A brief look at the sea from the sea watch hide this morning saw a single 1s Mediterranean Gull and c15 Common Terns over The Patch, also a handful of Gannets feeding way out off shore.

On Burrowes Pit just a Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank and the Little Gull of any note. At least 2 of purpose built Common Gull boxes are occupied at the moment.

Painted Lady on the beach at Galloways

I decided on walk from my home down Galloways to the beach, along the beach to Dengemarsh Gully and back up Dengemarsh Road back to home. Along the route Painted Lady butterfly's were much in evidence, one of the Little Owls was at the watch towers at Lydd Camp, Common Whitethroats were singing all along the route even at the back of the beach, several Cetti's Warblers were calling by Brett's Marina along with a few Reed Warblers, at least 3 pairs of Stonechats were seen, a few Sedge Warblers and plenty of Linnets, several small flocks of Stock Doves were feeding on the shingle ridges. The Gully was virtually bird less and Dengemarsh was more of the same with addition of 3 Yellow Wagtails and a Marsh Harrier.

15.00-16.00 from the fishing  boats with MH:
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 4E  23W
Cormorant: 8 around
Kittiwake: 6E
Sandwich Tern: 66E   7W
Common Tern: 8E   2W
Auk sp: 3E
Harbour Porpoise: 5+
Grey Seal: 1

Another Bee-eater!

The persistent NE wind made today a rather grey and chilly day, with news from The Point of an unseen Serin over the observatory quickly followed by an unseen Bee-eater, gave me to think that today was going to be another of those near miss days. Both birds were heard and the Bee-eater seen again before I managed to catch up with them thanks to a call from Dave Bunney telling me he could see the Bee-eater on wires from his house, as I could see his house from where I was in the station car park I went into panic mode when I couldn't see bird, I moved to the bottom of the car park and saw the bird distantly, it had been obscured by the station cafe. As I started to walk towards it to try for an image a train came along and flushed it, it flew around over the beach for a couple of minutes before I lost it to view.

At The Patch there were 20+ Common Terns and the scrawny tame Fox was hoping to be fed by the fishermen but little else of note. A male Peregrine was around power station.

The afternoon sea watch started well with 3 Eider flying west along the beach as I got out of my car, then a party of 3 Arctic Skuas flew east soon after but they were the highlights. 

 Meadow Pipit on the perimeter wall

 3 Eider past the fishing boats this afternoon blurred by the haze coming off the beach

14.45-16.45 from the fishing boats:
Common Scoter: 28E
Eider: 3W
Great-crested Grebe: 7 around
Gannet: 15 around
Cormorant: 22 around
Arctic Skua: 3E  together
Kittiwake: 4E
Sandwich Tern: 94E   5W
Common Tern: 18E    2W
Harbour Porpoise: 7+

Party of 3 distant Arctic Skuas past the fishing boats this afternoon

Little Gull over Burrowes

I joined AJG at the end of a very slow sea watch which saw just a few each of Gannets, Sandwich & Common Terns. We then started to make our way to The Patch but were interrupted by a call from JTM saying a party of 5+ Bee-eaters were heading our way. Making our way back to the observatory and failing to see any Bee-eaters, we then walked out into the trapping area and met JTM. Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser and Common Whitethroat were all singing there while we scanned the skies for the Bee-eaters. JTM spotted them again as they flew past the lighthouse westwards allowing me brief and very distant views.

Late morning at the reserve was also very quiet. Some Common Terns were prospecting one of the new rafts, a couple each of Redshank and Ringed Plover on the islands.

Dengemarsh and Galloways were also very quiet, a Hobby being the highlight.

Little Tern past the fishing boats

14.15-17.15 this afternoon from the fishing boats was surprisingly entertaining:

Common Scoter: 6E
Great-crested Grebe: 8 around
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 26E    18E     15 feeding offshore
Cormorant: 31 around
Sanderling: 2E
Mediterranean Gull: 3E   (2 ad + 1 1s)
Kittiwake: 3E   1W
Sandwich Tern: 292E   16W
Common Tern: 67E   (17+21+13+12+4 singles)
Little Tern: 2E
Black Tern: 2E in a flock of 17 Common Terns
Guillemot: 1W
Auk sp: 2W
Swallow: 1E
Harbour Porpoise: 8+ around

 Sandwich Terns at the fishing boats

Fulmar past the fishing boats

Fogged Off!

Little Gull hawking insects over the banks

Early morning on the reserve, the 3 near resident immature Little Gulls still from Firth Hide, also 3 Redshanks otherwise very quiet.

Common Gull in its purpose built box at Dennis's Hide

The Point was shrouded in fog which lingered all day, thinning a little this afternoon. I did wander down to The Patch but was unable to see the sea let alone the boil.

Sandwich Terns at the fishing boats this afternoon

14.35-15.35 from the fishing boats with AJG,
Common Scoter: 15E   25W
Velvet Scoter: 1W fem/imm  with the 25 Common Scoter flock
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Gannet: 2E    13 on     32W
Cormorant: 31 around
Kittiwake: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 3E    8 around  27W
Common Tern: 2E     2 around    7W
Swallow: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
Grey Seal: 1

Another visit to Burrowes this evening was cut short as the fog rolled in again making the islands invisible and the temperature plummet.

Flame Wainscot from the Plodland MV

Great Reed Warbler!

 Great Reed Warbler

A walk around the point in the fog this morning saw just 1 new migrant a Swallow, back at the observatory a Spotted Flycatcher was caught in the Moat processed and released. Then DW received a message from some of yesterdays visitors that thought they'd seen a Great Reed Warbler at the ARC. Most of the locals soon gathered at the ARC and before long the Great Reed Warbler had been confirmed. Initially this morning the bird was quite elusive but this afternoon it showed feeding and singing virtually non stop, much to the delight of all its admirers.  

The Rosy Starling had moved to the entrance to the estate and was twitched by all comers. 

 Great Reed Warbler

Singing Rosy!

The Rosy Starling singing this morning

The Rosy Starling was performing very well at times this morning, sitting on the top of the Sallows singing, then dropping back into them to feed on the abundance of caterpillars and frog hoppers. I thought last nights rain may have dropped other migrants but all I saw were 2 Swallows.

A late morning/early afternoon visit to The Midrips was as usual disappointing, the highlights being 24 Avocets, 21 Dunlin that flew out to sea, a Whimbrel, 2 Redshank and a Yellow Wagtail with a beak full of food.

I went to the fishing boats after and met AJG leaving, he'd seen just 4 Gannets in 45 minutes, needless to say I didn't stay. I went to Burrowes where from Dennis's 5 Sanderling, a Dunlin and a few Common Terns were the highlights. 

This Puss Moth was the best from the Plodland MV today

Rosy Starling!

 Rosy Starling

As I left home for the beach a Cuckoo was calling from the wires in the field opposite, and a couple of Yellow Wagtails were chasing around. The early morning sea watch was very slow with just a few each of Sandwich and Common Terns, Gannets and Common Scoter, also 8+ Harbour Porpoises.

From Dennis's a couple of Grey Plovers, 3 Sanderling and 3 Little Gulls were the highlights.

While emptying the moth trap at home mid morning DW called telling me he'd just seen a Rose-coloured Starling fly from West Beach into the trapping area. AJG and SO were already in the trapping and had relocated the bird just before I arrived. It spent most of it's time deep in the Sallows devouring the many Caterpillars and Frog hoppers. The only other migrant I saw was a Spotted Flycatcher.

 A Mother Shipton by the observatory

52 Plutella xylostella in the Plodland MV today

A Slow Drowning!

05.30-09.30 many thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:

Shelduck:1E

Wigeon: 8E

Common Scoter: 165E

Fulmar: 7E

Gannet: 67E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 13E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Kittiwake: 8E

Sandwich Tern: 80E

Common Tern: 283E

Black Tern: 14 in

Swift: 1 out

Swallow:2 IN

Harbour Porpoise 4+

A Serin was seen and heard near the new lighthouse by OL but disappeared as quickly as it appeared which is usually the case with this species at Dungeness.

Little Gull in the late afternoon sunshine

A mid morning and a late afternoon visit to Burrowes today produced of note a Garganey, 4 Little Gulls, 9 Sanderling, 15 Curlew, a Whimbrel, 4 Turnstone,  2 Knot, 2 Grey Plover, 4 Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plover and several Oystercatchers.

Highlight this afternoon was a Carrion Crow that had the temerity to try and take a Herring Gull chick, it is now an ex Crow, one of the adult Herring Gulls got hold of it and drowned it quite slowly.

Last Few days!

 Black Terns from Dennis's Thursday evening

It's been a generally quiet the last  few days around Dungeness. The elusive Bee-eater wasn't seen today as far as I know so presumably it has departed. Late Thursday afternoon a superb flock of 17 Black Terns graced Burrowes Pit for a few hours, though the Terns were completely overshadowed by the finding of  Broad-billed Sandpiper by Stephen Message at Rye Harbour, causing most of the Dungeness locals to decamp to Rye for this super scarce bird on the south coast. Excellent telescope views were had by all, but photographic opportunities were some what limited, as shown by my rather poor effort below.  

 The best I could get of the Rye Harbour Broad-billed Sandpiper

 Spotted Flycatcher at the observatory yesterday

Friday's highlight was a small arrival of Spotted Flycatchers on the peninsular, though the Bee-eater made 2 very brief visits. On the reserve there was the usual assortment of waders and up 6 Little Gulls and a 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull dropped in for bath. 

 Fox by the Long Pits yesterday

 4 Little Gulls from Firth last night

 Reed Bunting singing on the reserve today

Today was even quieter, the usual waders on the reserve and 3 Little Gulls. With no Tern rafts being put out on Dengemarsh for some inexplicable reason, there is little of interest avian wise to be seen there by the casual visitor.

P:63B Great Black Backed Gull probably colour  ringed in Portland Harbour 

A couple of hours at the fishing boats this afternoon was rather slow, with the above colour ringed Gull being the highlight.

The Somme!

 Earlier this week I joined AJG and Jacques on a day trip tho the Somme, the weather wasn't brilliant but we still had a great time with lots of birds, though overall numbers appear to be lower than usual.
At our first stop at Bonnelle Turtle Doves were purring and Song Thrushes were singing as we got out the car, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap  & Garden Warbler were also singing, as were Sedge, Reed, and Cetti's Warbler. As we walked the track a Marsh Harrier chased off a Hen Harrier, then  AJG spotted a gorgeous male Red-backed Shrike flying in and landing fairly close, at the same time we spotted the first of 6 Bluethroats we found at this site. Further along we found Stonechat, White Stork, Great White Egret, Avocet, Black-winged Stilts, Greenshank, more Turtle Doves and Warblers and another Red-backed Shrike that was being mobbed by 2 Bluethroats. Nearby lovely male Black Redstart in the usual garden, 2+ Marsh Warblers were singing from the roadside Sallows and Nettles.

Red-backed Shrike

Distant Bluethroat 

Red-backed Shrike being mobbed by 2 just about visible Bluethroats

 Black-winged Stilts

Honey Buzzard

En route to a site near St Valery we spotted a large raptor which turned out to be a Honey Buzzard that obligingly flew over head. There we found more Black-winged Stilts, Channel Wagtails, more Egrets and Storks, several Spoonbills flew through and best of all though very distant a Purple Heron.

At another nearby site there was more of the same, also a Savi's Warbler and a showy Garganey.

By the time we got into Crecy forest it was raining, even so we managed to locate 2 singing Melodious Warblers and another Marsh Warbler. From a view point over looking Crecy forest a large raptor appeared distantly, as it got nearer we could see it was a Black Kite, an excellent way to end a brilliant day out in great company, many thanks to AJG for doing the driving.

Garganey

 White Stork

An elusive Marsh Warbler