Siberian Stonechat

At a very foggy Dungeness this morning an arrival of Thrushes with 27 Blackbirds, 13 Song Thrushes, 9 Redwing, 1 Ring Ouzel and 18 Robins grounded between Lloyds and the Old lighthouse with more flying over unseen. Also seen 3+ Black Redstarts, 11 Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Stonechat, 5+ Skylarks and a few Siskins over.

A look in the trapping area found more evidence of an arrival with Blackbirds seemingly everwhere and another Ring Ouzel.

With news that the Siberian Stonechat was still present at Beachy Head I gave in to temptation and twitched it with GH. AS we arrived at Birling Gap the fog cleared and the sun came out letting us enjoy  the Siberian Stonechat in good light. While there a Hobby flew over, we also saw a Whinchat which sometimes sat very close to the Siberian Stonechat, 1+ Brambling over, my first Fieldfare of the Autumn among many Thrushes and in Shooters Bottom several Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs, more Thrushes and Robins, a Black Redstart and a Hobby possibly the bird seen at Birling gap.

Wet and Miserable

Probably the most photographed Glaucous Gull ever.

As I drove on to the beach in the near dark this morning, I could see the Glaucous Gull bathing in the puddles by the fishing boats along with the adult Yellow-legged Gull. In couple of hours of staring through the rain from the end of the concrete road I recorded:
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Gannet: 136E
Brent Geese: 93w  2E
Wigeon: 7E
Common Scoter: 38w
Turnstone: 4 on the beach
Bonxie: 1E
Arctic Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 14E
Sandwich Tern: 15E
Arctic Tern: 1E
Swallow: 7E
Meadow Pipit: 6 in
Skylark: 5 in
Redwing: 4 in
Starling: c250 in
Goldfinch: c500E
Linnet: c150E
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
Leaving the beach the light was a little better so I took yet more pictures of the Glaucous Gull.
In the Lighthouse garden a couple of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs. Viewing The Patch from by the seawatching hide 3+ Mediterranean Gulls and a little Gull could be seen round the boil.
At Scotney the feral Barnacle Geese still present along with several hundred Greylags, a single Brent Goose, c300 Golden Plover, c1000 Lapwing, a single Redshank and a Marsh Harrier. With the weather getting worse I gave in to the inevitable and headed home.

Sprites

Near the the fishing boats this morning the Glaucous Gull was on the sands with the bait diggers, c600 Starlings came in and a few flocks of finches over. In the Lighthouse garden 4+ Goldcrests, 2 Chiffchaffs and 2 Song Thrushes. Round the moat 6+ Goldcrests, 6+ Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps and a Ring Ouzel. Late this afternoon a Sparrowhawk was trapped and ringed at the obs. 

Late morning and most of the afternoon was spent round the trapping area with Mark T, where we came across a large Tit flock that contained 6+ Chiffchaffs, 6+Goldcrests and a Firecrest. Having been alerted that a Pallas's Warbler had been heard deeper into the trapping area, we slowly made our way to the area seeing more Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests also fly over Brambling, Siskin and Redpolls. After a while I heard it call 3 times but no sight of it. While looking for a it a Long Eared Owl was flushed which I missed, while looking for the Owl DW spotted the Pallas's Warbler which I glimpsed before it disappeared. SM heard and found a Yellow-browed Warbler amongst numerous Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests which I managed to get slightly better views of than the Pallas's. Some very good birds seen  but very frustrating views of most.    

Camera Problems

Sea watching this morning was uneventful with a couple of Arctic Skuas(probably the birds that have been around for weeks) a few Gannets and Terns, a Red-throated Diver on the sea, c250 Swallows and House Martins over, 350+ Goldfinches a few Siskins, Chaffinches and Redpolls, also 12 Pied Wagtails. The Glaucous Gull flew in and landed less than 10mts from me, I raised my camera and pressed the shutter and disaster, nothing happened, some frantic fiddling still nothing.The camera was saying both batteries and a spare apparently completely exhausted, which could not be as all 3 were charged fully last night. So spent the rest day on a trip to London to hopefully get the problem sorted. The repairers tried their batteries and still nothing. Will have to use my 40D for a while. 

Gulls

2 hours at the fishing boats  this morning was a let down after yesterday. Even so 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 1+ Arctic Skua, a few Common Scoter, a single Eider, 2 Red-throated Divers, a few each of Razorbills and Guillemots with more Auk sp, along with a few Sandwich Terns and Gannets passed by off shore. c300 Swallows went out and c400 Goldfinches and c30 Siskins moved over the beach. It was good to see that the Glaucous Gull was getting back into its old routine.

 At the ARC from Hanson a Merlin flashed across the lake, a Little Stint, a Knot and a Snipe were on whats left of the islands. A Great White Egret flew in being harassed by a Grey Heron and a Goldeneye was present., in the bushes Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, Cetti's Warblers and Water Rail squealed. At the pines a Crossbill flew over, a Ring Ouzel, Redwing, several Song Thrushes and 3 Marsh Harriers were seen.

 At the reserve on  Burrowes pit 2 more Great White Egrets, 6 Jays flew over as did a Sparrowhawk and a 1w Yellow-legged Gull.

 In the gull roost on the reserve late this afternoon an adult Caspian Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull courtesy of DW.

Leach's, Sooty's and a Sabines

Leach's Petrel. Another contender for worst image of the week!

 A brilliant sea watch today 08.00- 15.00: 

Red-throated Diver: 1 off shore                        Sabines Gull: 1w

Great-crested Grebe: c20 off shore                 Glaucous Gull 3w on beach

Sooty Shearwater: 14w                                    Sandwich Tern: 43w

Leach's Petrel: 3w                                            Common Tern: 2w

Gannet:195                                                       Guillemot 26w

Common Scoter: 42w 8E                                  Razorbill: 84w                                

Red-breasted merganser: 1w                           Auk sp: 78w                          

Turnstone: 14+ on beach                                 Skylark: 4 in                               

Dunlin: 5w                                                         Swallow: 96 in                                      

Curlew: 1w                                                        Meadow Pipit: 5 in

Great Skua: 24w 2E                                          Pied Wagtail: 9 in 2 on beach

Arctic Skua: 6+ off shore                                  Starling: 26 in

Mediterranean Gull 2winiter: 1w                       Linnet: 20 over beach

Yellow-legged Gull ad: 1 on beach                   Goldfinch: 498 over beach

Little Gull: 1-3adults 1 1winter all west              Siskin: 7+ over beach

Kittiwake : 6w                                                    Harbour Porpoise: 3 off shore

Sooty Shearwater. Yet another contender for worst photo of the week

As I was driving off the beach a Gull caught my eye. As screeched to halt and fumbled for my camera I realised it was a 3w Glaucous Gull hopefully back for the winter.

The  only snatched shot I managed 

First Goldeneye

Highlights of a plod around The Point this morning with TG were 3 Ring Ouzels, 2 Bramblings, c20 Siskins, c15 Redpolls, c100 Goldfinches, c20 Stock doves, c80 Woodpigeons, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Sparrowhawks, 12 Chiffchaffs, 15 Long-tailed Tits and a flock of 61 Blue Tits.   

 At the south end of the ARC a Little Stint with 30 Lapwing, a singing Cetti's Warbler and a Marsh Harrier over. On the track to and around the pines 2 Jays, a Black Redstart, a Ring Ouzel, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, c 100 Golden Plovers over, a Snipe and 2 Marsh Harriers. Across the road at Boulderwall farm 16 Tree sparrows round the feeder.

 On the reserve little of note on Burrowes and New Excavations. At Christmas Dell 4 Blackcaps and a Stonechat. Dengemarsh still hosts the Great white Egret and 2 more Marsh Harriers. At Hookers 2 Blackcaps 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, a photogenic Kestrel and a Ring Ouzel flushed from opposite the ramp.

In a late afternoon look at the ARC from Hanson 2 Little Stints, a Common Snipe and PT spotted my first Goldeneye of the Autumn among the usual wildfowl.  

Harrier Roost

Noticeably less migrants today in a stroll around all the areas on The Point a Common Redstart was the highlight, also seen 6 Stonechats, 1 Wheatear, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Brambling over, a few each of Siskin and Redpoll over, 140+ Goldfinches, 40+ Swallows, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3+ Sparrowhawks and 13 Jays.

A scarce bird this autumn at Dungeness

 Arriving back at the observatory a Jay was being processed, a ringing tick for young David.

At the ARC 3 Black Redstarts at The Pines and 6 Chiffchaffs. From Hanson 300+ Golden Plover, 2 Little Stints and 2 Marsh Harriers were the highlights. At the south end another Little Stint.
The Harrier roost count on Walland this evening was some what disappointing with only 3 Marsh Harriers being seen and none roosting in the reed bed I was watching. However 2 Merlins, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Common buzzard and 2 Stonechats were seen with Water Rails squealing in the reeds.

A few migrants

A later start today staring out to sea in the rain for the best part of an hour. Very little moving the highlights being a Bonxie and Red-throated Diver west and 2 Arctic Skuas off shore.

 A plod around The Point found a fair scattering of birds including 2 fly over Ring Ouzels, 14 Song Thrushes, 1 Wheatear, 6 Black Redstarts, 48 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, 12 Goldcrests one of which performed well for the camera, 3 Firecrests, c60 Siskins, c35 Redpolls, c90 Goldfinches. Much fewer Hirundines today only 86 Swallows.

Spiders legs still  protruding from beak

Not so obliging Firecrest

The track from the ARC car park to The Pines and along the railway found another 22 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 12 Long-tailed Tits, the stunning male Black Redstart still present, 2 Red-legged Partridges, c30 Blackbirds, c10 Song Thrushes and 2 Marsh Harriers. From Hanson 2 Little Stints still, c250 Golden Plover and a female Red-crested Pochard.

At Dengemarsh Gully this afternoon most of this mornings migrants had moved on leaving just a Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaffs and Peregrine over. 

More of the same

Another 2 hrs watching from The Point this morning with TG and DW :

Red-throated Diver: 10w

Black-throated Diver: 2w

Gannet: c50 off shore

Wigeon: 8w

Common Scoter: 8w  16E

Red-breasted Merganser: 1w

Sanderling: 1w

Dunlin: 6w

Bonxie: 1E

Arctic Skua: c5 off shore

Little Gull: 5w

Mediterranean Gull: 3 off shore

Kittiwake: 3w

Yellow-Legged Gull 2 on beach ad + 1w

Sandwich Tern: c40 off shore

Skylark: 2 in

Rock Pipit: 1w 

Yellow Wagtail: 1w

Swallow: 585

House Martin: 367

Redpoll: 3

Harbour Porpoise: 3+ off shore

 A wander around The Desert, Trapping Area, The Moat, Lloyds and West beach found a single  very photogenic Wheatear, 2 Stonechats, 6 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Black Redstarts, 2+ Sparrowhawks, 3 Skylarks over and several each of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch over.

A walk up the track to The Pines found 8+ Chiffchaffs, 4+ Cetti's Warblers, 2 Marsh Harriers but very little in The Pines. From Hanson 2 Little Stints, 5 Dunlin, c200 Golden Plover, c 150 Lapwing  and the usual wildfowl.

A wind swept Dengemarsh was very quiet with the Great White Egret making a couple of second flight over the reed bed and flock of c100 Linnets in the field.