Rye Harbour Nature Reserve!

The paved track was covered in 100s of smashed Mussels, this Herring Gull showed me why.

Walking along the beach track towards the Ternery Pool I heard a couple of Little Terns but saw none, apparently they are having a poor breeding season so far. I did see a pair of Wheatears taking food into there nest site. 

It would seem Black-headed Gulls, Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns are all doing well this year.

 Lots of juvenile Mediterranean Gulls on the Ternery Pool

 This Mediterranean Gull appears to have have snatched another Mediterranean gull chick

 A ringed adult

A colour ringed adult, but as I was to lazy to carry my scope around today it went unread.

 A constant stream of Sandwich Terns bringing in Sand Eels

 A juvenile Sandwich tern

 The Sandwich Terns seem to have had a good breeding season at Rye

 Another Sand Eel arrives

Good numbers of juvenile Sandwich Terns on the Ternery Pool

Not so many Common Terns

 Curlew

 Juvenile Redshank

 Redshank

Oystercatcher

Female Tufted duck trying to protect her young from a very persistent Common Gull

Late afternoon a summer plumage Ruff and 3 Black-tailed godwits were on the ARC

 Great Tit in the moth trap at 04.30 this morning!

I got up extra early to cove the moth trap this morning but the Great Tit still beat me, it had eaten at least 1 Elephant Hawk moth and a Privet Hawk Moth before I could chase it out along with a lot of the moths.

 A Whitethroat singing by the beach car park

From the sea watch hide this morning again very little of note, just a handful each of Gannets and Sandwich Terns and few Harbour Porpoises.

1s Mediterranean Gull from Firth

On the reserve the Little Gull still present along with a few Ringed Plovers and a 1s Mediterranean Gull. The Common terns seem to have at least 6 young at present.

This afternoon I had the beach at the fishing boats all to my self, allowing me to scan the sea whilst basking in the glorious sunshine and listening to the France V Denmark match, which was probably the most boring match of the world cup.

14.15-17.00

Common Scoter: 11E
Great-crested Grebe: 1 around
Gannet: 6E    6W
Cormorant: 7around
Shag: 1E
Oystercatcher: 6E    1W
Black-headed Gull: 42E
Mediterranean Gull: 7 around (4 x ads, 2s, 2 x 1s)
Sandwich Tern: 44E   2W
Swift: 1 out
Swallow: 1 out
Skylark: 1 singing behind beach
Harbour Porpoise: 6+
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1

Sunny Days!

Common Seal

This morning from the sea watch hide, a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns milling around offshore along with 2 Mediterranean Gulls and a few juvenile Black-headed Gulls my first this year, also 46 Common Scoter flew East. A Common Seal in the scum along the shore line and Grey Seal along way out.

Common Buzzard getting the Herring Gull welcome

An hour lunchtime scanning from the garden saw little of note, though a Common Buzzard straying over some nesting Herring Gulls livened things up.

Napoleon's Column at Wimereux from Dungeneness this afternoon

2hrs on the beach at the fishing boats saw very few birds, the highlight being 6 Mediterranean Gulls feeding along the colour change, 4+ Harbour Porpoises and a party of 12 Gannets that were were probably in French territorial waters moving down channel. In this afternoons excellent visibility Boulogne 27 miles away was clearly visible, I could even make out vehicles moving along the roads there.

Boulogne Cathedral Dome from Dungeness this afternoon

In this warmer weather the moth trap catch is improving but still very immigrants.

 Evergestis Limbat

 LIme Hawk Moth

Swallowtail Moth

Bittern Garden Tick!

Mediterranean Gull at The Patch

The Patch has been very quiet this week, with just a few Mediterranean Gulls and Common Terns of note there. A male Black Redstart was behind the hide this morning.

Common Seal at The Patch

Late morning JTM alerted me to some Common Buzzards moving around the peninsular, I set my scope up in the front garden and quickly located 4 Common Buzzards and 2 Marsh Harriers, while scanning for more I picked out a Bittern flying over Hookers and followed it all the way to the Tower Pits, a long awaited and welcome from the garden tick.

14.15-15.15 from the fishing boats:

Common Scoter: 12 drifted west along the colour change

Great-crested Grebe: 2 around

Gannet: 7W     1E

Cormorant: 4 around

Sandwich Tern: 6W

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Grey Seal: 1

 Young Dunnock in the garden for the last couple of days

Juvenile Goldfinches have started to appear at the garden feeders this week

The moth trap has been generally poor lately due to the cold windy nights, but has pulled in one or two nice moths.

The first Cynaeda dentalis of the year in my trap, one of my favourite micros

First Leopard Moth of the year, a gorgeous beast.

Curlew Sandpiper!

After sorting through another disappointing haul from the moth trap, (a Flame Wainscot my second this year was the highlight) I made my way to the reserve. Where in the dull, damp windy conditions yesterdays Curlew Sandpiper was still present, also 4 ringed Plovers of note. Over the lakes a few Swifts and House Martins. 100s of eclipse Duck including 100s each of Pochard, Tufted Duck and Gadwall can be found around the lakes, also a few pairs of breeding Common Terns.

 Curlew Sandpiper

 Curlew Sandpiper

 Curlew Sandpiper and Ringed Plover 

 Curlew Sandpiper

Shy Reed Warbler from Firth

At The Patch a few Common Terns and Gulls over the boil, but few on the beach due to to fisherman setting up at The Patch. Among the Gulls on the beach were 3 Pisea/Rainham colour ringed birds, yesterdays X2DT was still present, also F8ZT last seen by me on 20/03/2018 and K7LT last seen by me on 18/05/2018.

A couple of hours sea watching this afternoon in the company of MH, RW & LG was a rather slow affair.

14.00-16.00 from the fishing boats:

Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 21W   2E
Cormorant: 6 around
Curlew: 2W
Oystercatcher: 5W
Mediterranean Gull: 1W  1s bird
Kittiwake: 1W
Sandwich Tern: 35W
Common Tern: 2W.  E
Swift: 2W

Harbour Porpoise: 2+  

At The Patch this morning just 2 Mediterranean Gulls and a handful of Common Terns among the usual Gulls there. Pitsea ringed Herring Gull X2DT seen regularly around Dungeness, also a new colour ringed Black-headed  Gull (black ring, white Alpha Numeric) R90T which was probably ringed in northern France in 2006/2007.

A call from MH telling me a Curlew Sandpiper was showing on Burrowes Pit, by the time I arrived it had gone missing, though after a few minutes I located on a distant island.

 Gulls trailing a trawler that passed close inshore this afternoon

14.00-16.40 from the fishing boats with MH till the fog came in again.
Common Scoter: 38E
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 36W   2E
Oystercatcher: 4E
Mediterranean Gull: 2W  both ads
Kittiwake: 15W
Sandwich Tern: 76W   1E
Common Tern: 2W
Guillemot: 1E

 Sandwich Terns past the fishing boats

 Teal from Firth

A late afternoon visit to Burrowes found no sign of the Curlew Sandpiper, the first Common Tern chicks were seen, the Little Gull had reappeared, 20 Curlew and 2 Avocets had dropped in.

 Reed Bunting from Firth

 Little Gull from Firth

Common Terns from Firth

1 of the 2 Little Gulls still on Burrowes today

Today the NE wind finally went round to a westerly vector with the arrival of storm Hector, though in truth it wasn't much of storm at Dungeness just a little breezy with some drizzle.
08.00-09.30 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 67E
Manx Shearwater: 2W
Gannet: 48E    73W
Cormorant: 14 around
Mediterranean Gull: 2W   both 2s
Kittiwake: 4E
Sandwich Tern: 39E.   9W
Common Tern: 26E   4W
Guillemot: 2E
Auk sp: 3E
Swift: 17 SW
Harbour Porpoise: 2
A walk down to The Patch saw little of note.
Driving back home across the causeway c50 Swifts were feeding over the ARC.

15.00-16.00 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 13E
Manx Shearwater: 4W
Gannet: 10E   33W
Arctic Skua: 3E  all LP
Mediterranean Gull: 2W  both ads
Sandwich Tern: 13E   17W
Common Tern: 4E
Swift: 7 SW
Harbour Porpoise: 2

Another walk down to The Patch again saw little of note, though the male Black Redstart was again singing behind the hide.
Late afternoon on the reserve there were c200 Swifts high over Burrowes, as soon as the sun came out they all melted away. 2 Little Gulls could still be seen from Firth as were a Dunlin and 4 ringed Plovers but little else of note.

Over the last few days the constant N.E. winds have made birding around Dungeness a challenge, to be honest most of the time it was a challenge to far for me. The highlight for me was coming across a pair of Hobby's mating, so at least there maybe at least one pair breeding on the peninsular.

 Yellow Wagtail at Scotney

This morning with barely a breeze I ventured out the back of Scotney, there were a few pairs of Yellow Wagtails and 2 singing Corn Buntings, disappointingly I only found 2 singing Reed Warblers and 1 Sedge Warbler but feel sure there must be more that were keeping quiet. On the islands 14 Avocets but no young but the islands are quite vegetated and could easily conceal youngsters. A couple of Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards were seen and a number of Egyptian Geese with Goslings. Round the farm the regular Little Owls were missing, plenty of young House Sparrows were around the stalls and at least 1 pair of Swallows but on the whole it was very disappointing for breeding birds. 

At the Patch c25 Common Terns over the boil with a single 1s Mediterranean Gull and a male Black Redstart singing behind the hide.

 Little Gulls From Firth Hide

This evening on Burrowes highlights were a couple of Little Gulls, 4 Avocets, 3 Dunlin and 4 Ringed Plover, it was good to see some more muddy areas appearing in front of Firth hide.

 Avocet from Firth Hide

 Hoverfly sp apparently mating

Clancy's Rustic the best of the moths in the Plodland trap lately