Winter Birding

Arriving at Cheyne Court mid morning where a group of birders were already watching 5 Waxwings with 100s of Fieldfare and Redwing. While watching them a male Hen Harrier flew through. While diving around the marsh looking for more Waxwings a Mink came out of a ditch onto the road briefly, further on 2 more Waxwings by A259. All over the marsh large flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing numbering in 1000s. At Midley 23 Bewick Swans and 2 Whoopers with the Mute Swans, 4 Waxwings appeared briefly flushed by a Common Buzzard and the Hen harrier put in another fly by appearance. Neil Burt called me to say he had seen a Lesser Whitethroat at the Dungeness RSPB visitor centre. Despite only taking a few minutes to get there I missed it by seconds. Images of the bird taken by Neil can be found   here . 

Highlights while trying to relocate the bird were a Great White Egret, Red Head Smew and 2 Marsh Harriers from Dennis's Hide.
I watched and photographed a Barn Owl that was hunting by the entrance track as I was leaving but it was mainly distant. As I drove away I saw it land beside another track and it allowed quite close approach in the car.

Late afternoon as dusk fell I had Hanson Hide all to my self. 2 more Great White Egrets flew in to join the one already there and a Kingfisher flew round in circles in front the hide looking for fishing perch. As darkness fell a Drake Goosander flew in, a red head Smew appeared in front the hide as did 4 Goldeneye and Bittern flew in to roost. The Egrets appeared to roost there to. Walking back to the car in the dark several Water Rails were Squealing and Cetti's Warbler chattered.  

Waxwings

Sea watch The Point Dungeness 08.15-09.00:

Red-throated Diver: 47w    26E

Gannet: c15 off shore

Brent Goose: 9E

Shelduck: 28w    16E

Wigeon: 9w

Common Scoter: 32w    8E

Red-breasted Merganser: 2w

3w Glaucous Gull: 1 on beach

Yellow-legged Gull: 1ad on beach

Mediterranean Gull: 1w

Kittiwake: 16E  4w

Auk sp: 138E        49w

Starling: c140 in

Black-throated Diver taken in terrible light conditions

 Driving across the causeway 2 Great White Egrets could be seen on the New Diggings, around the Tower Pits 4 Common Snipe, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2  Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers and 15+ Tree Sparrows in the car park.
A check of Scotney found a Slavonian Grebe at the Sussex end but little else of note.
Back at New Diggings after hearing of a diver sp there (PT). The diver was soon located and turned out to be juvenile Black-throated Diver. Most of the afternoon was spent with MH in his new all singing all dancing Chelsea tractor visiting Denge Marsh, where apart from a Marsh Harrier Little of note was seen, a look from Dennis's hide found 4 Goldeneye, a Great White Egret and distant views of the Diver. We then drove round to Galloways which was very disappointing as nothing of note was seen.
Leaving MH I started for home, reaching Lydd roundabout I got a call from BB about 5 Waxwings at Cheyne Court, 5 minutes later I pulled up to see them perched in Hawthorn, just about had time to fire off some record shots at 2000 iso before they moved of to roost as a Merlin landed atop an adjacent bush. While apologising to a couple of other birders for nearly forcing them off the road on my way to the Waxwings(they pulled onto the verge to let me pass) a Barn Owl appeared and flew around for a few minutes and a Common Buzzard ghosted past to roost.

Taken in near dark at 2000 iso

A Good Day on Walland

Sea Watch from The Point Dungeness with TG 07.30- 10.00:

Great Northern Diver: 2E                           Auk sp: 301E  266w

Red-throated Diver:  23E    48w                 Kittiwake: 7E

Gannet: 7 off shore                                    Mediterranean Gull: 3W

Brent Goose: 30E  61w                              Merlin: 1 in off

Shelduck: 81E  41w                                   Woodcock: 1 in off

Eider: 2E  then West                                  Starling: 86 in off

Common Scoter: 15E 62w

Goldeneye: 1E

Red-breasted Merganser: 5E

Wigeon: 122w

Pintail: 8E

Shoveler: 14w

Teal: 39w

 The rest of my day was spent wandering around some the lanes and paths of Walland Marsh. As I was scanning a Mute Swan flock for the Whooper Swans, 11 Bewick Swans flew over, no sign of the Whoopers but a Black Swan in with the Mutes.
As I wandered round the lanes and paths the bushes were alive with 100s Fieldfare and Redwing with good numbers of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and a few Mistle Thrushes all devouring the Hawthorns. The Thrushes attracted the attention of a Merlin and at least 2 Sparrowhawks. Reaching  Midley I relocated the 11 Bewick Swans (6 adults and 5 juveniles).
During the day on the marsh a minimum of 18 Marsh Harriers were seen, 2 Common Buzzards, a Barn Owl at dusk, 1000s of Golden Plover, 1000s of Lapwing, 9 Common Snipe, several Bearded Tits and few Water Rails squealing in the ditches.  

Harrier Roost

The Point, Dungeness 07.30-10.30:

Red-throated Diver: 55w      18E                      Auk sp:  361w    30E

Black-throated Diver: 1w                                 Guillemot:  6w

Gannet: 18E                                                   3w Glaucous Gull:  1 on beach

Brent Goose:  55w   3E                                    Yellow Legged Gull: 1 on beach

Shelduck:  20w   65E                                        Mediterranean Gull:  4w  1E

Pintail:  6E                                                       Kittiwake: 10E

Wigeon:  13w   14E                                          Peregrine: 2 E

Teal:  2w                                                         Starling: 705 in

Common Scoter: 36w   33E

Red-breasted Merganser: 5w

Knot Littlestone beach

 A lunchtime walk along Littlestone golf course sea wall found c200 Sanderling, c150 Dunlin, 4 Knot, 8 Grey Plover, c200 Turnstone and a Black Redstart of note.

Superb male Hen Harrier. Picture taken in near dark moments before it dropped in to roost 

Most the afternoon was spent walking out from The Woolpack to fields by the wind mills. During this walk c14 Marsh Harriers were seen along with c2000 Golden Plover, c3000 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, 500+ Fieldfare and 10 Meadow Pipits. Getting back to the reed bed at c15.30  in the hope that some Harriers would roost there today. Waiting for the Harriers  to roost a Common Buzzard was seen, along with many more Golden Plover, Water Rail squealing and Bearded Tits pinging. Soon several Marsh Harriers were circling the reed bed being joined by a superb male Hen Harrier and huge female Peregrine that was as big as the Hen Harrier. Eventually 10 Marsh Harriers roosted as did the Hen Harrier which dropped in last at 16.18. 

Divers

The Point, Dungeness 08.00-09.30:

Great Northern Diver: 1 on sea                        Starling: 100 in

Red Throated diver: 77w  5E                          Guillemot: 4w

Gannet: 3w                                                       Auk sp:  61w

Shelduck:  2w 1E                                             Kittiwake: 7w  2E

Teal:  2w                                                          3w Glaucous Gull: 1 on beach

Wigeon: 4w                                                      Yellow-legged Gull: 1 adult on beach                                                 

Common Scoter: 1w                                          Black Redstart: 1 on beach

Record of Great northern Diver. A surprisingly rare bird at Dungeness.

 In the ARC car park 2 Bramblings feeding with c10 Tree Sparrows and 15 Chaffinches. 2 Marsh Harriers over. A walk around the Tower Pits produced 3 Common Snipe, 4 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff of note.
2 Great White Egrets on New Diggings viewable from the causeway with another on Burrowes Pit, also 4 Goldeneye there and 4 Marsh harriers over the Open Pits

This afternoon at Scotney c2000 Lapwing, c1000 Golden Plover, c500 Greylag Geese and the feral Barnacle Geese.
Across Walland Marsh c1000 Fieldfare, c200 Redwing and 3 Marsh Harriers of note. No sign of the Whooper Swans at Midley. At the rubbish heap in Tickners Lane 6 Yellowhammers and c50 Chaffinches.

Barn Owl

Dungeness Point 08.15-09.15 with TG a slow sea watch:

Red-throated Diver: 6w

Fulmar: 2w

Gannet: 7w

Common Scoter: 9w

Red-breasted Merganser: 2w

Guillemot: 21w

Auk sp: 34w

Kittiwake: 51w

Starling: 40 in

Goldfinch: 26w

Linnet: 14w

From the causeway 2 Great White Egrets and 2 Little Egrets on New Diggings.

From the entrance track to the reserve a Barn Owl amazingly my first one this year, hunting at c11.00hrs in the rain probably means its starving. Elsewhere on the reserve another Great White Egret on Burrowes Pit, 4+ Marsh Harriers around but little else of note in such wet and windy conditions. 

Orlestone

After spending all day Friday in West Sussex and yesterday a wash out it was good to get out this morning for a bit woodland birding in Orlestone Forest. Parking in Faggs Wood the fence was busy with Tits, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Chaffinches and Jays. Walking round the flooded tracks was hard work and very slippery. Away from the car park birds were thin on the ground, though 4 Bullfinches and a Common Buzzard were seen but no Crossbills.  

Late morning at The Point with frequent showers there was little moving at sea, but 27 Common Scoter, 4 Red-throated Divers and a few each of Gannet and Kittiwake and still good numbers of Guillemots on the sea.
Driving across the causeway 3 Great White Egrets could be seen on New Diggings. From Hanson 2 Marsh Harriers and 4 Goldeneye were the only note worthy sightings on a now very full ARC Pit.
Round the car park bushes 6+ tree sparrows and a Chiffchaff.
At Scotney the feral Barnacle Geese along with several hundred Greylag Geese, 5 Dunlin, 1 Redshank and 2 Marsh Harriers.
At Midley the 2 Whooper Swans still in the Kale Field with the Mute Swans and several 100s of Fieldfare and Redwing and 9 Tree sparrows were in the bushes.

Good Light

From the fishing boats this morning many Guillemots and Great Crested Grebes tooing and froing  off shore along with a some Gannets and Kittiwakes, also a few Common Scoter and Red-throated Divers but no real movement. C150 Goldfinches over the beach, the Glaucous Gull eluded me today though in truth I didn't really try very hard to find it.

A visit to Lade North Pit found the Long-tailed Duck eventually being cooperative after some patient waiting behind a bush. While waiting a Little Grebe surfaced with a small fish in front of me not realising I was there, also 50+ Curlew flew through and Cetti's Warbler blasted out its song just a couple of feet from me.    

 A late morning plod out to The Patch was disappointing with just c40 Black-headed Gulls over the boil and no Gulls roosting in front the hide.

 As I drove across a very windswept causeway 4 Great White Egrets flew over into the ARC Pit. A quick walk from the car park to the Screen hide revealed all 4 together sheltering from the wind though distant. Also there of note 2 Little Egrets and 2 Marsh Harriers.

A stop at Faggs Wood car park unauthorised feeding station, found up 3 Great spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Nuthatches, 4 Jays and numerous Tits and Chaffinches feeding on and around the fence. When the sun is out brilliant for photography. 

Wind and Rain

This morning as I parked at the end of the concrete road at The Point, the Glaucous Gull landed beside the car and remained there for the duration of my sea watch. Very little movement off shore in the southerly gale and rain c20 Guillemots, c25 Gannets, 4 Kittiwakes, 9 Red-throated Divers and 3 Common Scoter. At The Patch the highlight was a juvenile Little Gull and bedraggled Goldcrest behind the hide.

Up to 3 Great White Egrets could be seen on New Diggings from the causeway. On Walland Marsh the 2 Whooper Swans still at Midley also c600 Fieldfares there. With the weather still lousy I gave up and came home.

Kittiwakes

Dungeness Fishing boats 08.15-10.00:

Red-throated Diver: 4 on sea

Great Crested Grebe: c40 on sea

Gannet: 67w

Common Scoter: 86w 3E

Red-breasted Merganser: 2w

Mallard: 2w

Kittiwake: 428w over whelming majority were adults.

Glaucous Gull: 1 on beach

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 on beach

Guillemot: c50 on sea

Auk sp: 143w

The Patch 11.00-12.30

Most of my time was spent scanning the Herring Gulls for Caspian Gulls failing dismally.

Common Scoter: 48w 16E

Mediterranean Gull: 1ad in roost

Kittiwake: 9 in roost all ads 72w

Guillemot: c40 on sea

Auk sp: 38w

Black Redstart: 1 behind hide

2 Great White Egrets on the New Diggings viewable from the causeway.

At Midley the 2 Whooper Swans still in the Kale field. Near The Woolpack the Common Crane flew over the car flushed by the local hunt.