Repairing the Sea Watch Hide

I spent all day yesterday in London and hopefully I will never have to go back there again, I once again realise how lucky I am to live down on the marsh. 

This morning the Black-throated diver was still on the New diggings as I made my way to the beach. On arrival DW and PT were were already on site. Before I arrived DW had seen 2 Garganey and 13 Avocet go through, but on my arrival things quietened down rapidly.

I spent the rest of the morning assisting DW to re felt the roof of the sea watch hide, so with any luck it should now be weatherproof. While we were working we noted 500+ Brent Geese, 400+ Common Scoter, 20+ Red-throated Divers a Black-throated Diver, a Greylag Goose and the 1w Glaucous Gull gave frequent fly bys, also 2+ Harbour Porpoises.

Late this afternoon I joined the Joker at the end of the concrete road for an hour where 10+ Sandwich Terns moved east, 14 Common Scoter, 75 Brent Geese, 5 Red-throated Divers and the Glaucous Gull again giving fly bys.

An uninspiring day!

07.00-08.00 a not very inspiring hour from the end of the concrete road.

Red-throated Diver: 5E       2W

Gannet:                 20E       3W

Merlin:                    1 in

Sandwich Tern:       8E

Mediterranean Gull: 9E

Guillemot:                         1W

Harbour Porpoise:      2 

Another watch early afternoon produced nothing of note, but 2 Wheatears were on the shingle.

Elsewhere 3 Little Gulls on the ARC were of note, 4 Goldeneye and a Great White Egret on Burrowes were the only birds of note here.
At Scotney late afternoon 2 Avocet, 7 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 6 Oystercatchers and a Little Egret of note.

Sea Watching

 With rain most the day and south easterlies predicted, I had 2 sea watches from the end of the concrete road in the comfort of my car. This morning I was joined by The Joker. Most the movement this afternoon was in a 20 minute period as the rain cleared about 15.00hrs. 

                     08.15-10.00                13.30-16.30

Red-throated Diver:         11E                                    8 E       2W

Great crested Grebe:        c50 offshore

Fulmar:                            1E       2W                                     2W

Gannet:                          58E       7W                       36E      3W

Brent Goose:                  22E

Shoveller:                       12E

Teal:                                                                         2E

Garganey:                         1E

Common Scoter:             44E                                    26E

Red Breasted Merganser:  3E

Oystercatcher:                 4E

Sandwich Tern:               8E                                      27E     3W

Kittiwake:                       1E                                        4E

Little Gull:                                                                 14E

Mediterranean Gull:         1E

1w Glaucous Gull:           1 around

Guillemot:                       2E                                       1E

Mid morning at Scotney found 36 Dunlin, 32, Ringed Plover, 12 Redshank and 2 Brent Geese of note. Late afternoon from the causeway 2 Goldeneye and 45 Curlew over the ARC.

Another Day Another Gull.(but what is it)

At The Patch this morning I was joined by PT and Barney looking for white winged gulls, of which there were none. Also there was absolutely no movement offshore.

 Stoat by the Old Lighthouse

A wander around the bushes yielded 6 Chiffchaffs ( at least 6 more were recorded in the trapping area) and relatively showy Stoat.

Early afternoon 2 Wheatears by Dengemarsh Road as I drove to Springfield Bridge where I parked and walked to Dengemarsh Hide. On the walk in a Little Egret and a Lapwing were on the Dengemarsh Flood and Hayfield 3 held 6 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler and a Marsh harrier flew over. Near Dengemarsh Hide a Pipit flushed from a wet section by the fence was probably a Water Pipit, I watched as it flew c600mts back the way I came and landed in a wet section of the sheep field, but by the time I'd walked back I could not relocate it.     

1 of 12 Wheatears opposite Beach Cottage this afternoon 

Mid afternoon I had a look at the beach opposite Beach Cottage where I saw 12 Wheatears, 2 Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits.

A ½ hour sea watch from the concrete road saw c50 Great Crested grebes off shore and little else.

I saw a pale Gull fly into a small roost, thinking it was the usual 1w Glaucous Gull I put my scope on it and realised that it was not. Unbeknown to me DW was already looking at it from the other end of the beach. We watch it on and off till dusk as it moved around the beach obtaining a few images, probably a Hybrid but I don't know for sure. 

 ??? Gull

 ??? Gull

 ??? Gull

??? Gull

Iceland Gull

This morning at The Patch in the company of DW, KP et al, we were scanning for yesterdays 1w Glaucous Gull when a 1w Iceland Gull drifted into view. Also seen the regular 1w Glaucous Gull, 2+ Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Eider west and a couple of Red-throated Divers and Guillemots off shore of note.

1w Iceland Gull

1w Iceland Gull

1w Iceland Gull

On the power station an array of Herring Gull deterrent's Plastic Owls, Hawk Kites, Gas Guns and Distress calls. 

Even the 1w Glaucous Gull isn't put off by the deterrent's

It really puts the Herring Gulls off, they can hardly sleep!

Another look at the sea this afternoon from The Point saw no change in the lack of offshore movement. On the shingle opposite Spion Kop 10+ Wheatears, 4 Linnets, 4 Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits. This morning a Black Kite came in off the sea per DB.   

More Gulls!

 At The Patch this morning  in the company of DW there was virtually no up channel  movement.
The usual 1w Glaucous Gull was in the roost on the  beach, also a new 1w pale individual  dropped in and was still present when we left at c10.00. A 2w Yellow-legged Gull was also present.

A new very pale 1w Glaucous Gull

 New bird above, usual bird below.

2w Yellow-legged Gull

Opposite Jarmans 6+ Wheatears on the shingle. The Black-throated Diver was still on The New Diggings. The Avocets appear to have left Scotney but may have been disturbed by the farmer along with all the other waders.

This afternoon I parked at Springfield Bridge and wandered around the Hayfields down to Makepiece. The Hayfields are still looking good for spring waders but none present as yet, several Meadow Pipits were feeding around the track and 2+ Marsh Harriers were around. From Makepiece 4 Sand Martins and a red head of Smew of note. It has now been several weeks since I last saw a Bittern which should be booming by now, have they gone or perished?

There will be no firing on the ranges for the whole of April so hopefully The Midrips and Galloways might be productive.

A few more Migrants.

07.55-08.55 from the sea watch hide, a some what disappointing hour:

Red-throated Diver: 3E

Great Crested Grebe: c35 off shore

Gannet: c15 off shore

Brent Goose: 139E

Common Scoter: 18E

Oystercatcher: 4E

Guillemot: 1E

Carrion Crow: 15 out

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Before I arrived c1100 Brent Geese and 5 Garganey moved east per DW.

2 Black Redstarts were on the Experimental Station and 8 Wheatears, 20+ Meadow Pipits and 2 Skylarks were opposite Jarmans. (PT saw 15 Wheatears there earlier)

On the New Diggings the Black Throated diver still present, on Burrowes 3 Garganey(2 drakes and a duck) associating with Shovelers and Teal, also 2 red head Smew there. By the entrance track the Pink footed Goose associating with some Greylags and a Great White Egret.

Early afternoon at Scotney of note, 2 Avocet, 14 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover, 2 Little Egret and 56 Wigeon.

 Mid afternoon by the fishing boats Herring Gull M8HT still around. Very little of note on the sea apart from a flyby from the 1w Glaucous Gull.

 Late afternoon from Hanson a posing Great Crested Grebe, 5 Goldeneye and 2 Marsh Harriers were noteworthy.

Another day on the other side!

Today The Joker, Marshman and myself had a day trip to the Pas De Calais hoping to see Black Woodpecker. We met at The Jokers at 05.20 and caught the 06.15 train to Calais. On arrival we drove straight to Crecy Forest arriving around 08.30. The forest alive with bird song, numerous Chiffchaffs and Nuthatches were singing and calling, along with double figures of Short-toed Treecreeper were joined by Great, Blue, Long-tailed, Marsh, Coal and Crested Tits, Goldcrests, Chaffinches and Bramblings were seen, as were Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a pair of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Green Woodpeckers were heard and several Common Buzzards soared over head but no sight or sound of Black Woodpecker. That didn't really matter as there was so much else to look at.

Late morning we left Crecy for a short stop at Sailly Braie, which was quiet as we were probably a few weeks to early but I'm sure we will be back later. Next stop Le Crotoy harbour which was rapidly filling as the tide came in, there we saw 56 Avocet, 30+ each of Ringed Plover and Dunlin, 100+ Redshank a Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe.

We moved to the Le Crotoy pools where we saw Several Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, a couple of Wigeon and our first Garganey of the year, best of all a 3 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins and a Swallow flew through together.

 A brief stop at Marquanterre gave us superb views of White Stork one of which circled over the car park, also 10+ Spoonbills of note.

Coming back along the motorway I was as usual asleep. The Marshman woke me with a shout of Osprey which was being mobbed by a Common Buzzard. Pity we couldn't stop on the motorway. A fitting end to great day out in great company (I wont mention the jokes)  and many thanks to the Marshman for doing the driving.

A few more migrants.

A watch at The Patch this morning with DW a Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull was in the roost, a Merlin came in, a few Red-throated Divers were tooing and froing, a Bonxie was off shore and a Harbour Porpoise was off shore, but little else of note. On the perimeter fence 2 Black Redstarts and a Wheatear by the sea watch hide.

A distant 1w Caspian Gull on shore line sporting a Polish green colour ring but to far to read.

Spot the Caspian Gull.

1 of 4+ Chiffchaffs in the lighthouse garden.

In the lighthouse Garden at least 4 Chiffchaffs, a Redwing and a Black Redstart.
The 1w Glaucous Gull was in the usual roost and another Wheatear was opposite Jarmans(this afternoon 8 Wheatears there per Dorothy).
Late afternoon now 6 Avocets at the Kent end of Scotney, then a visit to Galoways found it to be an avian free zone.

Kites and Harriers!

On the way to the beach the Black Throated Diver was on the New Diggings. A very short sea watch this morning as nothing was moving and nothing of note seen. On the power station fence at least 2 Black Redstarts and round The Point migrants were non existent. 

Red Kite by the water tower

My decision to wander up to the Water Tower paid off almost immediately as 4 Mediterranean Gulls flew over mewing, then I scanned of the airport pits and picked up 2 Red Kites with a Marsh Harrier. A few quick phone calls made sure most the locals connected with the Kites, indeed The Joker opened his back door took one step and Red Kite flew over him, a very short twitch.

While wandering round the pits another Red Kite flew north of the airport, then another Flew over Boulderwall Farm and appeared to land in a field.

Early afternoon sky watching from Plodland 2 more Red Kites flew distantly over the ARC Pit, up to 4 Marsh Harriers and 2 Common Buzzards were over the fields.

Late afternoon on Walland Marsh doing the Harrier Count I saw at least 30 Marsh Harriers but none roosted in my designated reed bed. However Water Rails were much in evidence vocally, 2 Common Buzzards flew through and a flock of 30+ Fieldfare were in the Hawthorns, my biggest flock this year. I picked up 18 very distant Greater White-fronted Geese at extreme range on the marsh, 2 Tundra Bean Geese were also present per PT and CP. Several Hares and 2 Foxes were in the fields and last thing a Bat sp. flew through.