14/12/2020

This morning sea watch is becoming some what repetitive, with Auks, Cormorants and Kittiwakes dominating the numbers. Though some Brent Geese heading back East was different.

07.30-09.00 from the fishing boats:

Brent Goose: 187E

Common Scoter: 1W

Red-throated Diver: 67W

Fulmar: 1W

Red-necked Grebe: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 2W 1 o/s

Gannet: 378W

Cormorant: c3,200W from Lade Bay into Rye Bay

Kittiwake: 1070W   

Guillemot: 3,200W   many more feeing o/s

Razorbill: 1440W many more feeing o/s

Auk sp: 430W

I was unable to locate the Black-throated Diver or the Dusky Warbler at the ARC, though I didn't try to hard and looking into the low sun and brisk breeze didn't help, they are probably both still around. 

Female Scaup in usual pose at Scotney

A walk along the front of the main lake found the female Scaup at the Sussex end with some Tufties and Pochard,. A single Greater White-fronted Goose and the Blue phase Snow Goose was with the feral Greylags, as was the feral Barnacle flock. On the sward c400 Golden Plover allowed inspection, but alas I could find nothing unusual among them, 4 Ruff and a Raven flew through. The long-tailed Duck was also hiding from me. 

Greater White-fronted Geese and Greylags coming into Lydd Fields, it is a real treat to have these lovely Geese literally on my doorstep.

Greater White-fronted Geese and Greylags, Lydd Fields

Great White Egret over the hay fields

From the brightness of this morning to very dull walk around Dengemarsh this afternoon. 3 Great White Egrets, several squealing Water Rails and tacking Cetti's warblers were the highlights. A flock of c500 Lapwing on Hayfield 3 was nice but soon disturbed by Marsh Harriers. Between Dengemarsh hide and Makepiece Hide very little was seen or heard.

Clearing the Sea Buckthorn between Firth and Makepiece Hide. I believe a viewing platform in this area is proposed.
 

13/12/2020

Razorbills and Guillemots past the boats this morning

07.30-09.45 from the fishing boats this morning with CP, RW & OL,

Brent Goose: 7E

Common Scoter: 3E

Red-throated Diver: 5W      8E

Great-crested Grebe: 3W

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: c580 feeding o/s

Cormorant: c2,200 feeding o/s

Kittiwake: 970W

Black-headed Gull: c150E into Lade Bay

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Sandwich Tern: 1 feeding o/s

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 on beach

Guillemot: 830W many feeding o/s

Razorbill: 1,620W many feeding o/s

Auk sp: 470W

Gannet

An image from the garden of some of the White-fronted Geese in the Lydd fields 

The White-fronted Geese are still feeding in front my house with the Greylags and Mute Swans, also 2 Merlins hunting over the field. The Dusky Warbler and Black-throated Diver at the ARC have both been reported as present today. At Scotney the Scaup and Long-tailed Duckare reportedly still present.

On Walland the 23 Bewick Swans and 2 Whooper Swans were also reported but no one has refund the Tundra Bean Geese.

Whooper Swans at Hook Wall yesterday

Black-throated Diver on the the ARC yesterday

one of several Caspian Gulls on Burrowes yesterday afternoon

 

11/12/2020

 No early morning sea watch for this morning as I was feeling a little under the weather, I'm pleased to say I'm OK now.

CP watched from 07.30-09.00 from the fishing boats and kindly sent me his sightings:

Brent Goose: 1E

Wigeon: 4W

Common Scoter: 3W

Red-throated Diver: 11W   3E

Gannet: 80-100 feeding o/s

Cormorant: 1,500+ feeding o/s

Great Skua: 1W

Kittiwake: 128W

Mediterranean Gull: 5W   3E

Caspian Gull: 1 around

Sandwich Tern: 9W parties of 7 & 2

Guillemot: 680W

Razorbill: 210W

Auk sp: 180W

Mid morning Alan Pavey and Steve Message found a Dusky Warbler at the ARC, in the same place that Halimodendri Lesser Whitethroat was photographed on Tuesday. While I was looking for the Lesser Whitethroat I got a glimpse of Warbler that rang alarm bells but it disappeared and I didn't think of it again as I was after the Lesser Whitethroat, when I saw Steves WhatsApp message I could have kicked myself.

Dusky Warbler at the ARC this afternoon

The Black-throated Diver is still on the ARC, also a couple of Goldeneye. In the field in front my house there were at least 127 Greater White-fronted Geese, butI haven't seen the Whooper Swans for the last 2 days, they presumably have relocated back to Hooks Wall.

At Scotney the Scaup is still on the main lake and the Long-tailed Duck is on the lake to the east of the causeway.

10/12/2020

First thoughts were that this was a 1w Iceland Gull but it is probably a 2w bird. Either way it was nice surprise.

As a moderate SE wind was forecast this morning I was up early and on station at the fishing boats at 07.15 and AJG was at the turning circle.

The forecast was correct and birds were pouring past in the first light gloom. Most noticeably were my estimate of a flock of c2,000 Cormorants coming out of the bay, in truth there could just have easily been 4,000+ of them. A little further out Auks, Kittiwakes and Gannets were piling through, so I was relieved when CP arrived to help me count. A Bonxie powered through in the gloom. see poor image below.

07.15-10.30 & 12.50-15.05 from the fishing boats with AJG, CP, DW, and JY:

Common Scoter: 2W

Red-throated Diver: 241W

Great-crested Grebe: 2 o/s

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 1,342W + 100s feeding off shore

Shag: 1W  an oddly scarce bird at Dungeness

Turnstone: 3 on beach

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 109W   6+ lingering o/s

Common Gull:  present n/c

Great-Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Iceland Gull: 1 probably 2nd winter

Herring Gull:  present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 33W     5+ lingering o/s

Great Skua: 1W

Guillemot: 3,530W   Many feeding o/s

Razorbill: 5,184W    Many feeding o/s

Auk sp: 2,022W

Bonxie in the early morning gloom

Razorbills and Guillemots piling through

Many Gannets were feeding

Red-throated Divers losing height rapidly

Mediterranean Gull with Kittiwakes

Sandwich Tern with Kittiwakes. Unprecedented numbers of Sandwich Terns for mid December

A 1st year Shag flew west past the boats

 

09/12/2020

From the fishing boats this morning 1,000s of Auks moved west, along with good numbers of Kittiwakes, Red-throated Divers and Gannets. Per AJG & RW. 2 Great Northern Divers were also seen to fly west from the bund per BH & RH.

The 2 Whooper Swans back in the field in front of my house this morning

Also in and over the field this morning a Merlin, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Cetti's Warbler, Green Woodpecker, Skylarks and a Raven, a nice tally from the garden.

At the ARC the Black-throated Diver was still present but there was no sign of yesterdays hailmondendri type Lesser Whitethroat photographed there by DE from Thanet, but several Chiffchaffs.

At Scotney the Scaup was still present but the Long-tailed Duck appears to have moved to the New Diggings

per CT.

This afternoon at the fishing boats very little was moving, at least 5 Sandwich Terns were feeding along with many Auks, 60+ Kittiwakes and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were losing off shore, 8 Red-throated Divers flew west.

Late afternoon the Whitefront flock had increased to 146.

Some of the Greater White-fronted Geese in the field in front of my house this morning

Bewick Swans at Midley

Black-headed Gull trying to rob a Sandwich Tern this afternoon

 

06/12/2020

Some of yesterdays 13,000+ Kittiwakes that flew west past the fishing boats + a bonus Little Auk

A much quieter sea watch today from the fishing boats in bitterly cold conditions.

07:30-10:00 with SP, CP and RW:

Shelduck: 5E

Common Scoter: 2E

Goosander: 1E female

Red-throated Diver: 27W     33E

Large Diver sp: 1W

Fulmar: 1W 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 32E    3 on sea

Gannet: 18W    205E

Cormorant: 1,000+E into Lade Bay

Oystercatcher: 5E

Turnstone: 2 on beach

Kittiwake: 47W       622E

Black-headed Gull: 126E

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Sandwich Tern: 2E

Guillemot: 11W   364    122 on sea

Razorbill: 2W    8E

Auk sp: 46W  31E

Grey Seal: 1

Common Seal: 1

There are still 100+ White-fronted Geese with the Greylags in the fields in front my house. At Scotney The Long-tailed Duck and Scaup still present today. The Black-throated diver was still on the ARC per ML & RW. The 3 Tundra Bean Geese and the Bewick Swans were still present today on Walland per CT.

I spent the afternoon on Lydd ranges with CP but failed to find any Short-eared Owls or Hen Harriers, but my first Spoonbill of the year dropped into ranges.

Some of the 100+ Greater White-fronted Geese in the field in front my house

Some of the 100+ Greater White-fronted Geese in the field in front my house

Raven from my garden

Scaup at the Sussex end of Scotney

Spoonbill at South Brooks late afternoon

Spoonbill at South Brooks late afternoon

 

04/12/2020

This mornings sea watch in the company of SP saw large numbers of birds but little quality. There 4 figure numbers of Gannets, Cormorants, Kittiwakes and Auks, 8 Bonxies is good for December as is several Sandwich Terns. For full details please click HERE.

C200 Greater White-fronted Geese were on the peninsular today, 120+ in the Lydd fields from Cockles Bridge and minimum of 64 at the back of Scotney. A Black-throated diver on the ARC was new today but I couldn't find yesterdays Goosander. At Scotney all the usual feral Geese including the Blue phase Snow Goose and 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, but I was unable to locate any Tundra Bean Geese. In the fields there several 1,000s each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, 5 Ruff, c20 Curlew and c30 each of Corn Bunting and Skylark. The Long-tailed Duck was still on its favoured lake while the female Scaup has moved to the Sussex end of the main lake.

I was pleased to spot this Black-throated Diver on the ARC as I pulled up on the causeway 

Part os a flock of c120 Greater White-fronted Geese in the field in front my house today

Marsh Harrier over field in front of my house

Long-tailed Duck at Scotney

Black and White at Cooks Pool

Great White Egret at Cooks Pool

Raven over the Water Tower

Female Greater scaup at Scotney this afternoon

The head of an adult Caspian Gull on Burrowes today

Goosander on the ARC yesterday courtesy of RW

Bramble in blossom at Dengemarsh yesterday

 

01/12/2020

A busy sea watch this morning with some interesting sightings. The highlight being 3 Greater White-fronted Geese a species rarely encountered on a sea watch here, also 3 each of December Sandwich Terns and Bonxie.

07.30-09.30 from the fishing boats with AJG, CT, OL and SP who kindly kept the log:

Brent Goose: 2W  1E

Greater White-fronted Goose: 2W    1E

Shelduck: 6W   6E

Teal: 1E

Common Scoter: 88E     4o/s

Red-breasted Merganser: 2W

Red-throated Diver: 128E      4 o/s

Great-crested Grebe: 15E      5 o/s

Gannet: 774W

Merlin: 3 hunting over the beach

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 5E

Lapwing: 1 in off

Turnstone: 4 on Beach

Kittiwake: 11W   298W

Black-headed Gull: 260E

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: 42E

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 3W

Great Skua: 3E

Guillemot: 1W      177E      1 o/s

Razorbill: 5E

Auk sp: 32W      304E    3 o/s

Pied Wagtail: 1W

Grey Seal: 1

The 3 Bewick Swans were still in the field in front my house today also at least 43 Greater White-fronted Geese there with 100s of Greylags and Canada's.

Long-tailed Duck at Scotney this afternoon

I spent this afternoon wandering around the back of Scotney, the Long-tailed Duck was still present as was the Scaup which was very unobliging by hiding at the back of the lake sleeping among the Pochards. 2 Great White Egrets were seen as were 2 Common Buzzards, a Marsh Harrier, a Raven, a Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper and the Blue phase Snow Goose in with a flock of 200+ Greylags. At least 2,000 Lapwings and a 1,000 Golden plover were in the fields but never allowed scrutiny for something else among them, although it was a sunny afternoon, the low winter sun made viewing anything difficult and photography near impossible.

Blue phase Snow Goose at Scotney this afternoon