Sunday 08/12/2019

07:20-09:50 from the sea watch hide with RW, SO and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 2W
Velvet Scoter: 9W   10E
Common Scoter: 3W
Red-throated Diver: 396W    2E
Fulmar: 5W
Great-crested Grebe: 47W
Gannet: 420W
Cormorant: Present n/c
Great Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 27W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 10W
Auk sp: 14W

 Caspian Gull

2 visits to a very wind swept Burrowes saw a minimum of 6 Caspian Gulls including a 1 legged 1w bird, also several Yellow-legged Gulls. I eventually caught up with the Glossy Ibis this afternoon found by Graham Parry late morning, which was presumably the bird seen flying along Walmer seafront earlier this morning.

The 2 Whooper Swans were still at Dengemarsh, but the 4 Bewick Swans have relocated to Walland Marsh. The Slavonian Grebe is still at Scotney on the 1st pit west of the entrance to Brett's batching plant.

Saturday 07/12/2019

07:15-09:45 from the sea watch hide with RW, CP and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:
Common Scoter: 3W
Red-throated Diver: 388W    1E
Great Northern Diver: 1W
Fulmar: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 18E   4 o/s
Gannet: 226W
Cormorant: 1,275W into Rye bay
Grey Plover: 1W
Turnstone: 1W
Great Skua: 1W
Kittiwake: 27W
Little Gull: 2W
Mediterranean Gull: 10 o/s
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Guillemot: 92W
Razorbill: 34W
Auk sp: 260W     8E
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Grey Seal: 1

 German colour ringed 2w Caspian Gull XCUC

Early afternoon from Dennis's Hide there were 3 Caspian Gulls (adult + 3W + 2W) the latter a German ringed bird, also 3 Yellow-legged Gulls (2 x adult + 2W). The 2 drake Goosander had flown off before I arrived.

The 2 Whooper Swans were still in the same field at Dengemarsh today but no Bewick Swans today.

 A very sad end for a beautiful bird

On Lydd ranges this afternoon with CP, AJG & DG a Short-eared Owl was hunting for most of the time we were present, also a Merlin, 2 Common Buzzards and a male Marsh Harrier. Just a few yards from my home Chris picked a very recently killed Barn Owl, another road casualty.

05/12/2019

An early call from AJG told me not to bother with the sea as visibility was minimal in the freezing conditions. This day last year saw probably the best sea watch of the winter with 7 Puffins, Black Guillemot, 3 Diver species, Long-tailed Duck and more what a difference.

Most of my morning was taken up with domestic stuff, late morning I got out onto Walland Marsh to look for Wild Swans and Grey Geese. Fieldfares seemed to be abundant feeding on the Hawthorns, a few Redwings, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes were with them. A party of 10+ Yellowhammers by the model airfield were very nice. A single Bewick Swan was in with a herd of Mute Swans in the Kale field near The Woolpack, viewed from Hook Wall but no wild Grey Geese. On my way home I thought I'd check the Dengemarsh Mute Swans and was pleased to find 2 Whooper Swans and 4 Bewick Swans with them.

 The 4 Bewick Swans at Dengemarsh today

Presumably the 2 returning Whooper Swans from last winter at Dengemarsh today

Early afternoon on the reserve 3 Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls were roosting on Burrowes and a few G.B.B.Gull rings were read, a nice drake Goldeneye was present and a Firecrest was in the scrub at Dennis's.

Late afternoon at Pigwell a party of 20 Corn Buntings, a Stonechat and a flyover male Marsh Harrier were the highlight as no Owls were seen. Nearby the Slavonian Grebe was still on the lake to the west of the entrance to Bretts batching plant.

Wednesday 04/12/2019

 1 of 2 Jack Snipe seen this morning

This morning I joined AJG and RW in a pleasant walk around the trapping area, Desert and Long Pits, where wellingtons are now essential for accessing large areas. We did not see many birds but we did see of note 2 Jack Snipe, a Common Snipe and heard Water Rails. 

 Adult Caspian gull from Dennis's this afternoon

As is usual this time of year I am spending a large part of the day looking at Gulls on the reserve. Today I saw at least 5 Caspian Gulls and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls also a fine drake Goldeneye.

 3w Caspian Gull from Dennis's this morning

 2w Caspian gull from Dennis's this morning

 German ringed X86C 1w Caspian Gull from Firth this afternoon

Dungeness RSPB visitor centre at sunset this evening, taken from the causeway

Late afternoon I watched the Egret roost but only 5 Great White Egrets and 5 Little Egrets came into roost. At the same time the Marsh roost was being watched by CP who recorded 8 Great White Egrets and 10 Little Egrets, he also recorded 2 Whooper Swans perhaps last years returning birds.

Tuesday 03/12/2019

I over slept this morning so AJG did this mornings sea watch on his own and kindly sent me his numbers:

07.30-09.00

Common Scoter: 11W

Red-throated Diver: 12W   43E

Great-crested Grebe: 4W    11E

Gannet: 34E

Cormorant: 1,010 E into Lade Bay

Auk sp: 4E

I went back to Copt Point again today after going there yesterday seeing c3,00 Mediterranean Gulls and not reading a single ring, as the birds refused to land on the rocks to roost but stayed on the sea. When I arrived there were just a few birds on the sea, after short wait Mediterranean Gulls started streaming in from far out in the the channel where presumably they had been feeding, once again they all settled on the sea, after another hour some birds started to fly onto the rocks enabling me to read some rings. I had just read the fifth ring of the day a new Hungarian bird when the birds on the rocks were flushed by Dogs, there owners had even stopped to ask me what I was looking at but still let there dogs run riot all over the rocks! Needless to say I was less than happy and the dog owners learnt some Anglo Saxon!

Phonescoped image of 2 Caspian Gulls from Dennis's

This afternoon back at Dungeness on Burrowes Pit at least 9 Caspian Gulls came into roost, also a Swedish colour ringed Great black-backed Gull a new ringing scheme for me, hopefully I will have the life history of this bird very soon.

There are at least 3 Caspian Gulls including yellow ringed X86C in this image taken as the sun set 

The Slavonian Grebe was still at Scotney today, on the pit to the West of the road to Brett's batching plant. The Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets are still present around the reserve.

Sunday 01/12/2019

08.15-10.00 from the sea watch hide:
Eider: 1E then drifted west
Velvet Scoter: 4E  (party of 3 and singleton)
Red-throated Diver: 89E       11W
Great-crested Grebe: 27E       9 o/s
Gannet: 549E       73W
Cormorant: Present: n/c
Oystercatcher: 6E
Kittiwake: 4E
Guillemot: 42E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 39E
By the time I arrived at The Patch mid morning most of the roosting Gulls on the beach had been flushed by walkers,  DW had already seen at least 10 Caspian Gulls there before they were flushed, but I still managed to see at least 3 including the regular German ringed bird X86C.
This afternoon from Dennis's Hide at least 5 Caspian and 3 Yellow-legged Gulls came in, very few birds came in until it was nearly dark and too late. Driving out of the reserve 2 Cattle Egrets flew over on their way to roost.
The Burt family found 4 Bewick Swans near The Woolpack on Walland Marsh, hopefully there will be plenty more.

Saturday 30/11/2019

Digiscoped image of X86C Caspian Gull at The Patch this morning

08.45-10.00 from The Patch
Brent Goose: 4E
Shelduck: 5W
Common Scoter: 28W
Red-breasted Merganser: 4W
Red-throated Diver: 16E   27W
Great-crested grebe: 12E
Gannet: 49W    26E
Cormorant:  present n/c
Kittiwake: 51E
Mediterranean Gull: 7W
Black-headed Gull: c400 present
Common Gull: c20 present
Caspian Gull: 2 x 1w present including X86C
Herring Gull: c250 present
L.B.B.Gull: 4
G.B.B.Gull: 12 on beach many off shore

Guillemot: 1E      2 o/s

Auk sp: 22W    6E

Digiscoped image of Presumed Caspian Gull X276 on Burrowes this afternoon, I should have the life history of the bird in the next couple of days.

At least 6 Caspian Gulls on Burrowes this afternoon from Dennis's, I must have missed many more that came in late afternoon to the islands in from of Firth Hide.

 1st and 3rd Cal year Caspian Gulls on Burrowes

 1 of at least 6 Yellow-legged Gulls on Burrowes late afternoon. Also JWZ34 G.B.B.Gull.

 Caspian Gull G0UT from last weekend. It's life history below.

Many thanks to Paul Roper for the life history. Double click the map to enlarge.

Friday 29/11/2019

07.15-08.45 with AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose:11W
Common Scoter: 25W  8E
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 16W    57W
Great-crested Grebe: 11E
Gannet: 82E
Cormorant: 2,534 west into Rye bay with many going East into Lade Bay
Grey Heron: 1 in off the sea
Kittiwake: 7W
Guillemot: 1E
Razorbill: 1E
Auk sp: 17W

Very poor image of the 4 Cattle Egrets

I suspected yesterday that there were 4 Cattle Egrets around, so it was nice to have this confirmed by seeing all 4 together on the Boulderwall Fields. Several 100s each of Lapwing and Wigeon also on the flooded fields. A quick look from Dennis's at the islands found them to be covered in the black plague of Cormorants, 1,000s of them.
A walk along the front of Scotney saw on the sward 2 Knot, a Ruff, 12 Redshank, 4 Curlew, 6 Dunlin, c150 Golden Plover (another 1,000+ wheeling around the wind turbines) c1,000 Lapwing and the usual feral Geese. 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting the far bank.
In Dengemarsh Gully a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest was all I could find.

 Short-eared Owl flying straight at and past me

On Lydd ranges this afternoon with Owen Leyshon 4 Short-eared Owls were hunting, giving excellent views though most the time they distant. 2 Common Buzzards, a single 1st calendar year Marsh Harrier and a Common Snipe were seen, sadly once again no Hen Harriers.

 Short-eared Owls

 Mirror image

The Ranges at sunset

Thursday 28/11/2019

 

Male Sparrowhawk in the garden early this morning image taken through the window.

07.20-09.20 from the sea watch hide. Numbers kindly sent to me by AJG:
Eider: 1W
Common Scoter: 14W
Red-throated Diver: 42W
Gannet 738W
Cormorant: present n/c
Shag: 1W
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 46W
Guillemot: 3 o/s
Razorbill: 14W
Auk sp: 204W
Rock Pipit: 1 over

I was wondering why my fat log in the garden was being emptied so quickly

Half an hour this afternoon at the fishing boats saw just 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Kittiwakes and 8 Gannets of any note.

Mid afternoon on Burrowes saw a 3w Caspian Gull, a 3w Yellow-legged Gull, a Marsh Harrier devouring a Gull on one of the islands, the flock of 17 Black-tailed Godwits, a Cattle Egret that was roosting on an island at the same time as 3 were reported being present on the ARC. At 15.40 I gave up as the light was so poor. 

Wednesday 27/11/2019

NO early morning sea watch today as the weather was appalling, the heavy rain being driven into the hide by the strong SW wind would have made it virtually impossible, also the visibility would have been nil.

Mid morning I drove the short distance to a very wind swept Scotney, out on the sward I could just make a few Golden Plover, a couple of Redshanks and the usual feral Geese. From the double bends Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Mallard, Wigeon and Shoveler sheltering in the lee of the bank, a leucistic Starling flew across the lake during a heavy shower spoiling the image.

 Leucistic Starling taken during a heavy shower

 On my way to the beach the 3 Cattle Egrets were in the Horse Paddocks

Juvenile Merlin hunting off the fishing boat 

11.00-12.00 from the fishing boats:
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 2 o/s
Gannet: 64W
Cormorant: c150 o/s
Merlin: 1 hunting o/s
Kittiwake: 52W
Mediterranean Gull 1W (2w bird)
Guillemot: 5W      1o/s

Kittiwake past the fishing boats

The weather this afternoon was so abysmal I did not leave home this afternoon.