Firth Hide!

This juvenile Song Thrush that was foraging around the pots on my small patio early this morning is the first that I have seen in the garden, I look for ward to seeing more.

Most Grey Wagtails I see on the peninsular are usually high flying specks picked up on call, so I was delighted that this young bird dropped onto the mud in front of Firth Hide last evening for a few minutes to bathe before moving on.

 This Curlew also dropped into Burrowes for a few minutes to bathe before moving on last evening.

 This juvenile Mediterranean Gull dropped in for a few minutes to preen yesterday evening

This adult also dropped in for a few minutes to preen

 1 of 6 Dunlin present yesterday evening

 A Green Sandpiper from Firth yesterday evening

There were 3 Little Ringed plovers at Firth yesterday evening

3 of the 5 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in to feed last evening 

Firth was very productive last evening, joining the above  were  many Common Terns bathing and resting including juveniles, 2 Sandwich Terns, a Garganey was still present and still asleep, 4 Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Redshanks, a Cuckoo flew across the lake, a trickle of Sand Martins moving south and 10+ Swifts. The 2 Little Gulls were still present on the ARC also the Ruff still there. The Serin was still singing at littlestone Friday PM.

 This Greenshank dropped into Firth for less than a minute early this morning

Probably the same Greenshank in front of Hanson a little later

The biggest surprise in my moth trap this morning an Emperor Dragonfly

The Last Few Days!

Dungeness has been very quiet over the last few days, though a fair selection of waders have been making mostly short appearances, these included Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank,  Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper, Knot, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Ruff, Little Ringed and Ringed Plover. A mobile Great White Egret and Garganey among the usual wildfowl, while overhead Yellow Wagtails Swifts, House and Sand Martins, have been trickling through and even a couple of Grey Wagtails.

The sea has been very quiet probably due to the fact that the power station is shut down and there is no Patch to speak of.

 1of 2 summer plumaged Knot at Firth Hide Tuesday evening

 Little Ringed Plovers have been showing well from Firth Hide lately

This Wood Pigeon was attracted by the trickle of running water from the solar pump in the Crow Trap this morning.

My first Boxworm Moth of the year on the 9th July

 The first of the Common Terns to fledge

 2 Sandwich terns dropped in for a few minutes

 Great-crested Grebe on its nest on Burrowes this evening

 A sleepy Garganey at Firth this evening

A flock of 18 Black-tailed Godwits that flew in over Burrowes this evening from the South East just before dusk then headed North towards the ARC.

Thresher Shark!

 Meadow Pipit

On the walk down to The Patch there were 3 broods of Meadow Pipits and at least 1 brood each of Wheatear, Black Redstart and Pied Wagtail. The parents of these broods seemingly being able to find copious amounts of food by the path. At The Patch there was just 1 1st summer Mediterranean Gull present among c40 Black-headed and Herring Gulls.

 Meadow Pipit 

 Wheatear

 Peregrine with unidentified prey 

2 Peregrines were around the pylons calling frequently and no doubt terrorising the local Pigeons

Little Gulls on the ARC

3 visits to the reserve and ARC today saw of note 2 Little Gulls, a Great White Egret, 2 Ruff, a Spotted Redshank, 6 Redshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Green Sandpiper, 8 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin.

An afternoon sea watch with AJG was very pleasant in the warm sunshine but made very special by a Thresher Shark that fully breached c1mile offshore, even at that range I could clearly see its huge tail whipping in the air as it breached. This is now the third time I have seen this spectacle off Dungeness in the last 5 years.

13.45-16.00 from the fishing boats with AJG:
Common Scoter: 4E
Gannet: 58E   3W
Cormorant: 2 around
Kittiwake: 2E
Mediterranean Gull: 34E
Sandwich Tern: 13E   7W
Common Tern: 62E   4W
Auk sp: 3E
Sand Martin: 2 out
Swallow: 7 out
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Thresher Shark: 1

Temminck's Stint!

 Temminck's Stint 

While I was at the observatory this morning, I received a call from Graham Parry saying that there was a very small wader in front of Firth Hide, that was dwarfed by the Dunlin that were present. A few minutes later myself AJG, SO, JTM and DW arrived to see a splendid adult Temminck's Stint giving superb views. Many thanks from all of us to Graham for the call. Also present of note were 3 Redshank, 6 Dunlin, a Little Ringed Plover, an adult Mediterranean Gull that dropped in and c50 Swifts.

 Temminck's Stint dwarfed by 2 Dunlin

 Little Ringed Plover

Adult Mediterranean Gull

1 of 4 Wood Sandpipers that dropped into the ARC today

Early afternoon JH put out a message that there was 4 Wood Sandpipers on the ARC. After having lunch I went to Hanson Hide where all 4 Wood Sandpipers were still present. One of them was colour ringed and due to the diligence of JTM he ascertained that it was probably from a Spanish colour ringing project. 2 Ruff were present along with at least 2 Little Ringed Plovers, also pulses of Sand martins were going through.

2 more Common Tern chicks this evening that aren't going to make due to the poor design of the Tern rafts. I have seen at least 7 fall off the rafts, so I'm sure the numbers lost must greater. The Temminck's Stint was still present this evening though distant and elusive. Nearby the Serin is still singing in its chosen conifers at Littlestone.

 A Bordered Straw in the trap this morning

My first Jersey Tiger of the year

 Yesterday evening a Spotted Redshank which is quite scarce at Dungeness was at Firth Hide, also 5 Black-tailed Godwits and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover there.

2 of the 3 summering Wigeon yesterday evening from Firth Hide

 Sussex Emeralds from last nights catch. I normally only catch 1 a year

 A typically tatty Sussex Emerald that turn up in my trap

 Sussex Emerald after release at The Long Pits

 Some of the 22 Elephant Hawkmoths that were in the trap this morning, there was also several sets of wings around the trap where the Great Tits got there before me. 

Another Delicate this morning, which means they probably breed nearby.

 A migrant juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker trapped in The Moat this morning by Jacques, also several Swifts over appearing to be moving south.

 Raven

A walk out the back of Scotney with AJG saw the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn and Reed Bunting, Tree Sparrows, 2 Ravens, 2 Marsh Harriers and a trickle of Sand Martins of note.

Little Ringed Plovers

This evening from Firth 3 Little Ringed Plovers (adult and 2 juveniles), 9 Dunlin and 5 Ringed Plover of note, also c60 Sand martins flew south.