First Wheatear and Swallows!

A strong blustery westerly wind made for an uninspiring sea watch this morning. 

08.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 130E

Common Scoter: 3E

Red-throated diver: 4E    1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 1 on

Fulmar: 3E

Gannet: 14E   3W

Cormorant: 121 flew into Rye Bay

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Kittiwake: 3E

Auk sp: 4E

Alba Wagtail: 1 in

Meadow Pipit: 3 in

After the sea watch I was joined in a wander down to The Patch by PT and Barney where over a non existent boil the highlight was a brief 1w Mediterranean Gull among a few Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes.

 First Wheatear of the year at Dungeness discovered late morning by Jacques opposite the lifeboat station

Great White Egrets at the ARC

At a very wind swept ARC 2 Swallows were hawking over the lake in the shelter of the roadside Sallows viewable from the causeway. From Hanson 4 Goldeneye were the best of the wildfowl, also  flyovers of Merlin, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier, a flyby Kingfisher and a squealing Water Rail. 2 Great White Egrets from the Screen Hide and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was notable at the Pines.

Burrowes was quiet due to essential works on a Tern raft. The Black-necked grebe was still at Xmas Dell per PB. 2 Curlew among the Wigeon and Coots in the Boulderwall Fields. The Cattle Egrets were still present around the horse paddocks with a couple of Little Egrets. I couldn't see the Whooper Swans today, though they probably had their heads down out of the relentless wind. 

Rainbows over the Boulderwall Fields from Plodland this afternoon

Brent Geese past the sea watch hide this morning

I must have missed many more Brent Geese as they were flying along the shore line underneath the scope view also over the top of the hide. 

07.40- 11.40 from the sea watch hide with OL, DW & BC.
Brent Goose: 1,628 E  (OL had another 455 before I arrived this morning)
Teal: 8E
Common Scoter: 287E    18W
Red-throated Diver:   83E   21W
Great-crested Grebe: 9E    14W   6 on
Fulmar: 8E     17W
Gannet: 439E      56W
Cormorant: present n/c
Curlew: 4E   1W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 106E
Guillemot: 2E    4W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 23E    86W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+
The drake Smew, Black-necked Grebe, Cattle Egrets and Whooper Swans were all still present on the peninsular today.

Short-eared Owl!

08.15-10.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 365E
Red-throated Diver: 16E  1W
Great-crested Grebe: c200 on
Fulmar: 2W
Gannet: c25 around
Cormorant: c500 around
Kittiwake: 6E
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Auk: 8E    2W
Harbour Porpoise: 1
A rather slow day avian wise around the peninsular, some nice birds around but most have been here for some time. The drake Smew and the Black-necked Grebe were both seen at Xmas Dell per PB, the Cattle Egrets, Great White Egrets, Whooper Swans and 12+ Ruff are all still present, 2 Bitterns were booming today per the work party and 2 Swallows over the ARC late afternoon per CT were obviously new in, also new today was the Short-eared Owl hunting by the reserve entrance track.

 The 4 cattle Egrets were still around the horse paddocks late morning

The Whooper Swans still in there chosen Kale field

 Late afternoon a Short-eared Owl was hunting over a field by the reserve entrance track

A stormy morning with much promise but produced very little.
06.35-09.00 from the sea watch hide with AJG & OL
Brent: 275E
Common Scoter: 22E    8W
Red-throated Diver: 36W     11E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 on
Fulmar: 4W    2E
Gannet: c60 around
Cormorant: present n/c
Merlin: 2 in
Dunlin: 2W
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 28W
Sandwich Tern: 10W
Guillemot: 12W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 62W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+
Grey Seal: 1
I checked all the Camber pools and Scotney lakes but did not find anything of note, the feral Barnacle Goose flock was still on the sward.
At Boulderwall at least 12 Ruff, 14 Curlew and Great White Egret of note. On Burrowes 2 Caspian Gulls a 1w and 2w which had white Czech ring on it, I spent at least an hour waiting for it to show the ring fully but it stubbornly kept most of it hidden, so I all I could read was - - -:U Also on the reserve 3 Goldeneye and the Black-necked Grebe per PB.

Herring Gull W4VT at the fishing boats this afternoon last seen on 17/02/2019

13.35-14.25 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 3W
Great-crested Grebe: 243 around
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: c30 around
Cormorant: 992 around (per MH & CP)
Kittiwake: 3W
Guillemot: 7W    26 on
Auk sp: 9W
Late afternoon the 4 Cattle Egrets were in the field behind the horse paddocks and the 2 Whooper Swans were still by Cockles Bridge.

Stormy!

07.30 till 08.45 when the weather closed in. with AJG who collated the numbers, joined by RW & JTM from the sea watch hide.
Brent Goose: 82E
Shelduck: 2W
Common Scoter:11E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 5E    17W    3 on
Great-crested Grebe: 3 on
Fulmar: 23W     2E
Gannet: 184E    33W
Cormorant present n/c
Dunlin: 7E
Curlew: 1E
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 13E     3W
Sandwich Tern: 1 around
Guillemot: 19W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 141W    27E
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

While I was having lunch this male Sparrowhawk visited my garden again

On my way to the beach this afternoon the 2 Whooper Swans were still at Cockles Bridge, nearby at least 3 Cattle Egrets were in the horse paddocks.

 Some of the 71+ Great-crested Grebes off the fishing boats this afternoon

13.45-14.45 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 1E     7W
Great-crested Grebe: 71+ around
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 7E       26W
Cormorant: 300+ around
Sandwich Tern: 7W     2 feeding o/s
Guillemot: 14W       18 on sea
Auk sp: 12W

A very quiet and damp day around Dungeness today. There was little happening on the sea in the still conditions and very little around the reserve. The Smew made it into March but was as mobile as ever, the Whooper Swans were also still present at Cockles Bridge and the 4 Cattle Egrets were still in the Boulderwall Fields, also there 2 Great White Egrets and 2 Little Egrets. Reed Buntings seem to be numerous all over but I could only find 2 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall. The common wildfowl were still present around the reserve with at least 6 Goldeneye. 

Very few Gulls came in to the roost this evening, but there was a 1w Caspian Gull along with 2 Norwegian and a Normandy rung Great Black-backed Gulls, 15 Ruff flew in to roost with 100s of Lapwing. 

Smew flying into the ARC from Hanson

Most of my time today was spent sea watching. As the fine weather broke  over night bringing windier and wetter conditions I thought the sea might be productive, passage was brisk early in the day but slowed to barely a trickle after 10.00 AM.
06.45-09.30 + 10.30-12.00 + 15.00-16.15 thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:
Brent Goose: 826E
Common Scoter: 33E
Red-breasted Merganser: 4E
Red-throated Diver: 244E   7W
Great-crested Grebe: 7 around
Fulmar: 5E    9W
Gannet: 860E    47W
Cormorant: c150 around
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Kittiwake: 146E   16W
Sandwich Tern: 13E   46W
Guillemot: 55E  13W    24 on sea
Auk sp: 383E   49W
Harbour Porpoise: 3 

Smew

The 4 Cattle Egrets were in the horse paddocks as I drove to the beach this morning. On the reserve the Smew finally gave me a photo opportunity. At least 2 1w Caspian Gulls were on the islands today including a colour ringed individual, also 16 Ruff came into the islands to roost this evening. The number of Gulls roosting increased today while the number of Cormorants has declined. 

1w Caspian Gull bearing a yellow ring XCKU

Brent Geese passing out in the gloom this morning

08.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide in poor visibility:
Brent Goose: 246E
Common Scoter: 8E
Red-throated Diver: 15E    1W
Fulmar: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 1W     2 on
Gannet: 27E   c20 feeding
Cormorant: 34 around
Kittiwake: 9E     8 on
Guillemot:  1E     32 on
Razorbill: 7E    2 on
Auk sp: 17E

 Ruff at Boulderwall

By the time I got to Boulderwall this morning the fog had lifted and the sun was shining, there I found 4 Cattle Egrets, 2 Great White Egrets, 2 Little Egrets, 14 Ruff, 26 Golden Plover, 8 Curlew, a Little Grebe, c200 Wigeon and the usual Coot and feral Geese all frequently being flushed by a couple of Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard. 

4 drake Goldeneye on the ARC were displaying to 5 females, c100 Pochard and c30 Tufted Duck were sleeping on the mirror like lake but little else of note.

I then went to Dennis's Hide hoping to spend some time looking at Gulls, I was to be disappointed as there was only a handful of Gulls present, there was a minimum of 600 Lapwings roosting on the islands, also thankfully a huge drop in the number of Cormorants roosting. 

The 2 Whooper Swans were still in the Kale field from Cockles Bridge. 

A Little Owl was by the Lydd camp watchtowers this afternoon also Green Woodpecker there. 

At Dengemarsh and down the Gully the highlights were c50 Reed Buntings, 2 Corn Buntings and c40 Linnets.  Hopefully a change in the weather will liven things up.

 Golden Plover over Bouldrerwall

Wigeon at Cook's Pool

Hooded Crow!

07.45-09.00 fro the sea watch hide with JTM:

Brent Goose: 244E

Shelduck: 1E

Shoveler: 6E

Pintail: 2E

Common Scoter:7E

Red-throated Diver: 1^E   4W

Great-crested Grebe: 2W     4 around

Gannet: c80 around

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 1E

Curlew: 4E

Kittiwake: 1 over The Patch

Guillemot: 1E   1W   2 on

Auk sp: 6E    9W

As I got back to the car I received a call from Dave Bunney telling me a Hooded crow had just flow over his house onto the beach, myself and JTM were there in minutes, just in time to watch the bird fly off into Lade Bay, where we caught up with it again for a very short while before we watched it disappear into the haze over Littlestone. As you can see I only managed some poor rather distant record images. Many thanks to Dave for the prompt call.

 Hooded Crow

 Hooded Crow 

Hooded Crow

Next a walk around the Kerton Road Triangle where I managed to get brief views of 2 Dartford Warblers, also there 4 Stonechats, a Kestrel and several each of Meadow Pipit and Skylark.

 Great White Egrets

A wander round Dengemarsh was very quiet, but 2 Great White Egrets and Grey Heron were nice, in the hay fields 2 Common Snipe but no sign of the Water Pipit or anything else of note.

Grey Heron

Whooper Swan

At lunchtime in the field opposite my garden the 2 Whooper Swans were again showing well, 2 Common Buzzards over and a hunting Marsh Harrier.

At Scotney the feral Barnacle Goose flock was still present, along with c200 Wigeon and 8 Curlew, Golden Plover seem to have departed. On the Scotney causeway 3 North Thames ringed Herring Gulls in the roost.

1 of 13 Sandwich Terns at the fishing boats this PM

15.00-16.00 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 32E   2W
Great-crested Grebe: 6 on
Gannet: c30 around
Cormorant: c500 feeding off shore
Oystercatcher: 1E
Turnstone: 7 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 1W
Kittiwake: 16 around
Sandwich Tern: 12E      1 feeding off shore
Grey Seal: 1

Turnstone at the fishing boats

A quick stop at Cooks Pool on the home saw 4 Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret, a Little Egret, 9 Ruff among the many Lapwing and Starlings and 4 more Curlew.

Whooper Swans!

Stonechat by the approach road early morning

07.00-08.30 with RW, So & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 15E
Teal: 4E
Wigeon: 33E
Mallard: 2E
Pintail: 4E
Common Scoter: 8E
Red-breasted Merganser: 4E
Red throated Diver 52 up
Great-crested Grebe: 46 around
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 319E  c50 feeding offshore
Kittiwake: 29E
Guillemot: 16E
Razorbill: 3E
Auk sp: 129: E
A walk around the Desert area produced a Common Snipe, 4 Stonechats and at least 6 Skylarks and a few Meadow Pipits but little else of note.
With the lovely weather Dungeness and the reserve soon became very busy so I got some domestic stuff done.

Superb views of the 2 Whooper Swans this afternoon