Wheatear!

 Early morning on the reserve a tame Wheatear in the car park greeted me as I arrived. On the islands a couple of Common Sandpipers and 3 Dunlin, the 2 Garganey were still in front of Firth. By Scott hide I noticed 2 Great white Egrets which quickly moved to Christmas Dell. MH later confirmed that there was another at Dengemarsh so presumably the new birds had only just arrived. As I drove out a Hobby dashed over the track.
A visit to the observatory where I learn't that the trapping area was very quiet, so after having breakfast I decided  to visit The Midrips which is open all weekend. On arrival the water levels looked good but barely a bird in sight. I can only assume that the pools are so polluted by 100+ years of the army shooting on it that little can survive. I can't recall seeing a Heron, Little Egret or even a Cormorant on the pools so presumably there are no fish or mollusc's.
Walking to the end of the concrete sea wall i did mange to see 4 Avocets and a Curlew on the beach, a flyover Hobby and Peregrine, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Wheatears, a Willow warbler on the see wall and a Clouded Yellow.
An hours sea watch this afternoons from the fishing boats was a very slow affair:
13.45-14.45:
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 4 around
Cormorant: 7 around
Turnstone: 1 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juvenile around
Sandwich Tern: 12 around
Common Tern: 3 around
Sand Martin: 97S
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

 Flame Carpet new for the trap

Chocholate-tip new for the year

 1w Mediterranean Gull at The Patch (RK65)

Early morning at The Patch found 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, a French colour ringed Mediterranean Gull and 12 Common Terns among the many Black-headed and Herring Gulls.

Between the Lighthouse and the Observatory just a single Willow warbler and single Common Whitethroat.

 House Sparrow with Migrant Hawker in the observatory garden

The southern end of the ARC held 2 Little Egrets and Common Sandpiper While in 2 visits to Burrowes of note 3 Sanderling, 4 Little-ringed Plovers, 4 Common Sandpipers, 4 Dunlin and 2 Garganey.

Little-ringed Plovers from Firth hide

An early afternoon sea watch from The point was very poor, just a handful each of Gannet, Sandwich and Common Tern.

2 visits today to the ARC Screen and Hanson found of note 3 Black-tailed Godwits, a Dunlin, 4 Golden Plover, a Hobby and a Peregrine. 

I joined AJG in walk to The Patch where the highlights were a Fulmar E, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 juveniles and a near adult) and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull among 100s each of Black-headed and Herring Gulls. 6 Common Terns continues the paucity of Terns.

At the observatory a steady trickle of Willow Warblers were being caught and processed. The lighthouse garden held 4 Willow Warblers with 2 more in the station gorse.

I joined MH on the reserve where we saw 2 Little Stints, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Common Sandpipers also 4 Golden Plover over the car park. MH saw a Bittern at Dengemarsh later. Pulses of Sand Martins seemed to be heading north most of the day. 

A look around the north end of the Long Pits found 22 Willow Warblers, 4 Blackcaps and 12 Common Whitethroats.

At the ARC 6+ Willow Warblers by the Screen Hide where 3 Black-tailed Godwits and 9 Golden Plover could be seen among the many Lapwings.

An hour at the fishing boats 13.30-14.30:

Gannet: 6 o/s

Cormorant: 5 o/s

Whimbrel: 1 over

Kittiwake: 5W

Sandwich Tern: 36W

Common Tern: 6W

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Grey Seal: 1

Garganey from Firth Hide

At Scotney no change just 100s of feral Geese.

Late afternoon on Burrowes 2 Garganey still, 2 Knot, 4 Redshank, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, a Golden Plover, 11 Dunlin, a Little Stint and 6 Common Sandpipers.

Still Quiet!

Very quiet around the peninsula today, a few Willow Warblers, Yellow Wagtails and Sand Martins the only obvious migrants. Scotney was also very quiet except for the hordes of feral geese and  6 Common Sandpipers. 

 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

90 minutes this afternoon at the fishing boats was very pleasant out of the wind and basking in the warm sunshine, avian wise was a different matter, also the first day in a long while I haven't recorded Harbour Porpoises and Grey Seal. 

Common Scoter: 1W

Gannet: 1W    2E

Cormorant: 3 around

Turnstone: 5 around

Dunlin: 2E

Yellow-legged Gull 1+ around

Sandwich Tern: 6 feeding o/s

Common Tern: 10W       4 feeding o/s

Late afternoon on the reserve a Wood Sandpiper, a Little Stint, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, 7 Common Sandpipers and 2 Garganey on Burrowes. Several Little Egrets and Marsh Harriers were  also in evidence.

 Jersey Tiger 6th of the year

 Leopard 1st of the year

Plutella xylostella still seem to be coming to the MV

Melodious Warbler!

  First thing this morning a look around the bushes at The Point found just a single Willow warbler of any note, so when news of a Cattle Egret seen by RW on the hay fields came through I made my way there straight away, minutes later I was on site but I was to late. I was not surprised when I realised just how dry the hay fields are, apparently the pump would not start and has not yet been fixed.
The Great White Egret is still on Dengemarsh, Marsh harriers were conspicuous today as  were Bearded Tits.
This afternoon Dave Bunney discovered a Melodious Warbler in his garden which he very kindly allowed visitors to see.

After going through an unimpressive haul of moths from last night I drove to the Old lighthouse, where 5 Willow Warblers were seen, 2 more on the walk past West beach and Lloyds, also 5 in the Moat and a Peregrine was on the pylons behind the power station. 

Willow Warbler on the power station fence  

At The Patch several 100s each of Herring and Black-headed Gulls and at least 4 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls among them. There was a lot of disturbance on the beach due to the number of far eastern fisherman. Behind the Patch hide 4 Willow warblers gleaning insects from the sparse vegetation were of note. 

A late morning visit to Scotney saw the Little Owl in its usual haunt, 6 Common Sandpipers, 2 Yellow Wagtails along with the usual feral geese.

A mixed flock of Sanderling and Dunlin on the beach

An afternoon sea watch in the company of MH 14.15-16.00:

Common Scoter: 1E
Gannet: 19W       9E
Turnstone: 5 on beach
Sanderling: 14 on beach
Dunlin: 15 on beach
Kittiwake: 8W
Yellow-legged Gull: 3 juveniles around
Sandwich Tern: 36W
Common Tern: 14W
Sand Martin: 147S
Swallow: 1S
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Grey Seal: 1

Turnstone

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

Pity about clipping the wing

Late afternoon at the ARC from Hanson, c200 Sand Martins over the lake, all the usual wildfowl, 2 Little egrets and a Marsh Harrier.

On Burrowes 6 Common Sandpipers, 3 Little ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlin, a Black-tailed Godwit joined all the usual wild fowl. The 2 Garganey were seen by MP and the Great White Egret was  still at Dengemarsh per MH .

Very quiet watch from the sea watch hide this morning.

08.05-09.05:

Common Scoter: 2W

Great Crested Grebe: 3 around

Fulmar: 3W

Gannet: 20W   43E

Cormorant: present n/c

Dunlin: 6W

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juvenile on beach

Kittiwake: 8W

Sandwich Tern: 2W

Common Tern: 11W

Sand Martin: 6S

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Mid morning on Burrowes of note a Little Stint, a Turnstone, 3 Dunlin and 6 Common Sandpipers.

On the ARC still 100s of Greylags hogging the islands and still 100s of eclipse wildfowl, also c200 Sand Martins over the lake.

Another sea watch this afternoon from the fishing boats was even quieter than this morning:

14.00-15.00

Common Scoter: 3W

Gannet: 17W         11E

Sanderling: 1W

Sandwich Tern: 40W

Common Tern: 28W

Harbour Porpoise: 3

Wandering along the beach towards the lifeboat station I watched a Great Black Backed Gull steal a Plaice form a Cormorant then swallow it, the Plaice was still struggling in the Gulls gullet when swallowed.

 At Scotney late afternoon a Spotted Redshank from the double bends, also 7 Common Sandpipers around the lake, 22 Curlew, 7 Whimbrel, also the the Barnacle Goose flock have returned from there summer sojourn.

Spotted Redshank at Scotney

This mornings wander around the bushes on The point was very quiet avian wise, all I could find was a single Willow Warbler, 3 Common Whitethroats, 4 Common Terns high over and a Peregrine of note.

By contrast the ARC was brimming with birds, admittedly 207 of them were Greylag Geese and the 100s of eclipse duck, a Redshank was among c60 Lapwing with 30+ Sand Martins over the lake. In the strong winds the Sallows were unbirdable.

This afternoon at the fishing boats plenty of observers for an unremarkable sea watch:

13.15-16.00 with LH,PH,MH,PB,AJG & PT.

Great Crested Grebe: 3 around

Fulmar: 6W

Manx Shearwater: 1W

Gannet: 54W      37E

Cormorant: 23 around

Turnstone: 5 on beach

Great Skua: 1W     1E

Mediterranean Gull: 1W  juvenile

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juvenile on beach

Kittiwake: 32W

Sandwich Tern: 79W

Common Tern: 129W

Swift: 15S

Sand Martin: 68S

Swallow: 1S

Harbour Porpoise: 4

 2 Garganey from Firth

Late afternoon on the islands on Burrowes 2 Little Stints (ad + juv), 7 Common Sandpipers, a Turnstone, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlin and 2 Garganey of note.

 Tufted Duck and ducklings from Firth

Common Sandpiper from Firth

Sea Watching!

I spent most of the day sheltering from the rain and driving drizzle at the fishing boats. Visibility was poor as was the light in general, it was very interesting and  successful watch, more than enough to keep me happy though I am easily pleased. Even the lure of seeing Roger Daltrey couldn't drag me away.

 Kittiwake

 2 distant Manx Shearwaters

07.30-12.30 from The Point and the fishing boats:

Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Fulmar: 2W
Manx Shearwater: 10W
Gannet: 186W
Cormorant: 26 around
Ringed Plover: 1W
Turnstone: 4 on beach
Whimbrel: 2W
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 12W
Black-headed Gull: c300 around
Common Gull: 7W
Mediterranean Gull: 1 juvenile around
Herring Gull: c200 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 3 around
Lesser Black Backed Gull: 11 around
Great Black Backed Gull: c100 around
Kittiwake: 104W
Sandwich Tern: 159W
Common Tern: 389W
Arctic Tern: 2W  juveniles
Black Tern: 13W
Swift: 21S
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 6+

 Black Tern catching Whitebait

 Common Tern

 Arctic Skua

14.30-16.45 from the fishing boats with MH & joined by PT

Common Scoter: 7W
Fulmar: 2W
Manx Shearwater: 8W
Gannet: 59W
Arctic Skua: 2E
Kittiwake: 8W
Sandwich Tern: 37W
Common Tern: 90W

Kittiwakes

From the sea watch hide this morning a few Gannets and Sandwich terns feeding off shore, 100s of Herring and Black-headed Gulls feeding in the scum with 4 Common Terns, highlights were 2 Fulmars and a Grey Heron in off.

In the bushes a few Willow Warblers and Common Whitethroats.

 Garganey from Firth

On the reserve the highlights were 2 Garganey from Firth Hide, 2 superb summer plumaged Knot, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit, 6+ Dunlin from Makepiece with another 3 from Dennis's. The great White Egret is still at Dengemarsh per RW.

Late morning at the ARC 100+ Lapwing and all the usual wildfowl on the ever increasing islands, so I hope the expected rain over the next couple of days doesn't reverse that. Late afternoon there in the drizzle c50 Sand Martins over the lake. 

 Turnstones at the fishing boats

This afternoons sea watch from the fishing boats was quiet, but enlivened by 10s of 1,000s of Whitebait being forced ashore presumably by Mackerel. The shoreline was positively jumping with stranded Whitebait which caused a feeding frenzy with 100s of Gulls.

15.00-16.15 with MH,RW and AJG.

Common Scoter: 2E
Gannet: c30 o/s
Cormorant: 7 around
Turnstone: 3 on beach
Kittiwake: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 1 juvenile o/s
Common Tern: 8+ o/s
Sandwich Tern: c25 o/s
Guillemot: 1W
Sand Martin: 2S
Harbour Porpoise 6+

 Juvenile Mediterranean Gull at the fishing boats

 Whitebait feeding frenzy

 Whitebait

2 more Jersey Tigers in the Plodland MV this morning