Black Redstarts and Wheatears!

A dire sea watch this morning, it can only get better!
07.45-08.30 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 2E.    3W
Red-throated Diver: 13E
Gannet: 16E   5W
Cormorant: 36 around

 Kittiwake: 6E.   5W
Sandwich Tern: 1E.    6W
Guillemot: 2W

There were at least 4 Chiffchaffs fly catching off the perimeter wall as I walked down to the hide.

My first of at least 15 Wheatears today was opposite the the lighthouse garden, which held at least 2 Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs.

Walking around the bushes and along the beach saw at least another 20 Chiffchaffs, 5 Black Redstarts and more Wheatears.

Jacques was kept busy on the beach all day trapping and ringing catching Wheatears and Black Redstarts.

1 of 4 Firecrests in Dengemarsh Gully with more Wheatears and another Black Redstart. As I drove past the Horse Paddocks there were still 3 Cattle Egrets present.

A stunning adult male Black Redstart thanks to Jacques

One of several Wheatears Jacques ringed

A 2nd calendar year male Black Redstart 

 Little Egret at Cooks Pool

The 2 Whooper Swans beside Tanners Pool

1 of 6 Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall

A late afternoon look at the Gulls from Dennis's Hide saw 3 Norwegian/Danish ringed Great Black- backed Gulls 2 of which were new to Dungeness.

The Somme Estuary!

Another excellent but very laid back day trip to Crecy and the Somme estuary today, with Mark, Tony and Chris who once again did all the driving. 

It was quite overcast most of the day with a few sunny spells this afternoon. Dawn had just broken when we drove of the train at Calais, but within the hour we were at Crecy Forest, the field that had been so productive last visit was fairly quiet, though a smart male Black Redstart and a male Stonechat were seen, a return visit mid afternoon saw a ring tail Hen Harrier and and lots of Common Buzzards. There was noisy work going on in the forest so the birding was difficult, but we still managed a Middle-spotted Woodpecker, singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and the usual suspects.

 White Wagtail

As we approached Saille Bray a Red Kite flew over, not a bird that is often seen here. We went to Saille Bray more in hope than expectation, so it was no surprise that the Bluethroats hadn't arrived yet, we did see several each of Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, a couple of Avocets, 3 Pintail, several White Wagtails, Yellowhammers, Corn Buntings, Grey Partridges and many Chiffchaffs, a White Stork flew over as we made our way to St Valery.

White Stork

 Spoonbills

We walked along the railway line that borders the estuary seeing 30+ Spoonbills, numerous Little Egrets, 9 Cattle Egrets, 10+ Great White Egrets, 2 Garganey, a superb adult male Hen Harrier, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and several Common Buzzards.

 More Spoonbills

More Spoonbills with Great White and Little Egrets.

Spot the drake and duck Garganey

 White Stork

Le Crotoy Pools were fairly quiet though we did record more Cattle Egrets, White Storks, White Wagtails, Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Sand Martins went through. The Black-headed Gull colony was only just starting to build. At Le Crotoy harbour the tide wasn't quite right but 200+ Curlew, 100+ Redshank were present with a couple each of Dunlin and Ringed Plover and an Avocet. We finished back in Crecy Forest where lots of Common Buzzards were soaring above the canopy, more Marsh Tits were seen as well as Short-toed Treecreeper, Nuthatches, Chiffchaffs Yellowhammers and Woodpeckers.

White Wagtail

Firecrests!

1 of at least 9 Firecrests seen today

07.30-08.30 from the sea watch hide, a less than inspiring hour.
Common Scoter: 8E
Red-throated Diver: 13E    10W
Great-crested Grebe: 3 around
Gannet: 9E    41W   20 feeding
Cormorant: present n/c
Great Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 22W
Sandwich Tern: 7E    5W
Guillemot: 2E  1 on
Auk sp: 12E
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Male Stonechat trapped at the observatory this morning

A walk through The Desert to the lifeboats station and back along the beach was a little disappointing, several each of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting and Stonechat were seen, also a Peregrine on the pylons, at the lighthouse garden a Firecrest with the Chiffchaffs.

Lunchtime visit to the reserve to check the Gulls saw them all flushed by a party of at least 4 Common Buzzards that headed towards the coast, there was very little else on there.

Firecrest

At least 2 Firecrests were in the Willow Trail with another Chiffchaff and a Water Rail. In Dengemarsh Gully at least another 6 Firecrests and 4 Chiffchaffs but  no other migrants

Late afternoon on the reserve 4+ Ruff still, 4 Tree Sparrows, 3+ Marsh Harriers and 3 colour ringed Great Black-backed Gulls all birds that I have recorded here in the last month.

Migrants!

Male Wheatear at the Observatory this morning

07.20-08.00 from the sea watch hide:
Common Scoter: 16W
Red-throated Diver: 7W   1E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 41W
Cormorant: 72W
Kittiwake: 9W
Sandwich Tern: 1E
Auk sp: 2W
Harbour Porpoise: 1+

Male Wheatear at the Observatory this morning

Male Wheatear by the Moat this morning

A few migrants around this morning, several Chiffchaffs, 3+ Firecrests, 3+ Black Redstarts and the Wheatear. The 2 Whooper Swans still distantly from Cockles Bridge and the 4 Cattle Egrets still around the Sheep fields opposite Green Hop Farm.

 2nd calendar year male Black Redstart at the observatory

1 of 3+ Chiffchaffs in Dengemarsh Gully, probably newly arrived from the Iberia by the amount of what is probably Eucalyptus pollen on its face, also another Firecrest there.

The Little Gull still at Dengemarsh today, though always distant, also Raven over and a Ruff.

Late this afternoon 2 Sand Martins flew through Pigwell.

More Howling Westerlies!

Little Gull over Dengemarsh

Another day of howling westerlies and drizzle making birding very uncomfortable to see very little.
06.30-09.00 from the sea watch hide with JTM and AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 557E.    1W
Shelduck: 1W
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 4E   1 on
Fulmar: 118W
Gannet: 244W
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1E
Great Skua: 1E    4W
Kittiwake: 18W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 26W
Auk sp: 13E

Little Gull at Dengemarsh

The highlight was the Little Gull at Dengemarsh found by Mike who had braved the weather to walk around the reserve. It or another was on Burrowes late afternoon, also a 2w Mediterranean Gull.

The 4 Cattle Egrets were in the sheep field opposite Green Hop Farm, I was unable to locate the Whooper Swans, though they may well have had their heads down. 

Fulmars!

Fulmar

07.00-12.00 with AJG, CP, L & PH, DW:
Brent Goose: 134E
Wigeon: 3W
Common Scoter: 8W
Red-throated Diver: 6E   4W
Great-crested Grebe: 134 around
Fulmar: 251W
Gannet: 358W
Cormorant: present N/C
Dunlin: 2W
Kittiwake: 28W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 114W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

 01W Great Black-backed Gull ringed in Normandy last year on the beach at Dungeness today

JX156 Great Black-backed Gull ringed on 20.06 2016 in Hornøya, Vardø, Finnmark, Norway 

Great Black-backed Gull, 1 of 1,000s of Gulls feeding along the shore line today

Firecrest and Gulls legs!

 A Bedraggled newly arrived Firecrest this morning by the power station perimeter wall.

Norwegian ringed JK910 at The Patch this morning 1 of 12 colour ringed Gulls I found today

Another very windy day with heavy showers started well finding a newly arrived Firecrest, the sea watch was less exciting though the Fulmars were notable.
08.00-10.00 from the sea watch hide and The Patch:
Common Scoter: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 24W      2E
Gannet: 89W
Cormorant: c50 around
Black-headed Gull: c300 around
Common Gull: c40 around
Herring Gull: c500 around
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 14+
Great black-backed Gull: c100 around
Kittiwake: 4W    3 on
Guillemot: 11W    2E
Auk sp: 5W
Firecrest: 1 by power station wall
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Late morning early afternoon on the reserve sheltering from the worst of weather in the hides. My first Little Ringed Plover was on the islands adjacent to Makepiece hide, along with up to 13 Ruff, 10 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers. 100s of Great Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls were roosting on Burrowes keeping me busy reading rings, there were 5 NTRG Herring Gulls, 3 Normandy, 3 Norwegian and a Danish rung Great Black-backed Gulls.

Details of green ringed V04 of 1 of the Normandy rung Great Black-backed Gulls

Some of the Ruff roosting during a particularly heavy down pour

The Black-necked Grebe is still present per MH, also the 4 cattle Egrets and 2 Whooper Swans, the Smew hasn't been seen for a couple of days as far as I know.

He is now a regular visitor to my garden

A very poor day avian wise around the peninsular, the NW wind blasting across the shingle making birding very uncomfortable.

As I had domestic stuff to do this morning I didn't sea watch, but AJG, RW & JTM did and had nothing of note to report. A few Firecrests were reported today. The Black-necked grebe was still present per RW

At lunchtime the 2 Whooper Swans were still present in the Kale field at Cockles Bridge, the 4 Cattle Egrets were in the sheep fields opposite Green Hop Farm. Between the lifeboat Station and the fishing boats1,000+ large Gulls were wheeling over the beach feeding on the many Sea Mice and and shellfish washed up by the storm, despite careful scrutinising of them I couldn't find any notable Gulls.

Late afternoon on the reserve 2 Norwegian colour ringed Great Black-backed Gulls were on the roosting islands, both were birds I have recorded before, I stayed on the reserve till dusk but very few Gulls came into roost .

Crecy 26/02/2019!

Back in the heat wave of late February 4 old guys from Romney Marsh went on an early spring day trip to Crecy and the surrounds. Mark, Tony and myself are grateful to Chris who seems to know the area better than the French locals, did all the driving and woke me up when necessary. Our first stop was some arable fields just outside the forest, unlike the barren fields of Romney/Walland Marsh, these were full of birds, 100+ each of Skylarks and Reed Buntings, were joined by Yellowhammers, Chaffinches, Stock Doves and Wood Pigeons, even a couple each of Grey Partridge and Mistle Thrush, best of all was a flock of 14 Woodlark, a late afternoon visit added 2 Hen Harriers.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

A couple of Kilometres further on we were in the Crecy Forest, within minutes we had located the first of at least 4 Middle Spotted Woodpeckers seen there, Short-toed Treecreepers and Nuthatches seemed to be all around us, also Marsh, Great and Blue Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and both Crests. Several stops around Crecy Forest saw much the same lots of birds.

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Partridge at Saille Bray, pity about the heat shimmer in February!

A slow drive along Saille Bray saw more Grey Partridges, Great White, Cattle and Little Egrets, Spoonbills, Stonechats, more Larks and Buntings and some Boxing Hares.

 One of the White Storks at Saille Bray

Hares through the heat shimmer

 Crested Tit at Marquanterre

A brief visit to Marquanterre before we headed back to Calais, as usual the car park was packed, but we still saw Crested Tits, more Storks and Egrets, also a calling Tawny Owl and plenty of Brimstones. 

Another excellent day trip to Northern France, many thanks to Chris for doing the driving.

Lots of Brimstones were on the wing at Marquanterre

First Sand Martin of the year!

This mornings sea watch was very slow with a 2 Fulmars heading West, a handful of Gannets feeding off shore, 200+ Great-crested Grebes still around and 2 Harbour Porpoises. 

Sand Martin over the ARC this afternoon

A long slog around the peninsular saw all the long stayers (Whooper Swans, Cattle Egrets, Great White Egrets, Smew, Black-necked Grebe & Ruff party) also Raven, Peregrine, Marsh Harriers, Cetti's Warblers and a couple of singing Chiffchaffs. It would seem the rest of the week is going to be rather slow. 

Raven being harassed by a Carrion Crow at Dengemarsh

The Smew sheltering at Hookers