Trio of Caspian Gulls!

Another dull dreary day on the peninsular. The highlight of a slow sea watch with BM was a juvenile Pomarine Skua chasing a Brent Goose.
08.55-10.00
Brent Goose: 2W     20W
Wigeon: 1W
Common Scoter: 6W     3E
Red-throated Diver: 21W        7E
Gannet: 16E       10 around
Pomarine Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 26W      6 around
Sandwich Tern: 1 around
Guillemot:  14W
Auk sp: 10W
This afternoon back at The Point 3 Caspian Gulls provided an opportunity for some visiting birders to tick them off. The light was awful this afternoon for photography. Much better images can be seen http://birdingthedayaway.blogspot.co.uk/ and  http://mybirdwatchingdaysout.blogspot.co.uk/
 

A new 1w Caspian Gull + and adult Yellow-legged Gull

Yesterdays Polish ringed 3w Caspian Gull still around today

This very smart 1w Caspian Gull has been around for a few days

Another Caspo!

On the reserve first thing this morning there was no sign of the Long-eared Owl on its usual perch, though apparently it had returned by midday, 5 Smew could be seen from Dennis's hide also a Great White Egret there.
From the fishing boats 08.00-09.00
Brent Goose: 1E  19W
Common Scoter: 1E  1W
Great-crested Grebe: 137 west from Lade Bay
Red-throated Diver: 1E   27W
Gannet: 56W
Cormorant: c200 around
Mediterranean Gull: 1W  (2w)
Kittiwake:  9W
Guillemot:  22W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp:  13W
After dropping my binoculars into Hythe Camera's to be repaired I saw 5 Purple Sandpipers on the Breakwater at the end of Twiss Road, Hythe.
This afternoon as I drove onto the beach I could see Richard Bonser busily photographing a Gull in the roost, parking up and scanning the roost I spotted the gleaming white head that held Richard's attention, a very smart 3w Caspian Gull. As it was it was sitting down I couldn't see that it sported a yellow ring PNXB making it the same bird that David Walker had seen briefly earlier in the week.

3w Caspian Gull

Kingfisher!

Eider

An hour at the fishing boats this morning saw plenty of Gannets moving west, very small numbers of Red-throated Divers and Auks, along with the usual Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants, a drake Eider being the only notable bird.

On the reserve the Long-eared Owl was on its chosen perch, 5 Smew and 8 Goldeneye could be seen among the common wildfowl. Also at last a Kingfisher posed for me though the light conditions were terrible.

Agreat White Egret was on the New Diggings and another at the south end of the ARC.

Kingfisher

 This afternoon yesterdays 1w Caspian Gull was in the roost on the beach.

 1w Caspian Gull

An excellent day on the beach!

adult Caspian Gull

As the wind was 6-8 westerly when I arrived at the fishing boats this morning I wasn't expecting to stay very long, however 7 hrs later I was still there admiring a new 1w Caspian Gull spotted by DW coming into the puddles.
The morning started well with a stunning adult Caspian Gull drifting up and down the shoreline, then a Little Gull flew west (very scarce this year), followed by a Sooty Shearwater going west close inshore, next I spotted a small dark bird flitting in the wave troughs, I eventually got my scope onto
it and was surprised to see it was a Common Snipe! In between the highlights 1,000+ Gannets, 2 Bonxies and some Auks.
08.15-13.15  14.00-14.45 joined by BM,DW, MH and PT

Common Scoter: 2W
Red-breasted Merganser: 5W
Red-throated Diver: 14W    1E
Great-crested Grebe: 344 flew west from Lade Bay
Fulmar: 4W
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Gannet: 1,010 W    7E
Cormorant: 150+ around
Turnstone: 7+ around
Dunlin: 2W
Sanderling: 5E
Common Snipe: 1W
Great Skua: 2W
Mediterranean Gull: 1W
Yellow-legged Gull: 2 adults around
Caspian Gull: 2 (adult + 1w)
Little Gull: 1W
Kittiwake: 53W
Guillemot: 145W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 45W

Other news the Long-eared Owl returned to its chosen perch today after going missing yesterday, also 16 Bewick Swans on Walland Marsh in fields near the wind farm viewable from the A259 per BM

 adult Caspian Gull

adult Caspian Gull

 Little Gull

Gannets

 Guillemots

Common Snipe

 Mediterranean Gull

Sooty Shearwater

 Sooty and Great-crested Grebe

 Sooty Shearwater

adult Yellow-legged Gull

 1w Caspian Gull

Leach's Petrel!

4hrs sea watching from the relative shelter of the fishing boats 08.00-12.00:
Wigeon: 2W
Common Scoter: 21W
Red-breasted Merganser: 2W (drakes)
Red-throated Diver: 12W
Great-crested Grebe: 17W      9 on sea
Fulmar: 1W
Leach’s Petrel: 1W  at 09.35  (My 220 sp for the year on the peninsular)
Gannet: 77W   3E
Cormorant: c250 around
Oystercatcher: 2E
Turnstone: 7 on beach
Kittiwake: 87W
Guillemot: 101W
Auk sp: 74W

Early afternoon at the puddles despite plenty of bread very few gulls appeared and definitely no Caspian Gull, though DW found one a couple of hours later.
A single Great White Egret on the New Diggings as I drove to Scotney, where nothing of note was found. From the double bends not single to be seen , not even on the islands.
late afternoon on the reserve the Long-eared Owl still on its chosen perch at the back of the dipping pool. From Makepiece 4 red Smew, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Kingfisher of note. Very few gulls came into the roost today and nothing of note among them.

With the strong westerly winds dominating this weekend any birding was going to be hard work. Sea watching produced a westerly trickle of Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks, with a few Red-throated Divers, a Sandwich Tern was feeding off shore but little else.
Not a single Caspian Gull was seen on the beach nor on the reserve, though several Yellow-legged Gulls were noted.
The Long-eared Owl sitting on its chosen branch at the back of the dipping pool continues to attract plenty of admirers. On Burrowes up to 4 Goosanders, 5 Smew, 8 Goldeneye could be found among the commoner wildfowl. A walk around the rest of the reserve found little due to the wind.
Most of the Great White Egrets seem to have relocated to the shelter of Brett's Marina.    

Dazzling!

The down side of todays beautiful bright sunny morning at The Point, was that due to the dazzling brightness and low trajectory of the sun trying to sea watch was a hopeless cause.

On the reserve the very popular Long-eared Owl was still on its chosen perch, 4 each of Goosander and Smew, 5 Goldeneye and plenty of the common wildfowl were on Burrowes. Bittern, Bearded Tits, Great White Egret, Marsh Harriers, Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler and Water Rail were all showing at Hookers.

Long-eared Owl at the Dipping Pool

Adult Caspian Gull on Burrowes

Late afternoon an adult and 2w Caspian Gull came into Burrowes also 2 Yellow-legged Gulls.

 Long-eared Owl taken at another site.

Lean Fare!

Blogger seems to have a mind of its own at the moment, no matter what I do it centres most text.

A morning 08.00-09.30 and an afternoon 13.00-14.00 sea watch produced:

Brent Goose: 3 SW

Common Scoter: 30 NE

Red-throated Diver: 28 SW

Black-throated Diver: 2 SW

Great-crested Grebe: 19 on sea

Gannet: 583 SW

Cormorant: c250 around

Turnstone: 21 on beach

Kittiwake: 80 SW

Guillemot: 6 SW

Razorbill: 11 SW

Auk Sp: 3 SW

Pied Wagtail: 3 on beach

Starling: 427 in

Chaffinch: 2 in

Goldfinch: 67 over

A visit to Scotney saw the usual feral geese, low numbers of duck and a single Curlew.

Adult Caspian Gull late afternoon on Burrowes

A morning and afternoon visit to the reserve saw the long-eared Owl on its chosen perch, 4 Goosander, 2 Smew, 8+ Goldeneye, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, a 2w and an adult Caspian Gull along with all the common wildfowl.

Colour Rings

Sea watching from the fishing boats has not been very inspiring lately and today was no different. It will get better and I intend to be there when it does.

08.00-08.45

Great-crested Grebe: 32 on sea

Gannet: 11 SW  2 NE

Cormorant: n/c

Dunlin: 4 SW

Kittiwake: 16 SW

Guillemot: 1 on sea

Auk Sp: 5 SW

My next stop was The Patch. DW was already in the hide when I arrived grilling the 1,000s of Gulls on the beach and over the boil. He had seen a 1w Little Gull among the throng which despite me being there c90 minutes I failed to find. Not long after I arrived we spotted a Yellow ringed adult Caspian Gull, which after much scrutiny and blowing up of images was Yellow PKKK.

A visit to Scotney was disappointing with absolutely nothing of note seen.
A drive around Walland found 4+ Bewick Swans in fields at Horsebones Farm but very distant, a few small flocks of winter thrushes, 3 Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard.
No Caspians came into the beach this afternoon but a few colour ringed Gulls were seen.

A regular quite tame Great Black Backed Gull

Another regular Great Black Backed Gull

A3BJ another regular bird

Lapland Bunting !

08.05-0845
Common Scoter:  1 NE    2 SW
Red-throated Diver: 2 SW
Great-crested Grebe: 36 o/s
Gannet: 72 SW
Cormorant: 396 flushed from the bay by the range boat
Turnstone: 26 on beach
Kittiwake: 5 SW  4 on beach
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Razorbill: 1 SW
Auk sp: 3 SW
Lapland Bunting: 1 on shingle behind the boats briefly

I flushed the Lapland Bunting from beside my car and it flew off low towards The Point, despite spending at least an hour scouring the area I was unable to re-find it.

The Long-eared Owl is still showing well behind the dipping pool. On Burrowes 4 Smew, 3 Goosanders, 5+ Goldeneye and the usual wildfowl. A Great White Egret could be seen on the New Diggings. 

Common Buzzard Walland Marsh

A look around the marsh this afternoon failed to find any Bewick Swans or Owls. At least 20 Tree Sparrows by the feeders, also c150 Fieldfare with a few Redwing, 3 Common Buzzards and at one of the harrier roosts 18 Marsh Harriers roosted.