Bee-eaters!

This mornings sea watch was probably the poorest this spring, the only entertainment was provided by 2 would be sea anglers trying to launch their rubber dingy. Fortunately for them they never managed to launch, as the waves either swamped the boat or pushed it broadside. After about 15 minutes of trying when they wet and most likely very cold, the safety range boat came along, saw them, came in shore and told them to desist(probably in Anglo Saxon language). 

 Suicidal Anglers! note the life jacket in the boat!

Our dire sea watch was brought to sudden end with news of 5 Bee-eaters in a Dover cemetery, which I successfully twitched.

A big thank you to Trevor Morgan for sharing his great local patch find with me and all the other birders who successfully saw the 5 stunning Bee-eaters.

 The sun shone very briefly

 Doing what Bee-eaters do! before departing SW at 10.31

 This one land right above me, shame about the light!

This afternoon at the ARC plenty of Hirrundines including my first House Martins of the year, Sedge and Cetti's warblers were singing and a Greenshank flew over, at the screen hide Swallows were prospecting nest sites and a Water Rail was squealing in front the hide, little else of note was seen. 

 An early evening plod from Springfield Bridge to the ramp and back saw of note a Brent Goose on  Hayfield 3 with a 3 Ringed Plover, a White Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, and 2 Little Egrets. From Dengemarsh hide a Garganey, a Great White Egret, 2 Tundra Bean Geese, a Bittern booming, 3+ Marsh Harriers and worryingly now 8 Egyptian Geese.

Sedge Warbler outside Dengemarsh hide this evening.

Few Migrants!

With the NE wind still blasting across the peninsular I gave the sea watch a miss, instead I parked at Springfield Bridge and walked to Dengemarsh Hide. En route I checked the Hayfields which were disappointing, 3 Dunlin and 2 Swallows being the only birds of note. I joined PW in the hide where there was no sign of yesterdays Black-winged Stilts, but 5 Garganey were still present and a Bittern was booming. We had a look at the other Hayfields where a smart Yellow Wagtail and several singing Sedge Warblers were notable. I visited Pigwell where 6 Avocets could be seen. At Scotney the drake Scaup was looking very smart, a Brent Goose and Barnacle Goose were on the turf, 10+ Yellow Wagtails were by the farm. 

Drake Scaup Scotney

 While looking for the elusive Wryneck a Stoat appeared  from a Rabbit burrow.

Eventually the Wryneck gave its self up,

1 of 3 Whimbrel which flew in early evening and landed by the Crow trap.

A leucistic Linnet at the south end of the ARC

This evening there were plenty of Swallows and Sand Martins on New Diggings but no rumpers! 

Stilts!

Another day of cold blasting North Easterlies producing another poor sea watch:

06.00-08.30 with DW and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Brent Goose: 3 E

Shelduck: 2 E

Common Scoter 103: E

Red-breasted Merganser: 9 E

Fulmar: 9 E

Gannet: 76 E

Whimbrel: 4 E

Oystercatche:r 11 E

Arctic Skua: 1 E

Great Skua: 1 E

Sandwich Tern: 57 E

Common Tern: 27 E

Kittiwake: 1 W

Swallow: 2 in

 Great Black Backed Gull giving the Dogfish the coup de grace!

 Whimbrel beside the road near Jarmans.

Long range shot of Black-winged Stilts and 2 of the 6 Garganey.

At Dengemarsh 2 Black-winged Stilts were found by MH, also there of note 6 Garganey, 2 Tundra Bean Geese, 4 Egyptian Geese, a Peregrine, 4 Marsh Harriers, 4+ Bearded Tits, many Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers and Bittern booming.

On the Hayfields 5+ Little Ringed Plovers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshank, a Snipe & 5+ pairs of Lapwing. 

When NE wind blows!

With a cold NE wind blasting across the peninsular the only realistic option was to do more sea watching.
06.00-09.45 with DW and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 29 E
Teal: 6 E
Common Scoter: 704 E
Red-breasted Merganser: 14 E
Red-throated Diver: 2 E
Fulmar: 6 E
Gannet: 217 E
Common Buzzard: 1 coasting E
Oystercatcher: 9 E
Whimbrel: 25 E
Mediterranean Gull: 1 around
Kittiwake: 4 W
Sandwich Tern: 183 E
Common Tern:  182 E
Guillemot: 3 E
Auk sp: 1 E
Swallow: 14 in
Wheatear(Greenland): 1 in
A wander around The Desert was a lost cause as the wind blasted dust in my face, 2 Greenland Wheatears cowered behind some Gorse, 2 Common Whitethroats sang from deep inside some Brambles and 2 Sandwich Terns whizzed over towards the power station.
This afternoons sea watch was cold vigil from the fishing boats.
14.00-17.00
 Brent Goose: 61E
Common Scoter: 186E
Red-breasted Merganser: 7E
Great-crested Grebe: 25E  14 on sea
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 37E    5W
Whimbrel: 15E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 11E
Kittiwake: 4E
Common Tern: 26 E
Arctic Tern: 18 E (they were distant & I had them as Common, DW had better views
Sandwich Tern: 24E                             from the sea watch hide & ID them as Arctic)
Guillemot: 1E
Swallow: 2 in
Greenland Wheatear: 4 in
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

there 7 more Greenland Wheatears around the lifeboat station late afternoon.
On the reserve all the usual suspects were reported.

Spring!

A late start this morning due to me over sleeping, though I was probably better off in bed than enduring a very slow early morning watch. On the way to the beach a Great White Egret was at the south end of the ARC.

09.00-10.00 with AJG who collated the numbers.

Brent Goose: 33E

Common Scoter: 82E

Red-breasted Merganser: 3E

Red-throated Diver 6 up

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet 4 about

Mediterranean Gull: 2 adults around

Common Tern: 4 E

Sandwich Tern: 38E

Swallow: 1 in

A wander around Scotney, found of note, 10 Yellow Wagtails, good numbers of singing Corn Buntings and Skylarks, a Little Ringed Plover, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 13 Avocet and the drake Scaup still present on the main lake.

 Garganey from Springfield Bridge

Early afternoon the Garganey was showing well at Springfield Bridge and 3 Swallows over. 5 Little Ringed Plovers , 6 Ringed Plovers,3 Dunlin and 2 Little Egrets could be seen in Hayfield 3.

Another half hour sea watch produced a distant Great Skua and little else.

A late attempt to win Mr Gale's coveted Wheatear trophy!

9+ Wheatears were on the shingle between the fishing boats and the houses late afternoon.

An early evening walk in the glorious spring sunshine to the Water Tower found a Bittern booming half heartedly, many Reed Buntings, 3 Sedge Warblers and 5+ Cetti's warblers of note.

Greenland Wheatears!

The early morning fog quickly cleared leaving a beautiful spring day but little off shore movement

07.00-09.00 with AJG who collated the numbers:

Brent Goose: 41 E

Shelduck: 3 W

Common Scoter: 276 E

Red-breasted Merganser: 7 E

Red-throated Diver: 5 E

Black-throated Diver: 1 E

Fulmar: 1 E

Gannet: 12 around

Oystercatcher: 4 E

Kittiwake: 3 E

Common Tern: 30 E

Auk sp: 3 E

Carrion Crow: 9 in off the sea

We walked around the trapping area and around the Long Pits for little return, c15 each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcaps, 2 Common Whitethroats, a Green Woodpecker and c5 Sparrowhawks of note. Around the observatory moat a Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart, more Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs could be found.

With news that the Hoopoe had resurfaced Between Boulderwall Farm and the Water Tower, we had a look around the Tower pits to no avail, while doing so Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats and Marsh Harriers were seen. 

 Greenland Wheatear

This afternoon on the shingle opposite Jarmans, c15 Wheatears at least 8 of which were Greenland's, although star billing went to an early smart Whinchat, also a White Wagtail, 3 Swallows over and 2 Whimbrel there as well as resident Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.

Whinchat (poor image of a flighty bird)

This evening at Springfield Bridge a Bittern booming, a Garganey, the 2 Tundra Bean Geese and the 2 Cattle Egrets at Brickwall Farm.

Yellow Wagtail at Scotney per MH.

The Plodland moth trap was straining under the weight of a single Common Quaker this morning.

A Brilliant Day at The D.B.O.

This morning from the sea watch hide the French coast was clearer than I have ever seen it before. Through the telescope individual trees could be seen and Napoleon was easily discernible, standing on top of his column 49 Kilometres away at Wimereux as the Crow flys. The sea watch itself was very uninspiring.

06.05-08.05 with AJG who collated the numbers. 

Brent Goose: 19 E

Common Scoter: 129 :

Red-breasted Merganser: 2 E

Red-throated Diver:  9 E

Gannet: 32 E

Oystercatcher: 103 E

Great Skua: 2 E

Arctic Skua: 1 about

Kittiwake: 2 W

1w Iceland Gull: 1 flying out to sea from patch area

Common Tern: 19 E  c30 on patch

Sandwich Tern: 304 E

Auk sp: 1 E  1 W

Statute of Napoleon(left hand edge of image) at Wimereux from Dungeness this morning

 Oystercatchers passing this morning

 Ring Ouzels

With such a clear morning it is even more incredible that around 08.30 Blackcaps and Willow Warblers started appearing all around The Point, belying that migrants only appear in numbers in damp overcast conditions.

 Blackcaps and Willow Warblers were recorded in 3 figure numbers, with many Chiffchaffs, at least 3 Ring Ouzels, 4 Common Redstarts, 5+ Common Whitethroats, 2 Black Redstarts, a Pied Flycatcher, a Tree Pipit, a Woodlark, 2+ Redwing, 3+ Song Thrushes and 5 Swallows.

 Common Redstart

 Tree Pipit

 Willow Warbler

 Pied Flycatcher

 A Little Gull dwarfed by the Herring Gulls.

At The Patch this afternoon no sign of this mornings 1w Iceland Gull but a 1st summer Little Gull was some compensation.

Black Redstart(first year male) which finally made its way into the Heligoland Trap rounding a brilliant day at Dungeness.

Blackcaps and a Common Whitethroat

From a crystal clear day this morning to thick fog at 17.00hrs when I left.

A Slow Day!

From the sea watch hide with AJG
who collated the numbers.                                    From the fishing boats:
06.10-08.10                                                        15.40-17.00
Brent Goose: 47 E                                                Brent Goose: 3
Common Scoter: 152 E                                         Red-throated Diver: 5 E
Red-breasted Merganser: 2 up                               Gannet: 53 E
Red-throated Diver: 3 E                                        Arctic Skua: 6 E

Fulmar: 5 E                                                          Kittiwake: 1 W

Gannet: 65 E                                                        Sandwich Tern: c25 o/s

Oystercatcher: 16 E                                              Common Tern: 10 o/s

Great Skua: 3 E                                                    Auk sp: 4 W

Arctic Skua:                                                         Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Mediterranean  Gull: 2E  Ads

Sandwich Tern: 324 E

Common Tern: 7 E

Auk sp: 259 E

A faily slow day around the peninsular with a few migrants. Mid morning around the trapping area a beautiful male Redstart, 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Green Woodpeckers and a Marsh harrier of note.

Early afternoon around Dengemarsh area, 6 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Lapwings and 2 Shelduck all on Hayfield 3. 2 Tundra Bean Geese, 2 Garganey, 6 Swallows, 2 Little Egrets and a Great White Egret of note. I couldn't find the Cattle Egrets today in a brief search.

1w Iceland Gull!

With the wind swinging round to the the SW and a drop in the temperature there was a corresponding drop in the off shore passage.

06.15-08.15 numbers kindly collated by AJG.            14.00-16.00 

Brent Goose: 559 E                                                    28E

Common Scoter: 117 E                                               12E                

Red-breasted Merganser: 5 E

Red throated Diver: 12 E                                             12E

Black throated Diver: 1 E                                              1W

Fulmar: 17 E

Gannet: 55 W                                                             15 o/s

Oystercatcher: 29 E

Whimbrel:                                                                    4E

Bonxie: 2 E                                                                  1W

Arctic Skua: 3 E

Kittiwake:                                                                    2W

Mediterranean Gull: 3 around

Sandwich Tern: 104 E                                                 27E                                                       Common Tern: 11 E                                                     3E

Auk sp: 4E

In the roost at The Patch a 1w Iceland Gull was found by DW and a probable Glaucous x Herring Gull hybrid. 

 1w Iceland Gull

Probable Glaucous x Herring Gull?

 Both White Wingers

Slavonian Grebe

On the New Diggings the Slavonian Gull still present also 2 Swallows and a Sand Martin.

On Scotney the drake Scaup still present and the 2 Cattle Egrets could be seen around the Brickwall Farm fields.

On the reserve a Ring Ouzel and 2 Whimbrel per PT. 

Pas De Calais(thursday 9th April)

Another great day spent in the Pas de Calais with Tony and Trevor, visiting several sites and seeing plenty of birds in glorious warm spring sunshine. Chiffchaffs were abundant where ever we went and the woods were alive with Nuthatches, Short-toed Treecreepers and Marsh Tits, we also saw, Firecrests, Crested Tits, a Hawfinch, Hen Harrier, several each of Common Buzzards and Sparrowhawks around the woods.

 Firecrest

 Orange Tip!

 White Wagtail!

The wetlands provided highlights of 23 Garganey, many White Wagtails, a couple of Yellow Wagtails, White Storks, Cattle and Little Egrets, Spoonbills, Mediterranean Gulls and Kentish Plovers. We clocked up a respectable 102 species in the day.

 3 of 23 seen in the Pas de Calais!

 Spoonbill!

Crested Tits! 

 Kentish Plovers in the heat haze.

 Squaring up!