Tuesday 12/11/2019

With the birding so poor around Dungeness this autumn, I have been struggling to motivate myself to get up and out early. This morning it was after 08.30 before I left home, with a freezing NW wind whipping across the peninsular I was in the shelter of the car at the fishing boats, watching just a few Gannets and Kittiwakes feeding off shore, along with a couple of Sandwich Terns and some Auks tooing and froing but little of note, I was just beginning to think I would be better off at home getting domestic stuff done when a Swallow flew past me heading south, that gave me the encouragement I needed to go to Greatstone and Littlestone just in case there were other migrants around. Greatstone Beach was a complete waste of time, it was like Winalot advert there, loads of seemingly out of control dogs running around with their owners shouting at them. Littlestone however was much better, still loads of dogs, but on leads and sticking to the sea wall path. As the tide pushed up, a flock of c150 Knot were swirling around eventually settling on quiet bit of shingle, Sanderling were running along the incoming tide line with a few Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers and Grey Plovers headed towards the Varne. Despite walking along to St Mary's and back no Snow Buntings were found  nor anything else.  

 Sanderling, Littlestone Beach

 Part of a flock of c150 Knot on Littlestone Beach

A wander out the back of Scotney saw yet another Swallow, several Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards, 2 Peregrines, a Merlin, a Sparrowhawk, several Kestrels and a distant ring tail Hen Harrier heading out East Guldeford, with all these raptors around it wasn't surprising that the flock of c1,000 Golden Plover spent most of the time flying around high over the wind turbines,  there were a few Skylarks and Reed Buntings around but I coudn't find any Corn Buntings, all the usual feral Geese were present.
In Lydd Wood a few Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrests, a Great spotted Woodpecker but sadly no eastern sprites.
Mid afternoon back at the fishing boats a few Gulls came to my offerings of bread but no Caspian Gull.

Monday 11/11/2019

A thoroughly wet, miserable and cold start to the day, even more so now that the sea watch hide no longer has a waterproof roof, as it was torn off during the recent storm.
08.30-10.30 from the sea watch hide joined by AJG
Brent Goose: 1W
Common Scoter: 10W
Red-throated diver: 16W           1 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 12W
Gannet: 183W         87E
Cormorant: c250 into Rye Bay
Merlin: 1W (looked to be hunting)
Great Skua: 1W
Pomarine Skua: 1W juvenile
Kittiwake: 197W       38E
Mediterranean Gull: 3W (all adults)
Sandwich Tern: 5W
Guillemot: 7W
Razorbill: 16W
Auk sp: 98W         27E
Skylark: 4W
Around the lighthouse area a Chiffchaff, Stonechat and Sparrowhawk were noted along with a very few finches overhead.
I tried to some Gulls in with bread but attracted nothing of note.
A windswept Scotney held 8 Ruff, 9 Redshank, c150 Golden Plover, c250 Lapwing along with the 1,000+ Greylag, 150+ Barnacle Geese, 26 Canada Geese, 37 Egyptian Geese, also 50+ Shoveler, 100+ Wigeon, 40+ Tufted Duck and 40+ Mallard.
A male Merlin was chasing a Pipit at the top end of the Long Pits as I drove to the fishing boats.
13.45-14.45 from the fishing boats yet another very poor afternoons watch:
Great-crested Grebe: 48 o/s
Gannet: 27W
Kittiwake: 22W
Sandwich Tern: 5W
Guillemot: 2W
Auk sp: 9W
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1

Sunday 10/11/2019

07.00-08.30 from the sea watch hide: SO, RW and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 5W
Common Scoter: 10W
Red-throated Diver: 8E
Black-throated Diver: 1E
Gannet: 629E
Great Skua: 3E
Kittiwake: 109E
Sandwich Tern: 86E (unusually high number for this time of year)
Guillemot: 1W
Razorbill: 2E
Auk sp: 15W
Starling :95 in
A brief look in the bushes saw reasonable numbers of Blackbirds and Robins, a single Chiffchaff and few Blue and Great Tits, the highlight being a Firecrest at the old lighthouse.
Another sea watch this afternoon produced a highlight of a single Great Northern Diver.
13.15-14.45 from the fishing boats with AJG, LH, PH, RW, SO
Red-throated Diver: 2W    1 o/s
Great Northern Diver: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 3 o/s
Gannet: 42E     6W
Cormorant: present n/c
Dunlin: 1W
Sanderling: 3W
Kittiwake: c80 o/s
Mediterranean Gull: 2 o/s
Guillemot: 1W       3 o/s
Razorbill: 3 o/s 
As Dungeness has been so quiet avian wise recently I have been spending time at Copt Point reading Mediterranean Gull rings, yesterday in the company of Renaud Flammant from Belgium we read 64 rings. Most were French, Belgian and German for which we have already had the details sent back.
When I look at these details it usually amazes me how few times colour ring birds are reported or sighted, I guess most birders only seem to give Gulls a cursory glance at best. The map below shows the known life history of a Mediterranean Gull colour ringed at Pitsea as an adult bird in June 2013 then next seen in December 2017 at Icklesham, then another 2 year gap to last week at Copt Point. 

The Known Life history of yellow ringed  Mediterranean Gull 2E33

 Last Friday Dungeness was again very poor avian wise, that I was tempted away by Owen Leyshon on rare twitch to St Margaret's to see the Great Grey Shrike that performed admirably for us, I was very glad I was tempted thank you Owen.

Thursday 07/11/2019

Drake Merganser passing the fishing boats this morning

07.50-09.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 19W       2E
Shelduck: 4W
Teal: 5W
Common Scoter: 21W          8E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W drake
Red-throated Diver: 4W     2E
Great-crested Grebe: 7 o/s
Gannet: 283W       74E
Cormorant: c750 pushed out of Lade Bay by the range boat
Merlin: 1 in off
Oystercatcher: 3E
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Great Skua: 2W
Kittiwake: 37W
Mediterranean Gull: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Guillemot: 17W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 637W
Rock pipit: 1W
Pied Wagtail: 2 present
2 Swallow: W
Common Seal: 1
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2

  Firecrest in the lighthouse garden

Around the lighthouse were 3 Swallows, a Firecrest, 2 Godcrests, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Sparrowhawk of note.

  Goldcrest in the lighthouse garden

 Chiffchaff in the lighthouse garden

 Blackcap in the Lighthouse Garden

1 of 3 Swallow around the lighthouse

As Dungeness was quiet avian wise I went to Copt Point again reading another 22 colour rings.

Wednesday 06/11/2019

A rare day of no wind on the peninsular today produced little of note.
07.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide RW and AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 11W
Common Scoter: 19W
Red-throated Diver: 5W
Gannet: 64W
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 72W
Little Gull: 2W  + 1x1w at The Patch
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Razorbill: 12W
Auk sp: 151W
The undoubted highlight of the day was a Great White Egret that appeared to have come in off the sea and landed in a flooded part of The Desert, it stayed for a couple of minutes before presumably realising that there was no food to found there and flew off north, it is as far as I know the first one to landed in The desert.

 1 of 3 Great-spotted Woodpeckers seen around The Moat this morning

The bushes around The Point were very quiet with just the odd Goldcrest, Firecrest and Chiffchaff, still plenty of Robins and Blackbirds and 3 Great-spotted Woodpeckers. A Brown Hare was in The Desert. The Shorelark was seen early morning by OL but not seen again by dusk.
At Scotney all the usual feral Geese, c500 Golden Plover, 2 Redshank and the Black-necked Grebe still present from the double bends.
A distinct lack of Thrushes on Walland Marsh at the moment despite there being plenty of Hawthorn berries, 4 Yellowhammers by the model airfield, 2 Marsh Harriers and 5 Common Buzzards were noted.
13.45-15.15 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 7W      4E
Wigeon: 5W
Common Scoter: 5W
Goosander: 1W  (female)
Red-throated Diver: 6W     2 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 9 o/s
Gannet: 96W
Cormorant: present n/c
Turnstone: 1 on beach
Kittiwake: 255W
Mediterranean Gull 2W
Sandwich Tern: 11W
Guillemot: 2W
Razorbill: 1W   9 o/s
Auk sp: 108W
Grey Seal: 3
Harbour Porpoise: 4

Tuesday 05/11/2019

Merlin hunting off shore this morning

07.50-09.00 from the fishing boats:
Common Scoter: 1W        8E
Red-throated Diver: 7W   2E    1 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 51 o/s
Gannet: 90W
Cormorant: c150 o/s
Merlin: 1 juvenile hunting
Oystercatcher: 3E
Guillemot: 11W
Razorbill: 109W
Auk sp: 142W
Swallow: 1 out.   2 more over entrance gate
Skylark: 4 present
Shorelark: 1 still showing very well around the puddles
Pied Wagtail: 3 present
Starling: 85 in
A very quiet morning around The Point and observatory, 3 Firecrests, 4 Goldcrests, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Swallows, 2 Black Redstarts and a single Song Thrush.
As Dungeness was so quiet I went along the coast to Folkstone Warren and Copt Point, walking from the Warren to the Point many Robins and Blackbirds but little else of note. At Copt Point c400 Mediterranean Gulls, probably more over a 2 hour period with them coming and going. I found myself a comfortable vantage point to scan through the Gulls and managed to read 26 Darvik rings 1 Hungarian, 1 UK, 3 German and the rest French and Belgian. There were also 6 Sandwich Terns roosting on the rocks.

Starling murmuration

Late afternoon I visited a Harrier roost where 5 Marsh Harriers came to roost but no Hen Harriers, at least 40 Pied Wagtails came to roost several Water Rails and Bearded Tits were calling and 2 Sparrowhawks were around 1 which tried to catch a large Bat species. A small Starling murmuration added to the visit.

Monday 04/11/2019

A bright start to the day that quickly deteriorated into a very wet day, as very heavy slow moving showers came along the English Channel drenching the peninsular. 

Blackcap at the observatory early morning

A walk around The Point before the rain set in saw singles Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest around the observatory and the same in the lighthouse garden. In the new Lighthouse area, a Brown Hare, 6 Skylarks, just 2 Meadow Pipits, 5 Stonechats, 6 Black Redstarts, still lots of Robins around and of course the obliging Shorelark

Several Rainbows today as the showers passed allowing very brief periods of sunshine

3rd calendar year Yellow-legged Gull at the Fish Shack roost

 The Shorelark paddling

As the weather was so poor I spent much time today in the car around the fishing boats area, looking for Gulls and out to sea. For most of the time I had the Shorelark to myself, I wasn't going to take any more pictures of it, but as it was feeding more or less within touching distance I could resist.  

A short video of the Shorelark feeding around the ever growing puddles in the rain today

 A Yellow-browed Warbler was found by the Long Pits by DW, another was in the garden of AJG to add to Hume's Warbler, Continental Coal Tit, Serin and and numerous Firecrests in the last 12 months alone!

 I have no idea where this Herring Gull at the puddles was ringed, definitely not a BTO scheme

Red-throated Diver from Dennis's picnic area late afternoon and not a lot else

Sunday 03/11/2019

 Juvenile Pomarine Skua giving a Cormorant a fright

07.00-10.00 with AJG, CP, RW et al
Brent Goose: 2W   8E
Egyptian Goose: 10E  over the boats
Common Scoter: 44W       16E
Velvet Scoter: 2W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 11W    2E
Great-crested Grebe: 35 o/s
Gannet: 268W
Cormorant: 734 minimum came out of Lade Bay
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Great Skua: 2W
Pomarine Skua: 1W juvenile
Arctic Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 39W
Little Gull: 8W
Black-headed Gull: 377W
Mediterranean Gull: 39W
Common Gull: 56W
Sandwich Tern: 15W   7E
Guillemot: 2W
Razorbill: 483W
Auk sp: 524W
Grey Wagtail: 1 out
Alba Wagtail: 3 out
Meadow Pipit: 3 in
Skylark: 1 around
Shorelark: 1 still present
Goldfinch: 20E
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2

1 of 2 Velvet Scoter past this morning

 This Goldfinch kept me company while I had breakfast

Goldcrests and a few Firecrests could be found just about anywhere on the peninsular, even in small patches of Broome out by the converter station where there was also a Dartford Warbler, one of at least 4 around the peninsular, also at least 6 Black Redstarts by the converter.. Not sure how many Ravens were around today as I seemed to see them at every stop, but the power station pair do forage all over the peninsular. 2 Short-eared Owls were reported today along with 2 late Wheatears, 4 Swallows and a House Martin.

1 of several Stonechats near the converter station

Late afternoon the Black-necked Grebe was still on Scotney from the double bends, 7 Marsh Harriers came to roost as well as 1,000s of Starlings.

Saturday 02/11/2019

As I pulled up at the fishing boats this morning the Shorelark was still feeding around the puddles in the early morning sunshine.

 Juvenile Gannet

30 minutes sea watching produced just a few each of Gannets, Auks and Kittiwakes, also 2 Turnstones were feeding on the high tide line. The weather quickly deteriorated as the wind increased to gale force, so it was time for breakfast and to watch the rugby, though with hindsight I'd rather have gotten a soaking sea watching.

 This afternoon the regular German ringed Caspian Gull was roosting at the puddles

1 of several Great-crested Grebes that flew around The Point

An hours sea watch in the company of SO & OL saw very little apart from Cormorants, a few Gannets and Great-crested Grebes. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the beach roost. Maybe the storm will deliver the birds to morrow.

Friday 01/11/2019

A thoroughly damp dreary day with a southerly wind that promised much but delivered little!

A soggy Shorelark first thing this morning

2 Pintail and 5 Wigeon past the fishing boats in the morning gloom

07.40-09.20 from the fishing boats with CP & RO
Brent Goose: 8E
Wigeon: 7W
Pintail: 3W
Common Scoter: 14E     4W
Red-breasted Merganser: 4W
Red-throated Diver: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 9 o/s
Gannet: 89E   44W
Cormorant: c200 around
Arctic Skua: 1 o/s. Dark phase
Kittiwake: 5W    3o/s
Mediterranean Gull: 3W
Sandwich Tern: 21W
Guillemot: 3W   1 o/s
Razorbill: 137W    16 o/s
Auk sp: 21W   18E
Harbour Porpoise: 1

 1 of 2 male Black Redstarts in Dengemarsh Gully

Late morning in Dengemarsh Gully 2 Black Redstarts were showing well at the very bottom, in the Gorse many Goldcrests but I only saw singles each of Chiffchaff, Firecrest and Blackcap and no rare Wheatears.

Viewing Dengemarsh from the shelter of the car 3 Cattle Egrets gave distant flight views, 2 Great White Egrets flew over the lake and 2 Marsh Harriers were patrolling the reed beds.

Early afternoon at Scotney saw all the usual feral Geese, despite careful scrutiny I was unable to find any wild Grey Geese among them.

14.00-15.00 from the fishing boats:
Common Scoter: 8E     1W
Red-throated diver: 1 o/s
Gannet: 104W     18E
Cormorant: 143 from Lade Bay
Dunlin: 25W
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 7W
Little Gull: 4W
Black-headed Gull: 114W
Common Gull: 18W
Sandwich Tern; 15W
Guillemot: 2W
Razorbill: 14W
Auk sp: 5W    4E
Swallow: 1 out
The Shorelark was still present when I left at 15.00.

It's not a smudge but a leucistic Starling in this truly awful image of a tiny part of a swirling mass of a minimum of 50,000 birds at there roost this evening.