The new Heligoland at D.B.O.

The first upright going in at 10.00 hrs yesterday

Saturday morning myself and c18 others started work reconstructing the Heligoland Trap in The Moat. Fortunately the forecast rain did not arrive and by the end of the day most of us had a small amount of sun burn. We were ably martialled by Wez who designed it and with his, Chris and Sams construction know how started to build it.

18.00 hrs yesterday

At 18.00 hrs Saturday 95% of the frame had been erected and we got the call that the barbeque was ready and a superb spread was laid on by Gill. 


The final spar is fitted and Ray arrives with tea

This morning the rain held off but a strong wind made things interesting. The final spar was put in place and we started fitting the netting, a job which was more difficult than anticipated consequently taking much longer. By 16.00 hrs only c40% of it had been done. Hopefully over the next few days we will complete the trap. I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend, most of us came through it with only a few nicks and splinters except P.T. who got a lump on his head from a piece of wood that I dropped on him. Sorry Paul!

16.00 hrs this afternoon and 40% of the netting in place

Sheltering in the Woods

As the wind was once again howling this morning I went to Orlestone forest to find vsome shelter and hopefully see some birds and plants.
Round the car park lots of young Great Tits mainly and a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Along the rides Blackcaps, Garden Warblers and Chiffchaffs still singing, plus some young calling, also a Turtle Dove purring. Further along the tracks by an old bomb crater c30 Crossbills flew in also a Treecreeper and a Nuthatch. Further on I came across an old Green Woodpecker nest taken over by Bee's. Even further into the forest I came across a beautiful meadow full of Common Spotted Orchids and many other plants as yet unidentified, also there a Nightingale calling, another Turtle Dove purring and more Blackcaps and Garden warblers. 

Part of a flock of c30 Crossbills

The Bee's have taken over and old Woodpecker nest

Now you see it?

 At The Patch this morning the 1st summer Little Gull still and 3 Meditteranean Gulls were the pick of the gulls there and just a single Sandwich Tern.
At the Observatory the old Heligoland Trap has been dismantled, the wire put in a skip and  the old timber burnt. Hopefully this weekend a new one will be erected by a group of willing volunteers.
A couple of hours at the fishing boats this afternoon enjoying the glorious weather saw 4 Meditterranean Gulls, c20 Gannets, c15 Sandwich Terns, c10 Common Terns, 5 Common Scoter, 3+ Harbour Porpoises and a Seal.

Add caption

Rye Harbour

Spent the day at Rye Harbour enjoying the summery weather and a few birds and wild flowers. Several pairs of Avocets with a few young, Also Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers, Redshanks and a Turnstone.

On the Ternery Pool plenty of young Black-headed gulls, but very few Meditteranean Gulls, what looks like good numbers of Common Terns and Sandwich Terns. Also seen on the reserve 2 Wheatears and at least 8 Little Terns but not sure if they are breeding, good numbers of Skylarks singing, plus Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats and Linnets.



Still waiting for Summer

At The Patch bathed in sunshine this morning the 1st summer Little Gull still present along with 8 Meditteranean Gulls, c50 Common Terns, 1 Portlandica Type Tern and the usual Gulls. Off shore c300 Gannets per DW and several Harbour Porpoises.
At the south end of the ARC Pit the usual mix of ducks, 3 Ringed Plovers including 1 juvenile and a Hobby.
At the Water Tower a family party of 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Hobby's, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Green Woodpeckers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Lesser Whitethroat

 A very pleasant plod, in now cooler cloudier conditions, from Boulderwall farm to springfield bridge and back found 4+ Hobby's, 3+Marsh Harriers, 2 Cuckoo's, 1 Green Sandpiper, a flock of 19 Black-tailed Godwits flew over, a flight view of a Bittern and the usual Common Whitethroats, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, along with many Reed buntings. At Dengemarsh on the Common Tern rafts at least 2 abandonded clutches but still at least 18 sitting birds.


Common Terns (Note the abandoned clutch of 3eggs)

Dungeness

After a lay in waiting for the rain to ease a 2 hour watch (11.15-13.15 ) from The Point found a few Common and Sandwich Terns fishing, a steady stream of Gannets moving west and 12 Manx Shearwaters also west. In a quick look at The Patch where it was difficult to stand let alone keep the bins steady, c 50 Common Terns there and 100+ Gannets further out that must have found a large shoal of fish. 

 At the south end of the ARC Pit 130+ Pochard, 20+Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, 26 Gadwall, 1 Little Egret and a Hobby.
Round the Tower Pits 2+Marsh Harriers, 2+Hobby's, c50 Swifts and Reed, Sedge, Cetti's Warblers and Common Whitethroats still singing.

Between Boulderwall and Dengemarsh, much the same as the Tower Pits with the addition of several Tree Sparrows, and Common Terns 

Frog Orchids

I spent today in Sussex and stopped off on my home to look at some Frog Orchids.

Frog Orchid

Frog Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

More Gales

A couple of hours watching from The Point this morning returned 1 Arctic Skua, 3 Fulmars, 3 Common Scoter and a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns tooing and froing, also c50 Swifts. By the power station 2 Black Redstarts and masses of Vipers Bugloss.

Vipers Bugloss

At the south end of the ARC Pit my first returning Green Sandpiper of the year, 1 Little Egret and 6 Ringed Plovers. Most of the Pochard have relocated to the sheltered waters in front of Hanson Hide, where 100+ Swifts, 100+ House Martins and a few Swallows and Sand Martins were feeding. Also there 1 Hobby and 1 Marsh harrier.

Green Sandpiper

Mid Summer Day

At The Patch this morning the 1st summer Little Gull still present along with c50 Common Terns, c10 Sandwich Terns, 14 Common Scoter flew east  as did 6 Swallows and 3 Black Redstarts inside the power station compound.

1st Summer Little Gull

1st Summer Little Gull and Sandwich Tern

 Moving on from The Patch down to Dengemarsh Gully a family of Ringed Plovers, c20 Linnets, 2 Pied Wagtails, 6 Wheatears and 2 Peregrines.


Ringed Plover with bling

Common Lizard

 At the south end of ARC Pit c130 Pochard, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Hobby.
Round the boardwalk 12 Common Lizards, 1 Grass Snake and 1 Green Woodpecker. On the track from the car park to Hanson Hide several Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers still singing and a Marsh Harrier over. At Cockles Bridge an Oystercatcher finding something good to eat inside a rotten fence post.

Oystercatcher

Botany Master Class

I had a brilliant morning out with BB furthering my botanical education.

Monkey Orchids

Monkey Orchid

Fragrant Orchids

Musk Orchids



White Fragrant Orchid

Common Twayblade

Bird's-nest Orchid

Lady Orchid

 This afternoon I spent a couple of hours on the beach at the fishing boats, enjoying the sun and playing guess where the Porpoise will surface next.

Harbour Porpoise