26/04/2021

2nd cy Iceland Gull has now been present at The Patch for 4 months

The NE wind was still roaring across the peninsula this morning so no real surprise that the sea watch was rather poor.

 06.00-0945 with AJG, CT, DW et al
Shelduck: 2W
Common Scoter: 22E    2W
Red-throated diver: 1E
Fulmar: 6E    2W
Manx Shearwater: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 around
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 3E
Whimbrel: 8E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 32E
Kittiwake: 3E
Meditteranean Gull: 3E
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4 at Patch
Great Skua: 1E
Arctic Skua: 1E per CT
Guillemot: 11E
Auk Sp: 48E
Swallow: 3 in
Harbour Porpoise: 4+
Grey Seal: 1

Bar-tailed Godwits moving East

Greenshanks on the hay fields

There were 8 Swifts over the causeway on my way to the reserve, which produced 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler, 2 Greenshank all new for the year, good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel  in the fields, 5 Sanderling, Sedge, Reed, and Cetti's warblers Common Whitethroat, booming Bitterns, 2+ Garganey, Swallows, Sand Martins. The real quality came in the form of a Red-rumped Swallow found by Richard who very kindly called me, unfortunately only those who were close by connected with it, a Hobby was also present another first for the year for me.

Peregrine over the hay fields scattering the Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits

Record images of the Red-rumped Swallow at Dengemarsh this afternoon

25/04/2021

Pomarine Skua

Because of the persistent cold strong North Easterly winds, I have been mainly sea watching which has been surprisingly rewarding but very time consuming and tiring, though the latter is probably an age thing.

I have managed to see an amazing 33 Pomarine Skuas powering up the English Channel in the last few days which I believe is very unusual here so early in the "Pom" season. Several 1,000s of Common Scoter have moved east past Dungeness along with Arctic and Great Skuas, Common, Sandwich, Little and a single Black Tern, 200+ Little Gulls, 100s of Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits, at least 3 Manx Shearwaters, Divers, Grebes, Ducks etc.

This afternoon I walked around a very windswept reserve, a couple of Bitterns were booming, Sedge and Reed Warblers were heard rather than seen as were Common Whitethroats, a party of 5 Swifts over Christmas Dell are unusually early, more Whimbrel and Godwits could be found virtually all the fields around the reserve, at least 2 drake Garganey at Dengemarsh, several Yellow Wagtails and all the usual suspects. The Iceland Gull was still at The Patch this morning. 

Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits and a Turnstone

1 of a party of 5 Swifts over Christmas Dell this afternoon

 

22/04/2021

The 2nd cy Iceland Gull reappeared this morning after being missing for a couple of days

 06.00-09.30 wit AJG, PT, CP

Shelduck: 1E

Common Scoter: 51E       16W

Red-throated diver: 8E

Black-throated Diver: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 4 around

Fulmar:9E

Gannet: 374E

Cormorant: 37 around

Oystercatcher:10E    

Whimbrel: 10E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 422E

Sanderling: 5E

Kittiwake: 72E

Little Gull: 5E

Black-headed Gull: c250 around

Common Gull: c150 around

Great Black-backed Gull: 14 around

Iceland Gull: 1 regular bird

Herring Gull: c250 around

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4 around

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 102E

Common Tern: 32E

Commic Tern: 208E

Great: Skua: 1E

Arctic Skua: 4E

Guillemot: 11E

Auk sp:56E   

Merlin: 1E female type in

Black Redstart: 1 around male

Harbour Porpoise: 6+

Common Seal: 1

While at the car park after my sea watch I was chatting to Liz and Paul when Liz sotted a Common Swift going NE my earliest ever Swift by 6 days. 

Whimbrel over Boulderwall Fields with my house in the background, reverse garden ticking.

As I had domestic stuff to do I only gave the reserve a cursory visit, but enough time to photograph the Glossy Ibis, see Yellow Wagtails, Sedge Warblers Common Whitethroat, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits. A quick look at Burrowes saw a few Sand Martins and Swallows but it was generally quiet. The 2+ Garganey are still at Dengemarsh per OL.

The Glossy Ibis was strutting its stuff at the entrance to the reserve late morning

A call from Jacques cut short my domestic duties, a few minutes later I was photographing this superb Pied Flycatcher.

A very smart Pied Flycatcher found at the top of the Long Pits by Jacques

21/04/2021

Bar-tailed Godwits passing Dungeness this afternoon

06.00-09.00+10.30-13.00+14.00-17.00 joined at times by RW,AJG,CP,PT,OL,JTM.

From by the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 18E

Common Scoter: 43E

Red-throated Diver:8E

Black-throated Diver: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 22E

Fulmar: 3E      2W

Gannet: 262E

Cormorant: 45E

Oystercatcher:11E    

Whimbrel: 42E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 660E

Sanderling: 6E

Dunlin: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 7E

Sandwich Tern: 177E

Common Tern: 51E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 6E

Auk sp: 1E 

Carrion Crow: 3 in

Swallow: 1W

Harbour Porpoise: 16+

Grey Seal: 1

On the reserve the Glossy Ibis was seen on Cooks Pool per CT, a few Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel can be seen in the fields around the reserve, a single drake Garganey was seen on Dengemarsh today per RW, Common Whitethroat, Sedge and Reed Warbler numbers are increasing.

20/04/2021

Eider drifting past in the fog

When I left home a few minutes before 06.00 I could barely see across the road due to the dense fog but I drove to The point anyway, as on occasions the fog clears as I reach the sea, but not today not until 15.45 when Terns and Skuas started to stream by, whether they had been doing this all day I guess I'll never know but I was very pleased to see my first Pomarine Skuas of the year.

Most birds were between 15.45-18.30

06.00-18.30

Eider: 3W 2 drake and a duck all adult drifted west along the shore line 

Common Scoter: 20E       4W

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E female

Great-crested Grebe: 6 around

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 142E

Cormorant: 205E

Oystercatcher:10E    1W

Grey Plover: 1E

Whimbrel: 15E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 4E

Kittiwake: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 2W

Sandwich Tern: 207E

Common Tern: 805E

Great: Skua: 3E

Pomarine Skua: 2E

Arctic Skua: 11E

Guillemot: 3E

Auk sp: 3E   1W

Merlin: 1E female type

Harbour Porpoise: 12+

News from the reserve that there was a male Brambling visiting the feeders found by MH, 2 Greenshank and a couple of Yellow Wagtails around the hay fields per SM, a Cuckoo at the ARC per PB, a rather poor showing for the 3rd week of April.

16/04/2021

 A bright cold morning but still the nagging NE wind making for another slow sea watch.

06.00-08.30 & 14.00-15.30 with AJG

Greylag Goose: 5W

Teal: 1W

Mallard: 1W

Common Scoter: 21E

Red-throated Diver: 7E    1W     1 on

Great-crested Grebe: 3 on

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 568E

Cormorant: Present n/c

Marsh Harrier: 1 adult male in off

Merlin: 1 hunting off shore

Oystercatcher: 5E

Whimbrel: 1E

Kittiwake: 1E

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Iceland Gull: 1 the long staying 2nd cy bird

Common Tern: 13E 

Sandwich Tern: 32E

Great Skua: 2E

Arctic Skua: 2E

Guillemot: 1E

Auk sp: 38E

Harbour Porpoise: 18

Common Seal: 1

A short walk around The Point was enough to confirm the complete lack of new migrants today, so I decided to re-visit the superb male Pied Flycatcher at Greatstone.

My first Small Tortoiseshell of the year

At Dengemarsh this evening a few hawking Sand Martins and Swallows, still at least 3 Garganey present, 2 Bitterns booming rather half heartedly, a couple of Bearded Tits were glimpsed. A Greenshank was new in on the hay fields where several Redshank and Lapwing are in residence, also 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and a Ruff there.

Sand Martin hawking over Dengemarsh

Still at least 1 Goldeneye on Burrowes this evening

14/04/2021

A long distance record image of the male Hen Harrier that came in from France this morning

The Hen Harrier was undoubtedly the highlight of an otherwise poor sea watch for mid April:

0630-0930 with AJG,RW, SM,AP

Brent Goose: 3E

Greylag Goose: 2E

Teal: 2E

Eider: 6E

Common Scoter: 64E

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 19E    2W

Great-crested Grebe: 6 on

Fulmar: 1W

Grey Heron: 1 in off

Gannet: 548E

Cormorant: 112 feeding off shore first thing

Hen Harrier: 1 adult male in off

Oystercatcher: 4E

Whimbrel: 3E

Kittiwake: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Tern: 2 over The Patch then flew East

Sandwich Tern: 42E

Great Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 1E

Auk sp: 72E

Swallow: 3 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 12

Common Seal: 1

The long staying 2nd cy Iceland Gull this morning

Common Seal on the beach

Boulderwall and Cockles Bridge area was very quiet with just a few Yellow Wagtails in the crop fields.

After a late breakfast I couldn't resist another look at the stunning male Pied Flycatcher at Littlestone, which fortunately showed quite well, a Jay there was a bonus first for the year for me(I don't get off the shingle much).

An hour staring at the sea this afternoon produced just a few more Scoter, Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Terns, Gannets and Auks. 

The lighthouse garden held a female Redstart  and an Acredula type Willow Warbler both of which avoided my camera, but 4+ Chiffchaffs weren't so shy.  A male Redstart was in a private garden this afternoon. The only news from the reserve was that at least 3 Garganey remain at Dengemarsh per RW. This time of year I like to wander around the reserve in the evenings ,but at the moment it is just to darn cold and uncomfortable in the brisk NE wind.

Chiffchaff at the lighthouse garden this afternoon

13/04/2020

The right hand Brent Goose appears to have a broken leg that was flapping around as the flock flew past, either that or a satellite antenna.

A heavy frost and thick fog made the short distance to The Point a very slow drive this morning, miraculously the fog cleared at the beach.  

06.00-09.30 & 14.00-16.00 with CP, AJG, PT,

Brent Goose: 332E

Greylag Goose: 2 in

Shelduck: 3W

Gadwall: 1W  settled on sea west of The Patch

Pintail: 1E drake

Common Scoter: 420E  28W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 32E

Great Northern Diver: 1E @ 08.45

Fulmar: 2E   5W

Great-crested Grebe: 4 around

Gannet: 380E

Cormorant: 43 around

Oystercatcher: 1E   3W

Grey Plover: 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 64E

Kittiwake: 4E   1W

Iceland Gull: 1 the regular bird at The Patch

Sandwich Tern: 230E

Common Tern: 1 over Patch then flew East

Arctic Skua: 2E

Guillemot: 10E       2 on

Razorbill: 1W

Auk sp: 104E

Harbour Porpoise: 12+

I visited Dunes Road, Littlestone today with CP to check out a Treecreeper found there by OL yesterday, also a bonus there was a male Pied Flycatcher found by OL this morning.

We managed to locate the Treecreeper and get some images which definitely rule out Short-toed Treecreeper. Treecreeper is still a good bird down here and is probably the only 1 I will see this year on the peninsular.

Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tits, Great-spotted Woodpeckers and Song Thrushes were all seen  in Dunes Rood woods.

We also located the Pied Flycatcher, I'm afraid my images do not do it justice