Harriers, Barn Owls and some Geese!

 Driving across the causeway this morning the 2 Black Throated Divers on New Diggings could be seen, also 2 Great White Egrets at the south end of the ARC.
 As the beach was packed fisherman and OL had seen the Hume's Leaf Warbler first thing, I opted to go into the trapping area and try to get some shots of it. After 3 hours of not hearing or seeing it I gave up. However a Red Admiral there was some compensation, my first Raven of the year flew over as did a Marsh Harrier.  

 This afternoon from Caldecott Lane 41 Bewick Swans were still in the usual fields, at Baynham farm 20+ Tree Sparrows and 2 Yellowhammers at the feeding station.
At last a beautiful sunny afternoon in which to do the Harrier roost count, as is normal no Harriers actually roosted in the reed bed I watch, but at least 11 Marsh Harriers overflew the reed bed and a superb male Hen Harrier teased me by dropping in as if to roost, but then changed its mind and headed elsewhere. Also seen while waiting were 2 Barn Owls, 3 Common Buzzards, a Merlin and flock of 58 Greater Whitefronted Geese which spent half an hour flying around the whole area before settling in a field at Cheyne for a few minutes before heading off east.

58 Greater White Fronted Geese over Walland

The grass is greener on the other side!

An hour this morning and another this afternoon sea watching from the fishing boats was a almost a re run of yesterday with 100s  of Guillemots and Kittiwakes, lesser numbers of Razorbills, Red-throated Divers, Great Crested Grebes, Gannets, Common Scoters, 2 Teal, 74 Brent Geese, a couple of Fulmars, a Mediterranean Gull, a Little Gull and the addition of 5 Great Skuas. As I left I was asked by a couple of birders if I'd seen much, my reply was oh the usual Gillies, Kits and Divers. For 50 years I lived Shoreham, West Sussex, how soon I forgot the hours I used to spend at Widewater and Selsey Bill in West Sussex, where my sightings at Dungenesss today would have been really memorable, in fact I cant remember ever seeing 5 Great Skuas at Widewater in one day let alone a couple of hours!
On reading Owen Mitchells blog (a real Selsey sea watching stalwart)  http://selseybirder.blogspot.co.uk/ tonight, I realise how lucky I am now to live just a 5 minute drive from the fishing boats at Dungeness let alone the reserve, the ARC, Scotney, Walland and all the avian treats they produce.

Still Raining!

07.30-09.30 from the fishing boats being joined by DW:

Red-throated Diver:  11w  3E

Fulmar: 7w

Gannet: 27w  2E

Brent Goose: 38E

Common Scoter: 226w

Little Gull: 4w

Kittiwake: several 100s feeding off shore and moving west 

Auks: 100s probably 1,000s maily Guillemots tooing and froing off shore with some westward movement especially the first half hour. 

The 2 Black-throated Divers still on New Diggings also a Great White Egret.

The ARC from the causeway another Great White Egret, 100+ Gadwall, 200+ Pochard, 50+ Tufted Duck, 6 Goldeneye, 1 red head Smew and a Marsh Harrier.

Rainbow from Plodland this afternoon.

With a rapid deterioration in the weather this afternoon I spent a while scoping the fields in front of Plodland. Highlights were a Peregrine buzzing 200+Lapwing and c20 Golden Plover, Common Buzzard on its usual bush, 3+ Marsh Harriers, a Great White Egret, a little Egret, 3 Grey Herons and 100+Greylag Geese.

Stagnant!

On my way to The Point this morning, I could see the 2 Black-throated divers on the New Diggings and 2 Great White Egrets at the south end of the ARC.

I spent half an hour looking at the sea where plenty of Guillemots and a few Razorbills were tooing and froing, along the colour change 100s of Black-headed Gulls feeding with smaller numbers of Kittiwakes, a few Gannets further out and 4 Red-throated Divers flew west. Very few of the bigger Gulls on the beach or in the roosts. Fairlight rung Herring Gull A3BJ was by the fish hut. 

 A look around the Scotney complex was disappointing with no wild Geese being seen around the main pit, but the Long-tailed Duck was still present and a flock of 40 Linnet was notable. The usual feral Geese, Dabblers, Lapwing and a few Golden Plover and Dunlin were insitu. Pigwell and the wash pit were virtually birdless apart from Black-headed Gulls and Starlings. 17 Pied Wagtails at the Lydd sewage works was notable.
This afternoon from Hanson 3 Smew, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Great White Egrets, 3 Marsh Harriers, a Bittern and good numbers of wildfowl.

Late this afternoon from Firth hide this Goosander which was joined by 3 more at dusk and 2 red head Smew. Once again I did not see the Glossy Ibis come in to roost(maybe its moved to Sandwich) a Red-throated Diver flew through as I left.  

Waiting for the Ibis!

Chiffchaff from Firth hide this afternoon

As the weather was so miserable this morning I spent the time doing a bit of decorating. By 13.00 i'd had enough and headed for the reserve.

North of the entrance track which was being repaired again, 2 Great White Egrets could be seen in the fields along with c20 Curlew. 

From Dennis's hide a Black-throated Diver could be seen distantly on New Diggings. A Black-necked Grebe was feeding by the far bank of Burrowes Pit.

From Makepiece several 100s each of Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal, lesser numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard, also c25 Pintail and 5 Shelduck.

From Firth Hide 2 Chichaffs and a single red head Goosander when arrived, which was joined by 2 more flying in along with 2 red head Smew, a Red-throated Diver flew through Burrowes towards Dengemarsh and 2 Marsh Harriers were over the Open Pits. Despite staying till 16.15 the Glossy Ibis failed to materialise. As I made my way back to the car park a Merlin dashed over the track towards the Open Pits.   

No Show!

I was joined at The Patch hide at first light by AJG, OL, PT and Barney, in the vain hope that yesterdays Ross's Gull may have roosted there. When I arrived the beach was white with several 1,000 Black Headed Gulls with many more feeding around the boil. Despite intensive searching we could only find a single 1w Little Gull and 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Black Headed Gulls. Further off shore a flock of c160 Common Scoter and few each of Red-throated Divers and Auks.

Kittiwake

At Scotney the Long-tailed Duck was in its usual place, but I failed to located the Tundra Bean Geese though 2 were reported at Boulderwall farm.
From Plodland 3 Great White Egrets, a Common Buzzard, 1,000+ Lapwing, c200 Golden Plover were the coffee break highlights.
A walk along the beach from the fishing boats to the lifeboat station was quiet seeing 12 Turnstone, a very tame Kittiwake and few Auks and divers off shore and no sign of any Caspian Gulls.
A plod around the Tower Pits saw a Chiffchaff and a Marsh Harrier of note.
The 2 Black-throated Divers and another Great White Egret were still on New diggings.
Mid afternoon I Joined DW, The Joker, OL, PT and Barney at the fishing boats hoping for re run of the Ross's Gull, there were appeared to be many more Auks, Kittiwakes and Divers off shore than this morning with a few Gannets and Common Scoters but no Ross's Gull.
The Hume's Leaf Warbler was still present in the trapping area per DW and OL. 

A Mega past Dungeness!

After yesterdays sea watching extravaganza, today was a return to normality at the fishing boats.

Myself and AJG 07.30-08.30 totals collated by AJG.

Red-throated Diver: 37w

Gannet: 6w

Teal: 10w

Common Scoter: 103w

Mediterranean Gull: 1w

Kittiwake: 3w

Guillemot: 289w

Razorbill:2w

In just under an hour spent in the trapping area I was unable to locate the Hume's Leaf Warbler but did see a Chiffchaff and a Redpoll.

On the ARC 3 Bewick Swans, 2 Great White Egrets, an Avocet, 4 red head Smew, 2 Goosanders, 2 Peregrines and several each of Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail calling.

On New Diggings a Great White Egret and the 2 Black-throated Divers still present.

Bewick Swans on the ARC Pit.

At Scotney the 2 Tundra Bean Geese and the Long-tailed Duck were still present today.
From Plodland 7 Whitefronted Geese, 2 Great White Egrets, a Common Buzzard and the usual Marsh Harriers.
This afternoon while sitting in Makepiece Hide with The Joker news came through of a Ross's Gull past the point seen by David Walker. A few minutes later we joined him at the fishing boats in the hopes that the gull would come back, but that was not to be. Large numbers of Black-headed Gulls were moving along the shoreline westwards also a 1w Little Gull and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls. AJG went to The Patch as the light was fading hoping to see the Gull and reported 5-6,000 Black headed Gulls there making searching for the Ross's Gull difficult. I am sure we will be there first thing tomorrow with our fingers crossed. The Ross's Gull is a just reward for David, for the many long hours he has spent at the fishing boats in all weathers having good, bad and indifferent days. I guess today was one of the best and one he will long remember, congratulations David.

All at Sea!

 This morning I joined The Joker, CP, PT and AJG at the fishing boats. The promised SE wind was blowing and produced the birds. Thanks to AJG for collating most the records.
07.30-10.45:
Red-throated Diver: 76W   15E
Fulmar: 1w
Gannet: 47w
Brent Goose: 37E   1W
Wigeon: 138E
Shelduck: 25W
Common Scoter: 4W   1E
Red-breasted Merganser: 3W
Peregrine: 1 over beach
Great Skua: 8W
Kittiwake: 2,000+W
Little Gull: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 6W
Caspian Gull: 1st and 2nd W off shore
Guillemot: c6,000W
Razorbill: 500+W
Grey Seal: 1 off shore
When we left at 10.45 mainly because we were cold and hungry the Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills were still streaming past and the Gannets were just getting in on the act.

                                                              1w Caspian Gull

                                              Kittiwakes streaming past the fishing boats.
The rest of my way was taken up with domestic stuff but it seems that all the more unusual birds that were around yesterday were still present today. 

Sunshine and Geese.

Mid morning at Scotney I relocated the 2 Tundra Bean Geese which spent most of the time sleeping during the 2 hours I was there, even when a Marsh Harrier flew low over them, flushing the Lapwing and Golden Plover they hardly lifted there heads. 7 Whitefronts were also there sleeping and when they stood up there was 8. The Long-tailed Duck was in its usual spot a Redpoll flew over and a flock of 12 Linnets were on the sward.   

                                                          Tundra Bean Geese

                                 Greater White-fronted Geese and a blinged up Mallard

                                                               Merlin at Walland
After doing some domestic stuff I went out onto Walland Marsh this afternoon to watch the Harriers going to roost. While out there a Merlin (111 for patch 2014) was perched on a fence distantly and up to 3 Common Buzzards were around. I was joined by CP and PT (Plovers Blog) but no one told the Harriers were there to watch them, as none came in to roost tonight.

Snow Buntings

As dawn broke at Camber Sands 3 calling Snow Buntings flew over me towards Rye, as I headed towards the harbour entrance they flew back over me towards the cafe. I made a short diversion towards the sea to what turned out to be a body being guarded by a dog walker that had been bought in by the tide. Upon nearly reaching the cafe and the Snow Buntings a Police Landrover drove along the beach to the body flushing the Buntings back over me again. By the time I finally caught up with them 2 other birders were watching them, then joined by Matt Eade. I saw very little else of interest on the beach.  

 At Scotney GP 9 Greater White-fronted Geese could be seen from the double bends along with usual plastic geese. The Long-tailed Duck was in its usual spot at the Kent end. A walk out on to Walland from Scotney Cottage was disappointing, finding only 2 Corn Buntings and a Great White Egret of note.

                                   

                                     Greater Whitefronted Geese Scotney GP

Seemed like a good idea at the time!

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon at Littlestone Golf Course waiting for no show Short-eared Owl but did catch up with 6 Skylarks and a Mediterranean Gull. A car was stranded on the track behind the beach which I wouldn't attempt in my 4x4. Apparently sat navs often direct drivers onto this track. While there a call from DW, that he had found 2 Tundra Bean Geese at Scotney while looking for the Whitefronts, had me hot footing it back to Scotney unfortunately arriving just after they flew out to Walland.
The Hume's Yellow Browed Warbler was still present today per The Joker, the Black Throated divers were still on New Diggings and the Glossy Ibis came into roost on Burrowes as usual.