A Marsh Rarity

A rare windless and warm day at Dungeness. The sea was calm and from the fishing boats many Guillemots, Great Crested Grebes and smaller numbers of Razorbills, Gannets and Red Throated Divers could be seen on the sea.  6 Common Scoter flew east and this afternoon DW had the first Sandwich Tern of the year. At The Patch plenty of Black headed and Herring Gulls and a single 1st winter Mediterranean Gull. At Lade Pits no sign of the Black-throated Diver(I have over looked it before). The North Pit was virtually devoid of birds. A local dog walker told me a couple of eastern European gentleman had been camping there for a couple of days!

From the RSPB reserve entrance track the 5 Tundra Bean Geese and 7 Barnacle Geese with c200 Golden Plover, c150 Curlew, 3 + Marsh Harriers and a Stonechat of note. Best of all was meeting Pete and Mim for the first time this year.

On the ARC from Hanson 4 Smew and 4 Goldeneye were the pick of the bunch. In the Willow Trail a Chiffchaff was singing and 3 Goldcrests were with 4 long-tailed Tits.

A poor image of a marsh rarity 

 While scanning the fields for wild geese near Hawthorn Corner a call alerted me to a movement in the bushes, I was surprised to see a Treecreeper a rarity on the marsh. From the Triangle the Bewick swan flock could just about be seen in the distance. Tickners Lane seed dump still holds Corn buntings, Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings and the Common Buzzard .

Wandering round Fairfield Church I at last came upon the wintering Green Sandpiper but little else there. 

Otters

Myself, DW, GH and TG all wanted to go back to Thetford to try and see the Otters that we missed last week. This morning we drove to Thetford arriving mid morning. As we walked down the path towards the town centre I spotted an Otter under the bridge, which gave us great views all be it in very poor light. We followed it for c100mts when it disappeared into an ivy covered fallen tree where it started to play with another Otter. The light was so bad I have ditched all those images. As the Otters appeared to have gone and the Dipper had not shown either, we made our way back to the car park and walked down to the Nunnery Lakes. On the walk we saw several Muntjac and a Kingfisher were the highlights. Arriving back near the car park the Dipper had appeared and about a dozen photographers were busy snapping so we joined them. After a few minutes a birder arrived asking if the Dipper was present, we duly pointed to it 15 foot away, thanking us he casually asked if we had seen the Otters that were playing by the bridge 50mts away. In seconds he had the Dipper to himself. The Otters gave us a superb performance, it just a shame the light was so bad.   

Another Blank count

 Another mid morning start with a slow drive across Walland. At the Tickners Lane seed dump the Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings and Reed buntings still present with a Common Buzzard, Green Woodpecker and c30 Chaffinches. Opposite the feeders the bushes held both makes of Sparrows, 3 Yellowhammers, Greenfinches and Chaffinches with the Water rail darting in and out the bushes.
From Hawthorn Corner 200+ Bewick Swans can be seen but very distant.
The 5 Tundra Bean Geese still present on the reserve from entrance track at Boulderwall farm, also  6 Ruff, c150 Curlew, 2 Ravens and a Great white Egret.
From the fishing boats a few Guillemots on the sea, with more Auks, Red-throated Divers, Common Scoters and  Kittiwakes tooing and froing, also a few Brent Geese moved east. On the beach a couple of Skylarks and Ringed Plovers.

At the ARC from Hanson 6+ Smew(2 drakes) and 4 Goldeneye among the common wildfowl.

                                                    Harrier Roost Count 
In a bitterly cold ESE wind at my designated reed bed no Harriers came in, though c14 flew over. A Merlin sat on a post and 3 Common Buzzards were seen, 100+ Fieldfare went to roost.   

Marsh Rarity

Guessing that Dungeness would be busy today I was in no hurry to get there. A slow drive across Walland found 200+ Bewick Swans and a single Whooper Swan with some Mutes, scanning the windmills 5 Marsh harriers could be seen.  Midday at Scotney the Scaup was still present but little else of note.

The track from Boulderwall to the reserve was like a car park, with lots of birders wanting to see the 5 Tundra Bean Geese with the 7 Barnacle Geese. Also present there 3+ Great White Egrets, 3+ Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards and brief view s of a Bittern.

 Over the road at the ARC from Hanson some Smew were just starting to perform, when other people came banging and thumping into the hide! I left. They did me a favour for as I came out 2 Firecrests were in the bushes.

 On Walland at the feeding station a Water Rail with dozens of Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Tree and House Sparrows and a couple of Yellowhammers.

 Driving along Caldicott Lane looking for the Little Owl I flushed 2 Grey Partridges from the verge, thankfully they landed in the field allowing me watch this rarity the first I have seen on the marsh this year. No little Owls but a Barn Owl at the triangle.

Spiders webs glistening it the late afternoon sun

A spin round the Marsh

Met TG at The Point this morning. The sea was flat calm and smothered in sea birds.

Guillemots/Razorbills: 1,560 (TG counted them), Great Crested Grebes 2,000+, smaller numbers of  Gannets, Kittiwakes and Red Throated Divers but no passage. Behind the sea watching hide 2 Black Redstarts but a little camera shy. 

 Had a spin around the marsh with TG and DW. First stop the reserve entrance track at Boulderwall Farm where 5 Tundra Bean Geese and 7 Barnacle Geese were spoiling there credentials by associating with some Canada Geese, 5 Marsh Harriers in the air together with some display behaviour, 3 Common Buzzards, 2 Ravens, c100 Golden Plover, c50 Curlew, a Cetti's Warbler shouting and 2 Bearded Tits hidden in the reed bed. A drive down Dengemarsh road found another Black Redstart on the farm house.  At Scotney the female Scaup was showing on the far side of the pit with Tufties and pochard, much smaller numbers of Wigeon present than recently, 3 Pintail dropped into the new pit behind and a Marsh Harrier quartered the fields behind. On the grassy areas several 100s of Lapwing a few Golden Plover and Dunlin.
On Walland still 200+ Bewick Swans present though very distant, a distinct lack of winter Thrushes(No Fieldfares or Redwings seen)  opposite the feeders dozens of House and Tree Sparrows, Greenfinches, Chaffinches and a Yellowhammer. The Tickners Lane seed dump held several Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and a Corn Bunting. At the Varne Sailing Club where there are now 3 Snow Buntings present on the beach. On Lade north pit the Black-throated Diver still present also 3+ Goldeneye.

 The ARC Pit from Hanson had 10 Smew showing quite well, 4+ Goldeneye, 2 Firecrests in the bushes beside the hide, 2 Bitterns 1 quite close but in dense reeds. Another good day on the marsh with 86 species seen today.

A different day!

Mid morning the rain cleared as I made my way across Walland Marsh. The Tickners Lane seed dump was alive with Finches and Buntings, the Common buzzard perched on its usual bush. 

From the Triangle no sign of the Whitefronts but 2 Marsh Harrriers, further on the bushes opposite the feeders were teaming with Finches and House/Tree Sparrows and the Water Rail.

From Hawthorn Corner the 200+ Bewick swans could be seen but very distant.

At Scotney a female Scaup among the Tufties and Pochard was the highlight, though OL saw a male Hen Harrier earlier. 

 As a 1st winter Glaucous Gull was seen west of The Patch, I wrapped up and made my way along the sea wall, but it had moved on before I arrived feeling positively over dressed in such mild conditions. An adult Mediterranean Gull over The Patch was the highlight. At sea a dramatic decrease in the numbers of Auks and Divers and just a few Gannets and Kittiwakes. A brilliant male Black Redstart was by one of the beach properties.

At the fishing boats the 3w Glaucous Gull did a couple of fly bys. The Snow Bunting found last night by DW reappeared but was elusive, probably due to its camouflage as I very nearly ran it over and only saw it because it flew onto the beach.   

Bring on the Spring

Another bitterly cold day with a biting SE wind. As I drove across Walland this morning the Tickners Lane seed dump had attracted several each of Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and c40 Chaffinches with a couple of Greenfinches, 2 Common Buzzards present there this afternoon. From the triangle c70 Greater White-fronted Geese with some Mute Swans, Greylags and 5 Bewick Swans . Opposite the feeders several each of Tree Sparrows, Greenfinches,Yellowhammers and a Water Rail, also 2 Marsh Harriers over. 200+ Bewick Swans showing distantly from Hawthorn corner. All across the marsh 100s of winter thrushes maily Fieldfares with a few Redwing and Mistle Thrushes.

From the causeway a Great White Egret could be seen on New Diggings but little wildfowl.

From the fishing boats still the same Guillemots, Razorbills, Great Crested Grebes and Red-throated Divers tooing and froing with a few Gannets and Kittiwakes but no movement yet.  

 While driving past West Beach I spotted a male Sparrowhawk walking and running among the Broom and Brambles, after a couple of minutes it flew out and landed on the power station perimeter fence about 60mts ahead of me, very slowly I drove along the track towards it, it allowed me pull up beside it and spend a few seconds photographing it.

 At the Varne Sailing Club the 2 Snow buntings performed admirably again as did 1 of c40 Sanderling, 12 Redshank and c30 Turnstone.

A wander round Lade south and north pit failed to locate the Black-throated Diver, but a Bittern was flushed from the central causeway, 2+ Water Rail were squealing and 4 Goldeneye among the common wildfowl.
At Scotney a Barn Owl hunting the north bank and a Marsh Harrier but little else of note.
The fields at Galloways and Dengemarsh held 100s of winter thrushes but little else of note.
At the ARC a wander up to the pines was disappointing and very cold with 5 Smew (1 drake) being the best sighting.
Boulderwall Farm held the usual Tree sparrow flock and little way down the track the 7 Barnacles could still be seen along c300 Lapwing and c200 Curlew. Despite the best efforts of the weather 82 species seen on the marsh today.

Colour Ringed Herring Gulls

50 minutes sea watching at The Point this morning was rather poor today with TG and myself recording only: c50 Auks, 43 Red-throated Divers E, 1 Fulmar E, 63 Wigeon W, 1 Pintail E, 2 Mediterranean gulls off shore with a few Kittiwakes and Gannets.

As things were so quiet we decided we would like to go to Stodmarsh and see some Water Pipits which is a very scarce bird at Dungeness.

In the Stodmarsh car park MG was there and informed us that the Water Pipits were best seen at Marsh Hide. After a very brief look for the Penduline Tit we made our down to the Marsh hide. (I take my hat off to those who walk around the glutinous footpaths there day in day out). Apart from a nice Siskin flock, we saw very little on our way down to the hide, as we to busy looking at the ground making sure we didn't slip over. Once in the hide a Little Egret could be seen and some distant Lapwings, while looking at the Konic horses some 200mts away we spotted a Pipit among them and then some more. We managed to get some reasonable scope views of c10 Water Pipits but they were always distant. As we made our way back along the glutinous footpaths a Bearded Tit flew past and we were told that the Penduline Tit had still not been seen, but as we had seen the Water Pipits out main target for the day,(probably rarer than Penduline Tits at Dungeness) we decided to head back to Dungeness via Hythe as it was nearly high tide, to hopefully see some Purple Sandpipers. At the Imperial hotel breakwater we were royally rewarded with brilliant views of 6 Purple Sandpipers and an adult Mediterranean Gull further along the beach.

KP9T.

 Back at Dungeness scanning the Gull roosts found at least 8 colour ringed Herring gulls 2 of which I was unable to read.
From the causeway 2 Great White Egrets on New Diggings with another from the reserve entrance track, also c200 Curlew and the 7 Barnacle Geese there.

PG8.T

JD5.T

VY6.T

P1BT

TD1.T

Cold and grey

An hour at a bitterly cold and gloomy point this morning with TG, saw plenty of Guillemots and Razorbills on the sea and tooing and froing off shore. These were joined by c80 Red-throated Divers, a few Gannets and Kittiwakes, a single Mediterranean Gull, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Greylag Geese moving west, 5 Teal, c50 Wigeon and a single Common Scoter. 

 New Diggings held 3 Great White Egrets and in 2 visits to the ARC 7 Smew (1 drake), 2 Bitterns, 2 Marsh Harriers and 6 Goldeneye were of note.
Scotney was very quiet compared to recent visits most the geese missing and alot of the duck having moved on. A Pintail and Black-tailed Godwit were of note as was a Peregrine and ring tail Hen Harrier.
On Walland 200+ Bewick Swans and c70 Greater White-fronted Geese of note.

 At the Varne Sailing Club car park the 2 Snow Buntings still and 8 species of wader.
On Lade North Pit the Black-throated Diver showing quite well with 2 Goldeneye among the common wildfowl.

Boulderwall Farm held the usual flock of Tree Sparrows and from the track the 7 Barnacle Geese still with c200 Curlew and another Great White Egret. Although it was cold, damp and gloomy most the day I had very good day around the peninsular see 88 species.

Wimped Out!

Got thoroughly soaked this morning in a plod around Eastwell Manor. The woodland offered up of note a flock of c20 Siskins in the Alders but no Redpolls. The lake held a few duck including the highlight of 2 Goosanders.
This afternoon I was supposed to be doing the Harrier roost count. Instead I am watching Man U play Everton in the warm, because the reed bed I watch is in the middle of the marsh, with absolutely no protection from the SE wind that is blowing 30mph+, or the driving rain/sleet that is now turning to snow.