Littlestone Serin!

Again very quiet around The Point this morning with very few new migrants, just a single Spotted Flycatcher, a Yellow Wagtail and 4 Swallows over. A Black Redstart and 6 Shelduck were around the power station grounds. In the Broome and Gorse the Stonechats seem to have had a very successful season so far, as there seems to be lots of young around, also lots of Meadow Pipits carrying food items for young. In the trapping area the Garden Warblers and Blackcaps are still singing.

 A mid morning visit to Littlestone to see if the Serin was still there was very successful, as I pulled up I could hear it singing and a quick scan soon revealed it. Amazingly for the best part of an hour I had it all to myself, the only other people there were a couple of locals walking there dogs, who were very interested in the bird and very pleased to be shown it. 

 

13.00-15.00 with AJG from the fishing boats:

Great-crested Grebe: 4 around

Gannet: 5W

Cormorant: 10 around

Great Skua: 1E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Mediterranean Gull: 5W

Sandwich Tern: 17W

Swallow: 1 in

Harbour Porpoise: 3+ 

Grey Seal: 1

The first juvenile Goldfinch of the year appeared in my garden late this afternoon

This evenings visit to Burrowes was disappointing seeing just 3 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover and the Common Terns of note.

Brown Argus at The Point this morning

My first Chocholate-tip of the year in the moth trap this morning, though in general the trap has been disappointing.

 I disturbed this Brown Hare early this morning along the estate road

 A very quiet morning around The point with virtually no new migrants apart from a handful of Swallows and a Mistle Thrush, though at least 2 Marsh Harriers flew out to sea towards France. At least 2 Peregrines were around the power station and a male Black Redstart was singing from high on the building. AJG did a very early morning sea watch but only saw the the summering flock of several hundred Common Scoter tooing and froing.

This Mistle Thrush was the only grounded migrant of note this morning around The Point

 House Martins at Littlestone

Late morning early afternoon I went along to Littlestone for another look at the Serin which was not showing or singing in the short time I was there. On the way I noticed some House Martins gathering mud from a puddle so decided to spend a little time watching and photographing them instead.

A Bee-eater flew over South View per DB, the same or another was reported over the ARC. 

A visit to the ARC this evening saw just a Cuckoo and 3 Marsh Harriers of note. On Burrowes a single Common Sandpiper, 15 Sanderling,  5 Dunlin and 6 Ringed Plover, also good numbers of Common Terns, so hopefully they will settle down to breed.

The Last Few days!

 Stunning male Brambling was a nice early morning surprise a few days ago

Spotted Flycatcher 1 of several that have arrived in the last few days

With lots going on domestically the last couple of weeks I haven't been able to update the blog daily but hope to get back to normal from now on. Above and below are images of the highlights of the last few days. The Littlestone Serin is still singing and showing well, a Bee-eater was seen at lade, at least 2 Garganey are frequenting the ARC, also a single immature Great White Egret remains around the reserve. Bitterns and Bearded Tits seem to be showing themselves much more readily. 

 Whiskered Tern

On the 20th Burrowes Pit hosted a Whiskered Tern which was joined by a Roseate Tern in the afternoon. On the Islands a bit of a wader fest with Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Little Ringed Plover and Oystercatchers.

 Roseate Tern

Roseate Tern with the Whiskered Tern giving a fly by

Firecrest trapped at the observatory

 Todays superb male Red-backed Shrike in The Moat, a second bird was found at the ARC late afternoon by JH.

I saw the Bittern 6 times today as it flew from Boulderwall to the Tower Pits and back

 Great Tit nesting in a traffic cone in the VC car park, there's also a pair of Blue Tits feeding young in a Life Ring in the pumping station at the Long Pits.

Black Terns & Poms!

Most of a flock of 45 Black Terns  passing the bouy

Another cold morning with a strong NE wind, is it really the middle of May?
05.20-10.00 with AJG, OL, JTM, SM, JH & Peter
Shelduck; 2E   2 in off over the power station.
Common Scoter: 16E   163W
Black-throated Diver: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 161E     36W
Cormorant: c50 around
Peregrine: 1 around
Oystercatcher: 8E
Grey Plover: 1E
Sanderling: 59E
Knot: 8E
Turnstone: 1E
Dunlin: 3E
Pomarine Skua: 17E
Arctic Skua: 4E
Kittiwake: 3E
Little Tern: 1E
Black Tern: 60E     1 at The Patch
Sandwich Tern: 147E
Common Tern: 322E
Arctic Tern: 136E
Common/Arctic Tern: 601E
Auk sp: 8E.    2W
Swallow: 10 in
Swift: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 8+
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1

3 of the 17 Pomarine Skuas including a dark phase bird, all a bit distant.

The Littlestone Serin is still present and singing the pines at J/of Madeira Road/St Andrews Road.

A Spoonbill flew over Boulderwall Fields at 12.30 per JH.

Poms and A Serin!

A really poor image of 5 of 26 Pomarine Skua that passed Dungenesss today

 05.30-07.45 with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Shoveller: 9E
Common Scoter: 86E   5W
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Fulmar: 6E
Gannet: 96E
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 4E
Grey Plover: 8E
Whimbrel: 4E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 20E
Sanderling: 22E
Pomarine Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 13E
Sandwich tern: 89E
Common/Arctic tern: 102E
Auk sp: 12E
Harbour Porpoise: 3+ around
Grey Seal 1 around

Courtesy of a call from Jacques this morning I was able to see and photograph this Tree Pipit he caught which was the definite highlight of a meagre haul in the nets this morning.

A poor image of a Corn Bunting which was part of a flock of at least 18 feeding in the Broome, a scarce bird on The Point.

The superb Serin at Littlestone which was found by Neil Frampton yesterday while he was looking after his grandchild I believe.

Yesterdays stunning male Common Redstart caught by Jacques. once again many thanks for the call.

The blog will be updated as when I can, due to some on going domestic issues at the moment.

Few Migrants!

Common Whitethroat 

A very quiet day around the peninsular with very few migrants. Very few birds made it into the nets the highlights being  a Garden Warbler and a Sedge Warbler. Elsewhere a Whinchat, a Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Common Redstarts were reported. Up to 5 hobby's at the ARC were noted.

On the sea a couple of Arctic Skuas and a few Common Scoter, Sandwich and Common Terns.

Garden Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Nightingale MIss!

The early mornings finally caught up with me today as I slept through the alarm and didn't wake up till gone 07.00. By then I'd already missed a call from Jacques about a Nightingale he'd trapped.

When I finally arrived at the observatory I did a couple of net rounds with Jacques but only a single Common Whitethroat was caught and processed, 2 Wheatears were around The moat.

I next went to The Patch without any real hope of finding anything interesting, which was was just as well as the highlight was 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Back at the car park the resident male Peregrine was upsetting the Herring Gulls and a female Black Redstart was collecting food.

 Cattle Egret over the hay field taken last weekend

A walk around the Hay fields with the wind picking up all the time, 3+ Hobby's, a Corn Bunting and a few Swifts of note were seen,  Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were all heard but no sign of any of the Cattle Egrets or Wood Sandpiper.

Corn Bunting at Dengemarsh flood

Avocet at The Midrips

Another disappointing walk along The Midrips saw 10 Avocets, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Dunlin, * Ringed Plover, 4 Redshank, 18 Shelduck, 2 Wheatears and a Marsh Harrier. 

Gannet west past the fishing boats this afternoon

14.00-16.15 from the fishing boats with AJG and JTM
Brent Goose: 4E
Common Scoter: 21E   23W
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Fulmar: 1E . 1W
Gannet: 47W
Arctic Skua: 3E
Kittiwake: 18W
Mediterranean Gull: 3W all 1st summer birds
Sandwich Tern: 89W
Common Tern: 49W
Guillemot: 3E
Auk sp: 13E
Swift: 3 in
Swallow: 4 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
A brief look from Dennis's Hide late afternoon saw a Greenshank, 2 Dunlin and c100 Common terns of note.