The Somme!

On Monday myself AJG & LG had a day trip to the Somme. Starting at Sailly Braie a Black Redstart, several Song Thrushes and the first of several Turtle Doves. On the marsh there 3 Bluethroats, 3 Stonechats, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, White Storks, Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards and a superb Honey Buzzard, White Wagtails, Grey Partridges a singing Melodious Warbler and much more, LG put us on to a distant singing Savi's Warbler and AJG located 2 singing Marsh Warblers. 

 Cattle Egret

 Grey Partridges

 Black-winged Stilt

 Bluethroat

 Honey Buzzard

 Blue-headed Wagtail

On a marsh near Le Crotoy we found another Savi's Warbler, White Storks, Blue-headed and White Wagtails and more Egrets.

 Garganey

At La Basse pools a pair of Garganey showed well, a Scaup, 2+ Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Black-winged Stilts, lots of breeding Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull more Cattle Egrets and a Musk Rat, while there many of the large Carp were spawning.

 Scaup

 Musk Rat

 Peek a boo

At Marquanterre a Crested Tit showed nicely by the very packed car park also a Short-toed Treecreeper. Inside the usual showy White Storks, Spoonbills, Egrets and Avocets. Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and a Nightingale were singing around the trail. Several Black-necked Grebes were seen but few waders as most have gone through.

 White Stork

 Spoonbill

 Avocet

 Black-necked Grebe

A short visit to to Crecy Forest in the afternoon showed us 2 more Melodious Warblers, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Bullfinch and 2+ Honey Buzzards.
With an hour to spare before the ferry sailed we visited a beach near Calais, there we found Little and Sandwich Terns, Dunlin, Kentish and Ringed Plovers, a Hobby, Skylark, Stonechat and more Spoonbills. An excellent day out where in great company we managed 116 species, finally many thanks to AJG who did all the driving.

Very poor visibility out to sea this morning so no sea watch. A walk down to The Patch found just a 1s Mediterranean Gull of note with no sign of the Iceland Gull. 

The bushes were around the lighthouse were avian free. On Burrowes a late Common Sandpiper of note, otherwise just a couple of Common Terns and a few loafing and nesting Gulls.

 Common Sandpiper, Makepiece hide

 Marsh Harrier in front of garden

As Red Kites were being reported in good numbers at various sites I spent 2 hrs sky watching from the garden. Highlights were 16+ Hobby's, 14+ Common Buzzards, 5 Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrels, a Little Egret and 2 Yellow Wagtails.

 Bittern at the tower pit

This afternoon at The ARC a Bittern flew from the Tower Pit towards Boulderwall, 10+ Hobby's some which gave good close views, A Cuckoo, a Little Ringed Plover and a Black-tailed Godwit. Also some Southern Marsh Orchids.

 Hobby at the ARC

Southern Marsh Orchid

One of the Little Owls could be seen at Lydd Camp, at Denge Marsh more Hobby's and Marsh Harriers.

05.45-07.45 + 08.30-09.45 with AJG who collated the numbers:
Shelduck: 2 up
Common Scoter: 554 up
Velvet Scoter: 3 up
Great-crested Grebe: 8 around
Fulmar: 7 up
Manx Shearwater: 1 up
Gannet: 126 up
Oystercatcher: 21 up
Ringed Plover: 6 up
Sanderling: 72 up
Iceland Gull: 1 1s around
Kittiwake: 29 up
Sandwich Tern: 48 up
Common Tern: 5 up
Guillemot: 1 up

 Common Gull making use of 1 of the nest boxes on Burrowes

A quick look at Burrowes from Dennis's saw of note a single Grey Plover, a Ringed Plover, 6 Hobby's, a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzzard.

 Yellow Wagtail Scotney

At Scotney plenty of Yellow Wagtails and corn Buntings, 40+ Avocets with at least 17 still sitting, also at least 6 young. The Little Owl was in it's usual spot.

 Corn Bunting Scotney

 Little Owl Scotney

Not so welcome the new addition to the Dungeness RSPB breeding list!

Around Dengemarsh 10+ Hobby's, Egyptian Geese with a youngster, several pairs of Lapwings and Redshanks in the hay fields though not sure if they are breeding. 6+ Corn buntings were in the set aside.

 Swallows over the ARC early morning

A very quiet morning around Dungeness today. Early morning saw 100s of Swallows over the ARC though they dispersed very quickly as did 50+ Swifts hawking over Burrowes. 3 Avocets in front of Firth but little else of note. There are few puddles on the hay fields, a little late to attract migrant waders. A fox was upsetting the Shelduck  by the hay fields but seemed unable to get through the fence which is good. A couple of Lapwing were dive bombing it so I assume and hope they had at least 1 young bird nearby. 

 Avocets from Firth early morning

 eyeing up breakfast

Mid morning at the Observatory the Death's Head Hawkmoth was on display, a really impressive beauty. Apparently a sea watch by AJG this morning was very poor.

 Yellow Wagtail Scotney Farm

At Scotney this afternoon the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and Little Owl by the farm. On the back lake probably 17 pairs of Avocets some with young others still sitting, lets hope the Badgers don't get to the island this year. Also there a Bar-headed Goose.

 Avocet at back of Scotney

This evening on Burrowes and the ARC no change from this morning except someone having a swim. Only a pair of Common Gulls were disturbed briefly, though I fear the swimmer may be a little disturbed to even want to get into the very cold lake. 

Swimmer in Burrowes

06.40-07.40

Common Scoter: 19 up

Great-crested Grebe: 27 around

Gannet: 11 up

Cormorant: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2 x 1st summer at The Patch

Kittiwake: 2 up     2 on beach at The Patch

Sandwich Tern: c10 around

Common Tern: c20 around

Black Redstart: 1 singing on power station

 Starlings

Around the lighthouse area noisy juvenile Starlings are now much in evidence, a few Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and Common Whitethroats.

 Lesser Whitethroat

At  the observatory of note a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Tree Pipits were caught and processed.

 1 of 2 Tree Pipits processed today

 Painted Lady

In the Moat several Painted Ladies, a Brown Argus and my first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year.

 Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Flame Wainscot in my MV today.

14.10-15.10 from the fishing boats till the rain started:

Common Scoter: 2 up   7 down

Fulmar: 1 down

Gannet: 15 up      7 down

Hobby: 1 in

Ringed Plover:  2 up

Sanderling: 3 up

Bar-tailed Godwit: 2 up

Arctic Skua: 1 up dp

Kittiwake: 6 up

Sandwich Tern: 14 up#

Swallow: 2 out

Harbour Porpoise: 5 

Turtle Dove!

 Meadow Pipit on power station wall

As I walked out to the sea watch hide for an early morning watch the local Meadow Pipit was posing on the wall and a Black Redstart was singing on the power station. The sea watch was very poor with very little noted.

 Wheatear in The Desert

A walk around The Desert and the southern end of the trapping area saw very little of note, 2 Swallows flew through, a single Wheatear and a few Common Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were heard.

 Common Whitethroat in The Moat

A visit to Burrowes with MH was disappointing, the only notable birds were the 2 Avocets.

 Grey Heron at Hookers

Walking in from Springfield Bridge to Hookers saw a pair of Corn Buntings by the bridge, a Cuckoo, 2 Hobby's, Sedge and Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and the usual wildfowl, also several Hairy Dragonfly's.

 Hairy Dragonfly Dengemarsh

 Hobby over the garden

While emptying a full moth trap late morning I spotted a Hobby flying over the field straight towards me, by the time I grabbed the camera from the car it was directly overhead allowing only a very rushed shot. 

Another 2.5 hr sea watch from the in front the hide lunch time, where I was joined by BC who woke me up on his arrival was another very slow affair with just a dark phase Arctic Skua note, although were at least 8 Harbour Porpoises off shore. The Iceland Gull was apparently at The Patch per PT.

1 of 2 Turtle Doves on Walland this afternoon.

A visit to Walland Marsh this afternoon found 2 Turtle Doves, the usual Tree Sparrows, Common Buzzards and Marsh Harriers, also some Yellow Wagtails and a Great Spotted Woodpecker of note. 

 Turtle Dove

 Turtle Dove

 In a late afternoon visit to Galloways I saw 3 Stonechats, several Common Whitethroats, a Red-legged Partridge, a Hobby and a 5 Fox Cubs playing on the verge and in the road.

 The runt of the litter

My first Cream-spot Tiger of the year today

Kite Surfing on Scotney!

An unexpectedly good sea wath this morning 07.45-10.15 from the sea watch hide with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Common Scoter: 95 up
Black-throated Diver: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 3 up
Manx Shearwater: 1 down
Gannet: 408 up    70 down
Cormorant: present n/c
Merlin: 1 female in (a late bird)
Great Skua: 4 up
Pomarine Skua: 3 up  (personal total 228)
Kittiwake: 2 up  1 down
Iceland Gull: 1w still at The Patch
Sandwich Tern: 15 up
Common Tern:  159 up
Guillemot: 2 up
Auk sp: 21 up
Another hour from the fishing boats this afternoon 14.30-15.30 saw just a single Great Skua of any note.

 Kite Surfers at Scotney

  Kite Surfers at Scotney

I don't know whether Kite Surfing is allowed on Scotney, it is certainly the first time I have seen it there, though DW did photograph a wind surfer there the other week. Details have been passed to relevant authorities.
There was still at least 15 pairs of Avocets on the back lakes.

 Grey Plover on Burrowes

In very windy conditions at least 10 Hobby's around the reserve today, most birds seemed to be hiding in shelter. 

 Sedge Warbler at Christmas Dell

 In the fight for a nest site on Denge Marsh there's only going to be one winner and it's not the Common Tern!

Leucistic Rabbit by Hookers