Arctic Skua's at the Fishing Boats!

 Stonechat at the lighthouse

At The Point this morning a small movement of finches which petered out quickly, mainly Goldfinches with a few Siskins, Redpolls, Brambling and Tree Sparrows. In the lighthouse garden no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler but 5+ Chichaffs, a couple of Goldcrests, a Black Redstart and Stonechat nearby. A walk around The Desert was very poor avian wise with a few Swallow and a couple of Green Woodpeckers being the highlight.

 Black Redstart at the Lighthouse

At a wind swept Scotney the usual feral geese, a Ruff among the many Lapwing, 2 Redshanks around the edge of the lake and c50 Wigeon were the highlights.

 Arctic Skuas showing well again at the fishing boats

14.00-16.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 4 down
Common Scoter: 20 up
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Gannet: c100 around
Cormorant: 114 down   37 up
Turnstone: 11 around
Arctic Skua: 4 around
Mediterranean Gull: 3 down
Kittiwake: 1 down
Razorbill: 5 up      2 on
Auk sp: 7 up  5 down
Swallow: 5 out
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Sandwich Tern turning the tables on an Arctic Skua

  Arctic Skua at the fishing boats

  Common Tern at the fishing boats

Late afternoon at the ARC again very quiet though the Red-necked Grebe was just about visible at the far end of the lake.

From Dennis's at least 7 Great White Egrets including the Somerset individual AAH hatched this year.

Great White Egret from Dennis's 

Sooty's and Skuas!

A drizzly windy morning starting at the Sea watch hide.

07.10-08.40 with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Wigeon: 2 down

Common Scoter: 3 down

Gannet: 1,274 down and 306 around

Great Skua: 5 down

Arctic Skua: 2 down

Mediterranean Gull: 1 down

G B B Gull 120/hour passing down

Kittiwake: 1 down

Sandwich Tern 12 dow

Razorbill 6 down

Auk sp 3 down

The ARC was again very quiet with the islands looking very bare, I couldn't even find the Red-necked Grebe though it was still present per EH.

A very windswept Scotney found just the usual feral geese and 32 Curlews.

 At the fishing boats this afternoon the Arctic Skuas were showing very well

14.10-17.00 from the fishing boats with PH,EH, MH,LG et al:
Brent Goose: 5 down
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Sooty Shearwater: 4 down
Shearwater sp 4 down (probably Manx)
Gannet: 1,634 down
Turnstone: 6 around
Arctic Skua: 5 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 ad around
Kittiwake: 12 down
Sandwich Tern: 61 down + 30 feeding off shore
Common Tern: 1 around
Razorbill: 17 down
Auk sp: 4 down      2 up

 Common Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

 Sandwich Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

  Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

 Turnip

Webb's Wainscot

Yellow-browed Warbler!

The Desert was quiet this morning with a few Swallows and House Martins over, also some Siskins, Redpolls and Reed Buntings, a few Meadow Pipits were in the Broome and a Hare was flushed.

In the lighthouse garden a Yellow-browed Warbler was found among the Chiffchaffs by Mark Varley, the bird showed well on occasions for most of the morning at least. 

 Yellow-browed Warbler

  Yellow-browed Warbler

  Yellow-browed Warbler

 Brambling in a private Dungeness garden today

Juvenile Arctic Skua at the fishing boats this afternoon

Razorbills at the fishing boats this afternoon

14.00-16.00 from the fishing boats with AJG:
Brent Goose: 34 down   1 in
Wigeon: 2 down
Common Scoter: 13 up
Red-throated diver: 1 down
Great-crested Grebe: 1 around
Gannet: 231 down
Cormorant: 91 down     27 up
Turnstone: 4 around
Arctic Skua: 3 around
Mediterranean Gull: 2 down   Ad + 3rd cal year
Razorbill: 15 down
Guillemot: 1 down
Auk sp: 3 down
Swallow: 2 out
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Sandwich Terns at the fishing boats this afternoon

Late afternoon at the ARC from Hanson was very quiet with only the Red-necked Grebe of note.

 Both forms of Barred Red in the MV today

Clancy's Rustic from last night

A drizzly day with a strong westerly wind provided the perfect recipe for a quiet day avian wise  around the peninsula. A brief look at the sea from the fishing boats this morning saw a cute Common Seal along with the usual few Sandwich Terns, Gannets and Arctic Skuas also a single Curlew flew west.

 Common Seal at the fishing boats this morning

Sandwich Tern at the fishing boats

2 visits to Hanson saw the now resident Red-necked Grebe, 20+ Black-tailed Godwits, a few each of Golden Plover and Dunlin, also a Grey Plover a scarce bird on the ARC, the usual wildfowl were well represented.

 Arctic Skua at the fishing boats this afternoon

This evenings Egret roost count saw 17 Great White Egrets come to roost equalling last years record count, also 21 Little Egrets came in.

Just 27 Miles from Dungeness!

I was joined by AJG, CP, LG, DW & GH at Cap Gris Nez for a brilliant sea watching spectacle today!

1 of the many skeins of Brent Geese that made today such a memorable spectacle

Many passed close inshore

All birds moved south unless otherwise stated:

Brent Goose: 20,883 
Shelduck: 54
Wigeon: 5
Teal: 4
Common Scoter: 1,274 
Eider: 1 N  +   1 Present
Red-throated Diver: 28
Black-throated Diver: 8
Great-crested Grebe: 1
Manx Shearwater: 1
Gannet: 1,287
Little Egret: 1
Peregrine: 1
Oystercatcher: 1
Curlew: 2
Turnstone: 1
Sanderling: 4
Dunlin: 36
Ruff: 1
Great Skua: 60 
Pomarine Skua: 12
Arctic Skua: 29
Long-tailed Skua: 1
Mediterranean Gull: c125 Present
Little Gull: 34
Sabines Gull: 5
Kittiwake: 247
Sandwich Tern: 211
Commic Tern: 44
Razorbill: 2
Guillemot: 1  + 1 Present
Auk sp: 693
Woodpigeon: 1 out
Grey Wagtail: 3 out
Rock Pipit: 1+ present
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

Black-throated Diver with St Margarets in the background I think?

1 of the local Mediterranean Gulls with a colour ring

 Merlin with small prey coming in off

07.15-09.45 from the fishing boats with MH & LG,

Common Scoter: 6 down
Red-throated Diver: 1 down
Great-crested Grebe: 8 around
Sooty Shearwater: 1 down
Gannet: 461 down
Merlin: 2 around
Kestrel: 1 out
Turnstone: 5 around
Curlew: 1 down
Great Skua: 1 down
Arctic Skua: 6 around
Sandwich Tern: 49 down
Razorbill: 1 down
Auk sp: 3 down  3 up
House Martin: 392 in
Swallow: 158 in
Alba Wagtail: 5 over
Goldfinch: 18 over
Linnet: 40 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Great White Egret from Hanson

On the ARC from Hanson 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 14 Dunlin, a Ruff, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, 340 Golden Plover, 4 Great White Egrets, 4 Little Egrets, the Red-necked Grebeand all the usual wildfowl.

In the sheep field by the track to the VC 22 Ruff. 11 Great White Egrets on Burrowes per PB.

At Scotney 6 Ruff, 4 Dunlin and Little Stint on the Herring Gull island. On the sward 4 Ruff and 66 Golden Plover among the feral geese.

Kingfisher!

This mornings walk around The Desert, saw a Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel along with a few Redpolls and Siskins, c250 Goldfinches, 100 Linnets, 9 Skylarks, a few Meadow Pipits and a couple of Wheatears.

A meagre sea watch from the fishing boats this afternoon 14.15-15.15:

Great-crested Grebe: 8 around

Gannet: c40 feeding off shore

Merlin: 1 hunting over the sea

Arctic Skua: 5 around

Sandwich Tern: c30 feeding off shore

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

The Red-necked Grebe was showing well this afternoon

 Red-necked Grebe ARC

 Red-necked Grebe ARC

2 visits to the ARC today saw a Curlew Sandpiper, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 14 Dunlin, c80 Golden Plover, the Shoveler with nasal saddle still present among the usual wildfowl and Egrets, also a Common Buzzard and 2+ Marsh Harriers.

Male Kingfisher posing from Hanson this afternoon in the sun.

 Kingfisher from Hanson

 Kingfisher from Hanson

 Kingfisher from Hanson

Golden Plover from Hanson

Late afternoon on Burrowes 14 Great White Egrets sheltering by Makepiece from the strong wind but little else of note.

Wheatear by track to VC

Early evening at Scotney was very quiet apart from the usual feral geese.

Cap Gris Nez!

A very enjoyable day at Cap Gris Nez with AJG & MH, we caught the 05.50 train across and were on site at 07.10 staying till 14.00:
Brent Goose: 100+
Common Scoter: 300+
Red-throated Diver: 24 S
Black-throated Diver: 1 S
Great-crested Grebe: 2 S
Manx Shearwater: 27 S
Sooty Shearwater: 28 S
Gannet: 500+
Dunlin: 20+
Great Skua: 24  S
Pomarine Skua: 6 S
Arctic Skua: 36 S
Mediterranean Gull: 1,000+ around the area
Little Gull: 7 S
Kittiwake: 6 S
Sandwich Tern: 300+
Common Tern: 5
Commic Tern: 10
Black Tern: 1 S
Auk sp: 1,000+ S

A very quiet day avian wise, but still some nice birds around.

08.00-10.00 from the fishing boats

Brent Goose: 1 up

Common Scoter: 4 down

Eider: 2 down

Great-crested Grebe: 2 around

Gannet: 351 down

Grey Heron: 1 down

Merlin: 2 in

Ringed Plover: 1 down

Turnstone: 12 down

Curlew: 1 down

Arctic Skua: 17 down

Sandwich Tern:347 down 

Common Tern: 3 down

Razorbill: 1 down

Guillemot: 2 down

Auk sp: 2 down

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

 Shoveler with a nasal band on the ARC

In a couple of visits to the ARC today, 2 Black Terns, the Red-necked Grebe, a Kingfisher, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Stints, 3 Dunlin, 10 Ruff, a Snipe, 2 Marsh Harriers and the Shoveler with a nasal band that was fitted in Faro, Portugal, thanks to Pete Burness for the info.

On Burrowes 12 Great White Egrets.

Another hour and a half at the fishing boats this afternoon produced nothing of note.

With North Westerlies forecast for tomorrow I'm off on day trip to Cap Gris Nez in the hope of a good sea watch. Watch this space! 

Black Tern ARC