rested for a few minutes before moving on. 40+ Little Terns, 15+ Arctic Terns, several hundred Commic Terns and 4 Red-breasted Mergansers passed when at c08.30 all passage stopped.
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| Northern Wheatear resting infront the sea watch hide |
By 09.00 I was plodding around The Point, where in the Lighthouse Garden 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps and the now resident Common Whitethroat. At west beach Gorse a Garden Warbler was singing and another Willow Warbler. In the Station Gorse a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler, nearby the "Rubicola" Stonechat and a 10+ Northern wheatears, also a Black Redstart singing on the power station fence. Next stop south end of the ARC Pit where a Greenshank dropped in to join the 2 Little Ringed Plovers and Cetti's warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were both singing. Over the pit hundreds of Swifts and Swallows with smaller numbers of House Martins and Sand Martins. From Hanson very little to be seen as all the islands are now under water, but plenty of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's warblers singing and 6+ Tree Sparrows in the car park bushes.
On the reserve very few islands left on Burrowes, those that are have been taken by the Herring gulls and Cormorants. From Makepiece Hide a Common Sandpiper on the tiny bit of shingle left in front the hide, a Peregrine could be seen sitting on the railings above its nest on the power station and presumably its Youngs heads could be seen bobbing up occasionally.
At Christmas Dell a couple of Northern Wheatears, a Garden Warbler was singing along with many Sedge, Reed, Cetti's and Whitethroats and 5 Black-tailed Godwits flew over. Just past the Dell a Mallard with newly hatched ducklings found the downside to the shiny new predator proof fencing, as a fox stalked them. Though the ducklings could get through the fence to the safety of the reeds and ditch she could not. As the Fox started his attack in her panic she got her neck stuck in the fence. Fortunately I was able to deter the Fox and extricate her from the fence, then drop her the other side where her brood quickly joined her quite unafraid of me or the Fox.
Further on at Dengemarsh 6 Yellow Wagtails seemed to like the fence when they were not feeding round the cows. Also from the side of the track I flushed a Short-eared owl, further still towards hayfield No 3 4 Bearded Tits in the reed lined ditch. At the bottom of the field I could see a drake Garganey (PT had 2) 3 more Black-tailed Godwits, several Wheatears and a Whinchat. At Hookers the Lessser Whitethroat has returned to his bit of scrub on the bend, a Bittern flew in front the ramp, a Hobby and 4+ Marsh Harriers there. A Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes with the Tree Sparrow nest boxes in, it was still there a couple of hours later when I returned with MH with the addition of a Cuckoo. At Scotney 18 Whimbrel and 8 Bat-tailed Godwits and 2 Marsh harriers.
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| Far to slow with the camera |
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