Red Breasted Flycatcher

 As I had to go to West Sussex yesterday I took the opportunity to hopefully see the ad male Red Breasted Flycatcher that has graced the old trapping area for the last few days. I arrived to find just 1 birder present who left after informing me the flycatcher was still present, giving me the opportunity of having it to myself. The bird was calling frequently and showing intermittently, the weather unfortunately was definitely not in my favour, being quite misty at times when it wasn't raining and very dreary. This required high ISO settings to get any worth while shutter speeds which did not help to do this superb little bird justice. Eventually as more birders arrived it became more elusive. Also seen there 2 Ring Ouzels and couple of seemingly ever present Ravens.

 A stunning bird despite the weather

Another Big White Thing!

Down in one!

08.00-10.15 from the fishing boats with DW, a much quieter watch from recent days.

Brent Goose: 299 W      22 E
Shelduck: 2 W
Common Scoter: 32 W   27 E
Red-breated Merganser: 1 W
Red-throated Diver: 2 W
Gannet: c50 off shore
Turnstone: 15 around
Curlew: 1 over
Ringed Plover: 1 over
Great Skua: 3 E
Arctic Skua: 2 around
Mediterranean Gull: 6 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 ad on sea
Kittiwake: 85 around
Sandwich Tern: 4 W
Common Tern: 1 W
Guilemot: 2 around
Razorbill: 2 around
Auk sp: 14 W  17 E
Swallow: 1 in
Rock Pipit: 1 over
Harbour Porpoise: 1

After a message from MH (his speciality is spotting big white things) that a Spoonbill had dropped into either the New Diggings or ARC. As I was driving down the causeway I could see 2 Great White Egrets on New Diggings when the Spoonbill overtook me flying alongside and then over me, I quickly stopped, stumbled out the car and fired a few shots with the wrong settings, watched it gain height flying towards the power station then lost to view over the ranges. I could see it was colour tagged but none of the images showed them well enough.
Down Dengemarsh road c1,000 Golden Plover were on the stubble field but I could find nothing different among them.
A slow wander from Dengemarsh down past the Gully to the watch tower was pleasant, but the birds were thinly scattered with a Chiffchaff being the highlight.
This afternoon on the reserve several colour ringed Lesser Black Backed Gulls but all to far to clinch the details in the windy drizzly conditions. From Dennis's hide a Greenshank, and a Black-necked Grebe were the highlights and 3 Tree Sparrows at the entrance to the hide.

                             Badgers demand human cull to prevent spread of Ebola

Increasingly concerned at the impending threat of the Ebola virus, badger community leaders have called for the introduction of a human culling programme.

“We’re proposing an initial pilot programme,” Furry Rita told us yesterday, “by having marksmen to shoot the pilots of the planes that seem to be bringing in the virus into the country. The pilots may not have Ebola themselves, but they are obviously carriers so need to be eliminated for the good of everyone else.”

“Of course we’ve no idea how much humans spread Ebola,” continued Rita, the co-leader of the Harold Woods badger colony, “but vaccinations are too much hassle, so it’s much easier to shoot some as an experiment and then we can see what effect this has on the rest of the population.”

Fellow badger leader Manky Kevin warned that further slaughter may be necessary, but on the plus side he stressed that it would be scientific and humane.

“Moving on, we’re proposing a broader cull but can assure people that it will be conducted scientifically,” he said, stereotypically wisely. “So we suggest that the cull is restricted to a geographical region around Heathrow, let’s say Middlesex to start with. Once we’ve wiped out a couple of million, we can take stock.”

“The cull will have no real significant impact on human population numbers as there are millions of them out there. In the long run I’m sure they’ll thank us.”

Cpoyright of Stan

A Brilliant Cap Gris Nez Sea Watch!

Pomarine Skua

08.30- 15.00:  A fabulous days sea watching in good company, despite a later than planned start due to P & O breakdowns and a senior moments by myself and AJG.
Observers: AJG, BM, MC on the cliff face and MH and CP braving the wind on top.

Pomarine Skua

Brent Goose: 1,745 + 2,730 from the boat past Calais harbour entrance early evening.
Shelduck: 28
Pintail: 2
Velvet Scoter: 3 on sea
Common Scoter: 1,658
Red-breasted Merganser: 1
Red-throated Diver: 32
Black-throated Diver: 2
Great-crested Grebe: 6
Manx Shearwater: 12
Sooty Shearwater: 16
Gannet: c1,300
Kestrel: 2
Oystercatcher: 4
Sanderling: 12
Dunlin: 780
Great Skua: 85
Pomarine Skua: 28
Arctic Skua: 84
Long-tailed Skua: 10
Mediterranean Gull: 100+
Little Gull: 4,744 This time last year we saw 2,400 there
Kittiwake: 500+
Sabine's Gull: 5
Sandwich Tern: 36
Common Tern: 8
Auk sp: 858
Siskin: c100
Chaffinch: c50
Grey Seal: 2
It's hard to believe that Cap Gris Nez is only c40 miles across the channel from Dungeness as the Skua flys!
Also a covey of 15 Grey Partridge flew across the road as we left.

 Pomarine Skua

 Pomarine Skuas

Pomarine Skua

Velvet Scoters

 Brent Geese

This picture of a few Little Gulls does not do the fantastic spectacle of today's amazing passage justice.

Stormy

5AA1 a regular on the beach

07.00- 11.00 from the fishing boats with AJG
Brent Goose: 9 W
Common Scoter: 1 W
Great-crested Grebe: 25 around
Gannet 139: W
Dunlin: 1 W
Merlin: 1 in
Great Skua: 7 W
Arctic Skua: 4 W/around
Yellow-legged Gull: 2 ads in roost
Mediterranean Gull: 3 W
Sandwich Tern: 90 W
Common Tern: 1 W
Swallow: 5 in
At the ARC the islands have all but disappeared, so no waders but plenty of the common wildfowl, along with a Great White Egret, 2 Little Egrets and a Cetti's Warbler in front the hide. 2 Great White Egrets on New Diggings from the causeway but no sign of the Cattle Egret in short search.
Back at the beach this afternoon there was very little passage on the sea. A check of Trektellen http://www.trektellen.nl/trektelling.asp?telpost=148 shows that Cap Gris Nez had quite a good day to day, even without the North Westerlies forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so hopefully we will have a very good day there tomorrow. 

White Winged Black Tern!

An uninspiring watch from the boats this morning, counting the Gannets kept me busy. Hopefully the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo will pep things up tomorrow at The Point and at Cap Gris Nez on Wednesday.

07.05-08.15 from the fishing boats in the company of AJG:

 

Brent Goose: 35 W

Common Scoter: 3W

Red-throated Diver: 1W

Gannet: 508 W

Turnstone: 12 on beach

Arctic Skua: 2 around

Kittiwake: 27 W

Sandwich Tern: 5 around

Auk: sp: 16 W

An hour on the top of The Moat produced another 12 Brent Geese, 3+ Sparrowhawks, 3 House Martins, 5 Swallows, 40+ Jackdaws a few Stock Doves and a few Sky Larks over.

 White Winged Black Tern

I gave in to temptation and left the peninsular for a few hours with AJG to see the White Winged Black Tern at Castle Water, Rye. It was on show the moment we arrived at the hide sitting on one the islands. After a short while it began hawking up and down the lake showing very well in the glorious sunshine. While we were there we also saw 2 Little Stints, a Ruff, 2+ Marsh Harriers, A Ring Ouzel and 8+ Clouded Yellows. 

 At Scotney c2,000 Golden Plover but no sign again of the American Golden Plover, the feral Barnacle Goose flock was still present.
Another sea watch 15.20-16.20 with BM was also uninspiring:
Red-throated Diver: 1 E
Great Crested Grebe: 23 on sea
Gannet: 112 W
Sanderling: 1 W
Greenshank: 1 out
Great Skua: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 1 around
Kittiwake: 12 W   42 in flock on sea
Auk sp: 8 W
Harbour Porpoise: 3

Only 14 moths of 6 species in the Plodland trap this morning. A Delicate provided the quality.

 Delicate

Egrets!

The usual watch from the boats this morning was some what of an anti climax compared to the last few days, though the Gannets were impressive early morning. 

07.30-09.30 

 Brent Goose: 7 W

Common Scoter: 18 W

Red-throated Diver: 1W

Gannet: c1,000 off shore

Arctic Skua: 3 around

Kittiwake: 9 W

Sandwich Tern: 37 W

Common Tern: 1 W

Razorbill: 3 W

Auk sp: 12 W

Starling: 250 in

Goldfinch: 95 W

Chaffinch: 41 in

Linnet: 30 W

Common Seal: 1

Despite there being several 100s of Gulls in the roost beside the entrance track to the reserve, I was unable to find any unusual ones among them. There were several colour ringed individuals present, but they were to faraway to read in the heat haze despite using the 60x zoom. The bushes beside the track held 3+ Ring Ouzels and the Cattle Egret showed fairly well.
The south end of the ARC held 5 Little Egrets and a Great White Egret with another on the New Diggings.
An hour on the beach this afternoon was very disappointing with few Gulls and virtually no passage off shore.  

All at Sea!

 Sunrise over the Water Tower from Plodland

From the Fishing Boats 07.00-10.10 AJG,CP,MH,MB,DW,PW,PT,MC
Brent Goose: 4 W      9 E
Wigeon: 15 W
Teal: 10 E
Common Scoter: 51 W    3E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 on sea
Gannet: 672 W
Common Snipe: 2 W
Grey Phalarope: 1 W
Great Skua: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 3+ around     2 W
Mediterranean Gull: 8 W
Little Gull: 1 W
Kittiwake:182 W
Sandwich Tern: 46 W
Common Tern: 2 W
Guillemot: 15 W
Razorbill: 24 W
Auk sp: 182 W
Skylark: 29 W/in
Swallow: 193 out/W
House Martin: 5 out/W
Rock Pipit: 2 over
Meadow Pipit: 26 W
Alba Wagtail: 33 W
Starling: 300 in
Goldfinch: 1920 W
Greenfinch: 7 W
Linnet: 164 W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

1w Mediterranean Gull at the Fishing Boats

Around the peninsular a Yellow-browed Warbler on the edge of The Desert(AJG), 3+ Great White Egrets, The Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis still present.

From the Fishing Boats 14.30-16.30 MS,MC(Chiddy), RB,RS, MC

Teal: 4 W

Red-throated Diver: 1 W

Black-throated Diver: 1 W

Great-crested Grebe: 31 on sea

Red-necked Grebe: 1 W  @15.48

Gannet:  352 W

Turnstone: 4 on beach

Great Skua: 1 W

Pomarine Skua: 1 W

Arctic Skua: 2 around  1 W

Mediterranean Gull: 7 W

Yellow-legged Gull: 2   1 x 1w + 1 x 2w

Little Gull: 5 W

Kittiwake: 121 W

Sandwich Tern: 62 W

North Thames Herring Gulls: T9BT   &   NX9T

Norwegian G.B.B.G    JT286

Beardies at the Long Pits!

07.00 to 08.30 from Fishing Boats with AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 22 W
Common Scoter: 15 W
Gannet: 235 W
Kestrel: 1 out
Arctic Skua: 1 W
Mediteranean Gull: 1 W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1ad on beach
Kittiwake: 7 W
Sandwich Tern: 16 W
Auk sp 2 W
Swallow: 102 W
Meadow Pipit: 111 W
Grey Wagtail: 2 W
Alba Wagtails: 64 in and W
Linnet: 55 W

One of 2 Bearded Tits at the top of the Long Pits

A wander around the Long Pits and Desert including the Lighthouse area and beach saw of note, 2 Bearded Tits, a Yellow-browed Warbler heard only, c22 Ring Ouzels, a Woodlark, 8 Wheatears, 3 Black Redstarts, a Common Redstart, 4 Stonechats, 39 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, 3 Blackcaps, 30+ Robins, a Water Rail heard and a Marsh Harrier that went out to sea. 

Woodlark still around today

Another watch from Fishing Boats with AJG 15.15-16.15:
Brent Goose: 30 W
Common Scoter: 6 E   3 W
Gannet: 89 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 1 E
Kittiwake: 131 W
Sandwich Tern: 4 W
On the reserve the Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis still present also 8+ Ring Ouzels and 2+ Great White Egrets per MH.

Rusty Dot Pearl the best from last nights meagre catch

Woodlark, Black Brant, Yellow-browed Warblers and a stunning moth!

 Woodlark a Dungeness tick for me!

10 minutes first thing this morning from the concrete road was enough to know very little was moving off shore.

News from the trapping area that at least 2 Yellow-browed Warblers had been heard calling, prompted AJG and myself to venture out there, we had not gone far when we received a call that a Yellow-browed Warbler had found a mist net and would be on show at the observatory. While at the observatory viewing the warbler a flock of c350 Brent Geese flew over. 

AJG and myself then walked a circuit of The Point seeing on the way 4 Ring Ouzels, 3 Black Redstarts, 2 Stonechats, 3 Wheatears, 6+ Chiffchaffs, several Skylarks over, another flock of c300 Brent Geese and good numbers Swallows and House Martins. Back at the observatory a Ring Ouzel was caught in the Heligoland Trap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few Robins, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs had been caught in the trapping area. A net was opened in The moat to catch House Martins, 25 of which dived into the net. Whilst the House Martins were being processed, PT who was scanning numerous Meadow Pipits  found a Woodlark in The Desert a new bird for Dungeness for me, it showed quite well but was surprisingly flighty.   

 One of at least 2 Yellow-browed Warblers in the trapping area

 After lunch I went back to the observatory where another Yellow-browed Warbler was located in The Moat, it showed well for a while before flying off into the trapping area.

Yellow-browed Warbler in The Moat

An afternoon watch from Fishing Boats 14.45- 16.15 produced:

Brent Goose: 524 W

Black Brant: 1 W   at 14.58 only the second Dungeness record.

Common Scoter: 42 W

Gannet: 35 W

Arctic Skua: 1 around

Mediterranean Gull: 10 W  2 X 1w, 5 x 2w, 3 x ad.

Little Gull: 8W

Kittiwake: 14 W

Sandwich Tern: 9 W

Auk sp: 2 W

Unfortunately I was very slow in picking up the Black Brant, by the time I had grabbed the camera and got out of my chair it was to late!

I ran the moth trap last night, the first time for a few nights and was delighted to find the stunner below in it. 

 A stunning Merveille du Jour very scarce on the peninsular.

Blair's Shoulder-Knot

Another Brilliant Day at Dungeness!

07.00-09.00 with AJG and DW:

Brent Goose: 12 W

Common Scoter: 4 E

Gannet: 344 W

Purple Sandpiper: 1 on beach

Great Skua: 1 W

Pomarine Skua: 3 W

Arctic Skua: 1 W

Sandwich Tern: 33 W

Common Tern: 1 W

Swallow: 17 W

Rock Pipit: 1 over

Goldfinch: 9 W

 Wheatear: 1 of 6 among the fishing boats

A walk from the fishing boats to the Lifeboat and back produced another 80 Brent Geese west, 17 Turnstone, a Little Egret on the beach, 6 Wheatears, 15 Swallows and 5 House Martins of note.
Around the lighthouse another 2 Wheatears and 6 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Black Redstarts, and 4 Stonechats.

 Little Egret on the beach

Cattle Egret

Driving to the ARC I spotted the Cattle Egret that has not been seen for a few days perched on a fence at Boulderwall. A walk up to the Water Tower produced 17 Ring Ouzels, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Great White Egrets and 2 Cetti's Warblers of note.

 Part of a flock of c70 Ring Ouzels

 At the Obsevatory Ring Ouzels could be seen wherever you cared to look, with a day total probably in excess of 500. 2 found there way into the Heligoland trap and were duly processed, on the down side a local cat managed to catch a Ring Ouzel with predictable results.

 Just after the Ring Ouzels had been processed I went back to the Heligoland Trap to oil the hinges on the flaps, as I walked into the trap I spotted a superb Yellow-browed Warbler, DW quickly arrived and duly caught and processed it.  

 Yellow-browed Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

16.15-17.00 at the fishing boats with AJG:

Brent Goose: 60 W
Gannet: 297 W
Great Skua: 3 W
Pomarine Skua 1 W
Arctic Skua: 1 W
Sandwich tern: 9 W
Harbour Porpoise: 5+