Bits and Pieces

The Point was covered in fog with seemingly few birds around when I arrived this morning. TG had been into the trapping area and seen 50+ Willow Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroat and a Redstart.
I needed to go to the reserve centre so I thought I'd spend the morning there.
On Burrowes of note just 2 Common Sandpipers. While walking up to Dengemarsh I found a Lesser Emperor Dragonfly which was flying up and down the path refusing to settle after ten minutes it disappeared. Carrying on to Dengemarsh the Great White Egret was viewable from the path to Hookers and 6+ Willow Warblers were in the bushes. With little else to see I went back to Christmas Dell to have another look for the dragonfly and found it in the same place. I took dozens of images in the next 15 minutes as it dashed up and down the track at breakneck speed before it disappeared again, but only managed 1 that was partially in focus. As I left the reserve I received a text from PT alerting me to an Osprey heading south at Lade but was unable to see it.

The only partially in focus image I managed of this Lesser Emperor

In 3 visits to the ARC today 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Wood Sandpiper, C35 Golden Plover,4 Garganey, an adult Little Gull, 2 Marsh Harriers and several hundred Sand Martins.
A quick look at Scotney found 200+ Golden Plover, 3 Yellow Wagtails and Marsh Harrier among 100s of Greylag and Canada Geese.

Willow Warblers



I didn't bother with The Patch this morning as judging by the car park the beach would be smothered in fishermen. First look at the Lighthouse Garden revealed it to be virtually bird less, so was taken aback on arrival at the obs to be told of 30+ Willow warblers and a Pied Flycatcher in The Moat.

A walk around The Moat found easily 30 Willow Warblers but the Pied Flycatcher had gone missing.

A check around Lloyds, West Beach, The Lighthouse and the station found another 6. A wander around The Desert, the high gorse and the south edge of the trapping area found at least another 32 with 8 Common Whitethroats. 



 Moving on to the ARC where most the waders had gone leaving just 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 6 Golden Plover. The Willow trail held another 4 Willow Warblers and another 12 on the track to and around the pines. From the pines I saw a Honey Buzzard flying north over Boulderwall presumably the same bird seen over Burrowes and from the screen 2+ Garganey and 2 Marsh Harriers. 

 A very hot plod from the ARC car park to Springfield Bridge found c10 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall with another 5 at Hookers, still plenty of Reed and sedge warblers in the ditches and bushes also a few more Willow Warblers. A few Cetti's Warblers are still making themselves heard around the reserve. At the viewing ramp 4 Bearded Tits and 4 Marsh Harriers and 3 Swifts with the increasing numbers of Swallows. On Dengemarsh the Great white Egret showed well then flew to north end of the marsh. Wandering back 6+ Yellow wagtails flew over and a party of c50 Golden Plover. 

Hot!



A late start due to domestic duties but lunch time at the ARC in baking Hanson hide found 1 Knot, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Common Sandpipers, c50 Golden Plover, 5 Garganey, 1 adult Little Gull, the juvenile female Peregrine, c30 Yellow Wagtails and many Hirundines over the pit(C150 Sand martins, C100 Swallows, C30 House martins and 2 Swifts).

An hour and half at the fishing boats sitting soaking up the glorious sunshine in a cool breeze was entertaining with up to 3 Arctic Skua's beating up c100 Common Terns and c25 Sandwich Terns, also 37 Swallows and 4 Sand martins flew south and up 11 Harbour Porpoises were off shore. 

Late afternoon a plod from Springfield Bridge to the viewing ramp at Hookers saw 10+ Yellow Wagtails, 5 little Egrets, the newly arrived Great White Egret, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Ravens and a Whinchat making use of the anti predator fencing. 

Another victim of a Angler

At the point this morning little of note 0800-0900:

Fulmar: 2w
Gannet: 107w  42E
Common Scoter: 9E  4w
Little Gull: 1 at The Patch
Common Tern: c200 moving into Hythe bay
Swift: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 8+
At the ARC lees waders than of late but still 2 Little Stints, 9 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3+ Garganey and c100 Sand Martins.

Cap Blanc Nez from Dungeness

This afternoon the french coast was very clear which did not bode well for a sea watch. In 3 hrs:
Balearic Shearwater: 1w
Fulmar: 1E
Gannets: 32W 14E
Black Tern: 2 off shore
Common Tern: 40+ off shore
Arctic Tern: 1 Juvenile off shore
Arctic Skua: 1W
Sand Martin: 7 out
Harbour Porpoise: 11+
Grey Seal: 1

Juvenile Herring Gull fighting a losing battle to stay afloat

A juvenile Herring Gull flew into a fisherman's line, instead of trying to free the bird, he remained in his chair and cut his line, leaving the gull entangled with the weights dragging it down. The gull lasted c10 minutes before it drowned. The gulls wing was probably broken when it flew into the line and would probably have perished any way. Although the collision was not the fisherman's fault it was the callous way he made no attempt to aid the gull.

Pied Flycatcher

On its way to Gaza

 With little moving at sea this morning a short watch was in order. A few Terns and Gannets, the Little Gull and Black Tern were seen. Probably the most interesting sighting was The Estelle on its way to the Gaza blockade.

 On the ARC the highlights were the 2 Little Stints still, a good count of 34 Redshank, 4+ Common Sandpipers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 7 Golden Plovers, a Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Garganey, the large juvenile female Peregrine, 2 Marsh harriers and c200 Sand Martins.

 A text from BP had me plodding out to Hookers for a Pied Flycatcher. On the way 2 Whimbrel in the fields, a Raven over, 2 Yellow Wagtails over and 4 Swifts. In the bushes with the flycatcher several Reed Warblers and a Willow Warbler. On my way back to the car 2 Marsh Harriers and a couple of Tree sparrows at Boulderwall.

 A couple of hours at the fishing boats this afternoon found no improvement in the sea bird passage. 5+ Harbour Porpoises kept me entertained some coming close in shore, but very difficult to get good pics of them.

All at Sea

From the sea watch hide this morning with DW and TG:

Balearic Shearwater: 1+ W
Fulmar: 1 W
Gannet: c300
Shoveler: 7 E
Common Scoter: 26E 17W
Peregrine: 1 chasing terns over The Patch
Little Gull: 1+ o/s
Guillemot: 1 o/s
Black Tern: 2 o/s
Common Tern: c300 moved into Hythe bay
Arctic Skua: 4 o/s
Bonxie: 1 w
Harbour Porpoise: 4+ o/s

On the ARC from Hanson 2 Little Stints, 4+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Dunlin, 4+ Little ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 11 Golden Plovers and 5 Garganey. By the pines c200 Sand Martins, a juvenile Cuckoo, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Yellow Wagtails and Hobby.
Another watch from The point 14.00-16.00 with MH and TG:
Balearic Shearwater: 1E
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 50+ o/s
Black Tern: 3+
Sandwich Tern: 30+ o/s
Common Tern: 150+ o/s
Arctic Skua: 3 o/s
Swallow: 1 out
Swift: 53 out
Harbour Porpoise: 6+
 

Sods Law

A fishermans legacy

 At The Patch this morning a Great Black Backed Gull with a tangle of fishing line firmly entangled round one of its legs. The tangle was c1mt long but the gull was still able to fly. Nothing else of note was seen.
With slightly damp and very humid weather this morning I was hoping for a fall of migrants, but was sadly disappointed. Walking from the lighthouse to the obs no migrants were seen. At least the Wasp Spider posed.

Wasp Spider

 The best part of a couple of hours was spent sitting in the obs garden drinking tea bemoaning the lack of migrants and putting the world to rights, though a couple of Swallows and a Marsh Harrier moved over the obs. GH arrived and suggested we go in land to see some Violet Helleborines. They were situated in a brilliant Beech and Hornbeam wood but in deep shade. After photographing them and being bitten by some voracious Mozzies, we came across a Tit flock that contained a couple Nuthatches, 2+ Treecreepers and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that really posed for us. Sods Law all I had with me was my macro lens, so I just enjoyed the superb views of it until it started to move away, when I took a couple of snaps of it with the macro (see the rubbish results below). My normal 400mm lens would have nailed it. 

Violet Helleborine

Violet Helleborine

Not Happening Yet

At The Patch the hide is still being built, though not much to see there today. The highlight being an adult Little Gull and steady up channel movement of Gannets.
The bushes around The Point were virtually bird less the best being 3 Wheatears.
After a chat at the obs myself and TG visited the ARC Pit where 3 common Sandpipers and 2 Little Egrets were at the south end. From Hanson 1 Little Stint, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 more Common Sandpipers, 5 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1+ Garganey, a flock c100 Sand Martins and a Raven over.
Near the screen 3+ Willow Warblers and a large Grass Snake swimming across the pit.
My first visit to the reserve for a week or two was uninspiring with 5 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall, a single Grey Plover on Burrowes, a Common Sandpiper in front of the visitor centre and another with a Lapwing posing under Makepeace also at least 1 pair of Common Gulls were successful with at least 1 juvenile.  

An afternoon sea watch from the Fishing boats found a few Terns and Harbour Porpoises off shore and kept me so enthralled I fell asleep for an hour.
At Scotney c100 Golden Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Marsh Harriers.

Hung over

A very late start today after spending most of yesterday gambling and carousing at Lingfield races and becoming alcoholically challenged. Fortunately I was staying at the on site hotel and drove home this morning.
When I arrived at the ARC  there were 2 Little Stints at Hanson also 3 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, 3 Little ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, c50 Golden Plover, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and a Garganey. A plod up to the Water Tower  found 20+ Yellow Wagtails, 3 Willow Warblers a Peregrine , 4 Marsh Harriers and 3 more Garganey.
In a short visit to the obs the only bird of note was a Common Buzzard over the Open Pits.

Soaking up the Sun

1 of a party of 8 over the DBO

 The Little Owl was in it's usual place opposite Romney Farm and 2 Marsh harriers hunting the fields behind it.
The Patch was devoid of birds probably due to the abundance of fisherman on the beach, but a pale phase Arctic Skua was chasing the Terns off shore and 5 Common Scoter flew east.
Around The Point and The Moat 5 Wheatears, 1 Stonechat and a Common Whitethroat. A Peregrine was on the power station and a party of 8 Common Buzzards came over the obs had a look at the sea and decided to settle at the back of the power station.

Reed warbler from Hanson

 In 2 visits to the ARC the juvenile Little Stint was still present as was the moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 common Sandpipers, 3 Little-ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Golden Plovers, 5 Little Egrets, 4 Garganey 2+ Marsh Harriers and plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers. By the track to the screen hide 9 Yellow Wagtails and a Redpoll over.

Kittiwake on a mill pond sea

 A couple of hours at the fishing boats enjoying the sunshine lunchtime saw a single Fulmar W, 2 juvenile Kittiwakes feeding along the shore and c30 Common Terns and 1 juvenile Arctic Tern feeding in a frenzy each time a Harbour Porpoise forced a shoal of fish to the surface.

Feeding frenzy of Terns over Harbour Porpoise