Migrants in the rain

An hour at the fishing boats in the rain was uninspiring. A few Terns and Gannets feeding off shore, the only birds moving were 22 Teal and 2 Wigeon west.

At the south end of the ARC 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Little Egrets, from Hanson another Black-necked Grebe, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper,1 Common Sandpiper and a few Sand Martins over the pit. Round the hide and in the bushes by the track to the pines in a short let up in the rain c20 Common Whitethoats, c15 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Sedge Warblers, 6 Reed Warblers, 3 Cetti's Warblers and 6+ Yellow Wagtails.

 In a morning and afternoon visit to Galloways and Dengemarsh 2 Common Redstarts, 4 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, c 30 Common Whitethroats, 2 Stonechats, 4 Yellow Wagtails, a few Swallows. Also a Pied flycatcher per Neil Burt.

 Late morning round the observatory, Lloyds, West Beach and the Lighthouse 2 Pied Flycatchers (my first of the year), the juvenile Cuckoo still by the Heligoland trap, 9 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and 6 Common Whitethroats.

Thin Fare

Very little of note on the sea this morning, the same dark phase Arctic Skua that has been around for some time chasing a few Terns that were moving up channel along with a few Gannets.

A walk up to the north end of the Long Pits including The Moat, Lloyds, West Beach and The Lighthouse found 34 Willow Warblers, 25 Common Whitethroats, 8 Reed Warblers, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Whinchat, the Cuckoo for its fourth day and 6 Swallows.

Another sea watch this evening from the fishing boats was poor, with just a few Terns, Gannets, 20+ Common Scoter and the same Arctic Skua,  especially as Tony and Brenda had seen 11 Balearic Shearwaters from there earlier.
After the sea watch I went back to the ARC where the only waders were a single Greenshank and 4 Oystercatchers. Not a single Lapwing or Golden Plover. 3 Green Sandpipers flew over towards the reserve and the Black-necked Grebe could be seen.

Nothing new but still plenty to see

The last couple of days at Dungeness have been very quiet. Little or no sea bird movement, most of the waders from the ARC have cleared out, very few new passerines except Hirundines around the peninsular.
But if you visit Dungeness you can still find Great White Egret, Little Egrets, Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Peregrine, Black-necked Grebe, Garganey, Willow, Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroats to name a few species. Also with a change of weather on the way a look at the sea could well be worthwhile.    

A Bird in the Hand

I spent the most the morning sitting in the garden sky watching while waiting for the carpet fitters to arrive. In that time up to 8 Common Buzzards and 4 Marsh Harriers were over the fields with numerous Corvids, also a single Hobby, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a steady trickle of Swallows and Sand Martins and a couple of Goldfinches. Not a bad haul from the garden. 

 Once the carpets were done I visited the observatory where 2 Pied Flycatchers had been seen. While I was there a juvenile Cuckoo was trapped in the Heligoland Trap, a superb looking bird.
Once the bird was released I made way round The Moat, Lloyds, The Lighthouse and The Experimental Station seeing 1 Whinchat, 1 Redstart, 5 Wheatears, 6 Willow Warblers, 6 Common Whitethroats, 1 Chiffchaff but still no Pied Flycatchers.
A late afternoon visit to The moat and the Cuckoo was perched on the Heligoland.

 This afternoon at the ARC still at least 1 Black-necked Grebe, c50 Golden Plover, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Knot, 8 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers. By the track to the pines 5+ Common Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and 4+ Willow Warblers.
A short watch from the fishing boats was very quiet, the highlight being 8 Turnstone on the beach.

Watching the Sea!

 First stop this morning Dengemarsh Gully with MH where there was 7 Willow Warblers, 6 Common Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Wheatears, 4 Yellow Wagtails and a Hobby of note.
At Dengemarsh the Great White Egret, still a few Terns left on the rafts, a juvenile Green Woodpecker, a Bittern Flew over and 7 Clouded Yellows.
On Burrowes a Little Gull, 1 Black-tailed Godwit the 2 Egyptian Geese among the usual wildfowl.
By the entrance track another Hobby and a Marsh Harrier.
In 2 visits to the ARC 3 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Ruff, 50+Golden Plover with c150 Lapwing, 2 Green Sandpipers, 6 Common Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks, 2 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 6 Ringed Plovers and Garganey, with the usual Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawks spooking everything occasionally.

Part of a flock of 11 past the fishing boats

45 minutes at the fishing boats this afternoon was unproductive, with only a flock of 11 Shelduck  west and the usual 1st summer Little Gull. 

Seawatching

08.30-09.30 from the fishing boats:

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: n/c

C Scoter: 9E

Arctic Skua: 1W

Little Gull: 1 off shore

Kittiwake: 1W

Black Tern: 23W

Commic Tern: 265W

Harbour Porpoise: 2 

 At the ARC of note 2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Avocet, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, a Ruff.
 On Burrowes of note a Peregrine dashing past Firth Hide, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Little Gull and the 2 Egyptian Geese. The great white Egret still on Dengemarsh.

a party of 5 Balearic Shearwaters (Some imagination required)

Another seawatch from the fishing boats with AJG and DW

16.45-19.00

Fulmar: 2W

Balearic Shearwater: 30W

Gannet: n/c

C Scoter: 18W

Kittiwake: 2W

A Skua: 1W

Black Tern: 10W

Commic Tern: 453W

Sandwich Tern: n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Grey Seal

Shearwaters, Skua's and Terns

2 Balearic Shearwaters with 2 Arctic Skuas

 Being tied with domestic stuff most of the day and being told by AJG that the sea passage was pretty good,  it was good to get to finally get to the fishing boats this afternoon.
15.00-16.30 when passage appeared to stop with the rain arriving.
Balearic Shearwater: 4W
Fulmar: 1W
G.C.Grebe: 2 on sea
Gannet: 87E
Turnstone: 4 on beach
Arctic Skua: 4+ off shore
Black Tern: 17W
Commic Tern: 428W
Sandwich Tern: 37W
Roseate Tern: 2W
Kittiwake: 1W
Little Gull: 1W
Swift: 4W

Balearic Shearwaters: Note the individual plumage variations!

Black Tern

Just a Golden Plover!

First thing this morning I went to the ARC to see if the Golden Plover sp was still present, but no sign of it. A good selection of waders could be seen up to 8 Common Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Greenshanks, a Ruff several Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Black-necked Grebe, a Garganey among the many other eclipse wildfowl, Marsh Harriers, a Hobby, Little Egrets and 100s of Sand Martins. 

Water rail at the Screen

 Around The Point very little of note. A couple of Willow Warblers in the lighthouse garden and a couple more in The Moat. The Patch was swathed in fog so little was seen there except the 2 Black Redstarts behind the hide.
Late morning at the ARC the Golden Plover sp. reappeared eventually flying showing a clean whitish underwing confirming it as a Eurasian  Golden Plover. I guess I was seeing what I wanted to see rather than what was actually there.

Garganey from Hanson

An hour at the fishing boats late afternoon was only good for sun bathing!  

Not Happy!

First stop this morning was the observatory where Patrick was busy processing Willow Warblers.

A plod around the point found a minimum 50 Willow warblers, 40 Common Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, a Redstart, a Golden Plover and flock of 19 Redshank over the obs. 

In 2 visits the ARC a good selection of waders, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 8 Common Sandpipers, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Greenshank, 7 Knot, 11 Dunlin, c10 Oystercatchers, c50 Lapwing, a Golden Plover with a Garganey and Black-necked Grebe. Also the Golden Plover sp that I am not happy with. See the poor images below.  

 I saw this bird from the Screen and it immediately struck me as being slender, long legged and with dark spangling even at the c300 mt range. I watched it for a while then went back to the car to look at a field guide. After looking at the guide I was not completely happy but started towards Hanson. The more I thought about the bird the less happy I became, so turned round and went back to the Screen. Spending the next 3hrs watching the bird. I was joined by other Dungeness regulars. In 3hrs the bird only flew 3 times when flushed by a Marsh Harrier and was watched in flight for no more than a few seconds, only showing the underwing once which did appear pale, but this was in strong sunlight and I cannot honestly say I could see its feet protruding from the tail. The undertail did have black spotting/barring. The Tertials appeared quite long but detail was very difficult to make out at the range and heat haze. When only CT and myself were left watching the bird a Golden Plover  flew in. The difference was striking as the new bird was very dumpy in comparison and basically a bog standard Golden Plover. The bird was regularly harassed by Lapwings but more often than not fought back instead of running.
Many thanks to Tony for letting me put my camera on his 600mm lense.

Knot dropping into the ARC

Another day at Dunge

First thing at The Patch of note just 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls. Off shore c100 each of Gannets and Common terns feeding. Behind the hide 2 Black Redstarts. In the lighthouse garden  2 Willow Warblers.

 At The ARC by the track to the pines c15 each of Willow Warblers and Common Whitethroats, c10 each of Sedge and Reed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler and 10 Tree Sparrows.
On the reserve 2 Black necked Grebes, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 10 Common Sandpipers, 1 Ruff, 1 stunning summer plumaged Grey Plover, 1 Little Gull, 1 Garganey, 4+ Marsh Harriers and 2 Egyptian Geese.

Getting a hot reception coming ashore!

 17.00-18.00 at the fishing boats, c100 Commic Terns tooing and froing. A little Egret which came in off sea got a hot reception from the local gulls for the last 100 yards of its journey.

Made it!