18/01/2022

As I drove along the causeway this morning I passed OL who was staring across the ARC intently, moments later he called me to say that there were 2 Slavonian Grebes there. After I had seen them we made our to the sea watch hide. The 5 mile list moves onto 122.

 09.15-10.15 from the the hide with OL

Brent Goose: 12E

Shoveler: 1E

Wigeon: 27E      3W

Teal: 2W

Red-throated Diver: 123E

Great-crested Grebe: 4 on

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 7E

Cormorant: 1,000s feeding just a few mts off shore

Kittiwake: 48E     20 around

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c  single Argentatus on beach

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 on beach

Guillemot: 21E     50+ on

Razorbill: 6E     10+ on

Auk sp: 143

2nd calendar year Great Black-backed Gull J37EU ringed as a pullus in Southern Norway on 21/07/2021

1 of 4 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge this morning

Common Buzzard feasting on a Fox carcas

2 of 5 Whooper Swans taken into the low afternoon sun at Baynham Farm

3 of 5 Bewick's Swans taken into the low afternoon sun at Baynham Farm

Mistle Thrush a Dungeness scarcity at Dennes Road this afternoon, there was still 36 Bewick Swans there.

Kestrel with its late lunch

Tree Sparrows from around the marsh

Great Black-backed Gull with a large Eel at Scotney Scotney today. At the back of Scotney but just visible from the double bends a flock of at least 36 White-fronted Geese.

There are at least 3 Green Sandpipers wintering around Scotney

5 of the 7 Cattle Egrets that roosted at the ARC along with the 2 Glossy Ibis

14/01/2022

A predictably slow sea watch this morning due to the very still conditions. 

08.15-09.15 with OL

Brent Goose: 2E

Shelduck: 1E

Teal: 13E

Common Scoter: 6E

Red-throated Diver: 123E

Great-crested Grebe: 3E          15 on

Gannet: 7E

Cormorant: 100s feeding off shore

Kittiwake: 16W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Auk sp: 79E    12W   All Auks distant.

Black Redstart: 1 present

Grey Seal: 1

At 07.30 the Bewick Swans left the ARC including "Kinky" for the Dennes Road, Lydd feeding field,  I did not see any Whoopers this morning so presumably they roosted on one of the farmers reservoirs as they were once again feeding at Baynham Farm today.

The Cattle Egrets left the roost immediately after the Swans

As I wandered along the track to Hookers the 2 Glossy Ibis flew over after being flushed by the wildfowlers. Though the weather was lovely I saw very little, the usual Egrets, were more in evidence probably due to the noise of shotguns, Cetti's warblers were chattering unseen, at least 10 Ruff were flying around with the many Lapwing and Golden Plover.

A walk around the marsh this afternoon, found a few winter Thrushes and Tree Sparrows but was disappointing.

12/01/2022

Bewick Swans leaving the ARC at 07.38 this morning viewed from the garden

I joined RW in wander down to The Patch this morning where a 1w Little Gull was showing nicely, we also picked out a 1w and a 2w Caspian Gull neither of which hung around, 5 Gadwall flew west, a single Common Scoter went East and a few Red-throated Divers and Auks were toing and froing. Once again the 2w Iceland Gull didn't show.

Jack Snipe at The Long Pits very little else was seen in my walk up there.

1 of 2 Dartford Warblers around the peninsula today, this one was courtesy of a message from DB.

1 of 5 Ruff in the flooded field at Dengemarsh, but again no Geese. 

I spent the afternoon on Lydd Ranges to make the most of the lovely weather and light. After a long walk out along the green wall I made myself comfortable in the hope that a Short-eared Owl would be out hunting. While waiting a couple of Ravens were seen along with 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard, a Little Egret, 3 Stonechats, a Grey Plover, a few Redshank and 1,000s of distant Lapwing and Golden Plover. After about an hour a I spotted a distant Short-eared Owl, a few minutes later another appeared and started hunting towards me giving superb views in perfect light.

Surveying its domain

Diving for Voles

This second bird kept its distance

11/01/2022

08.10-10.10 from the sea watch hide and The Patch with OL.

Wigeon: 3W

Common Scoter: 7W   4E

Red-throated Diver: 78W     31E     2 on

Great-crested Grebe: 3 on

Gannet: 78W     42E

Cormorant: present n/c

Fulmar: 2W

Oystercatcher: 3E

Kittiwake: 85W     27E

Little Gull: 1 feeding off shore

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2W      1E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Caspian Gull: 1 1w at The Patch

Bonxie: 1W     1E

Guillemot: 129W        c200 present 

Razorbill: 776W    

Auk sp: 370W     260E

Bewick and Whooper Swans on ARC early morning High ISO in near dark conitions

Whooper Swans leaving ARC

Bewick Swans leaving the ARC

A very recognisable Bewick Swan with a kink in its neck

Bewick Swan on Walland

Bewick Swans on Walland

Whooper Swan playing hide and seek on Walland

Yellowhammer on Walland, sadly now quite scarce

A grim afternoon weather wise, as well as the Swans a hunt around Walland found a few Yellowhammers, Tree Sparrows and winter Thrushes. Late afternoon on the reserve saw just a few Goldeneye of note and the Cattle Egrets flying to roost as I was leaving.

Tree Sparrows on Walland take some searching out

There were 12 Ruff among the Lapwings at The double bends at Scotney

2w Iceland Gull and 1w Caspian Gull at The Patch yesterday but not seen today as far as I know

 

07/01/2022

I had a very enjoyable morning at The Patch with DW looking at 100s probably 1,000s of Gulls, the Iceland Gull was present throughout and we found at least 5 1w Caspian Gulls among the throng. A Bonxie flew through the back of the The Patch, uncharacteristically very few Gulls reacted to it, normally they would all alarm and scatter. there was also a couple of Northern Argentatatus Herring Gulls present, they always look mean(the Ray Winstone of Herring Gulls). Surprisingly with the many Gulls present we only located a single colour ringed Herring Gull.

Offshore a trickle of Red-throated Divers, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Auks.

Elsewhere the Cattle Egrets were still around the Horse Paddocks and there were 24 Bewick Swans at Marshlands. I was unable to find any wild Geese at Dengemarsh or Scotney, or the Smew at the ARC. 

2w Iceland Gull

2w Iceland Gull chasing Black-headed Gull

2w Iceland Gull and 1w Caspian Gull

Bonxie fly through

1w Caspian Gull

1w Caspian Gull

1w Caspian Gulls

Argentatus Herring Gull, always look mean

 

06/01/2022

A visit to The Patch first thing where I was joined by DW was disappointing despite 100s of Gulls being present we could find nothing more notable than a Mediterranean Gull among them. A Grey Wagtail was calling from inside the compound and a Black redstart was on the perimeter wall. Offshore many Auks were feeding along with some Gannets, a few Red-throated Divers were tooing and froing.

I was just on my way home for breakfast when I got a call from JY telling me an Iceland Gull was bathing on Burrowes, a few minutes late I was watching the bird which was definitely the same bird I saw at The Patch a couple of days ago, unfortunately it did not hang around, it bathed, preened then flew off over the converter station towards Dengemarsh Gully.

After brunch I drove to the bottom of the Gully stopping off on the way adding Corn and Reed Bunting, Skylark and Reed Bunting to the list. At the bottom of the Gully there were many Gulls, but the wind had picked up and the rain started making viewing difficult and uncomfortable. Thankfully I received another call from JY to say he had just located a red head Smew on the ARC from the screen, with the weather deteriorating rapidly at the Gully I was back in the car and soon ticking off the Smew, the first I have seen for nearly 2 years. A drake Goosander was also seen on the ARC but not by me or JY.

Today there were 24 Bewick Swans at Marshlands.

2w Iceland Gull on Burrowes briefly today

Red head Smew on the ARC my 100th species in the 5 mile circle this year

The Cattle egrets were still showing well at Cockles Bridge today

 

05/01/2022

A bright frosty morning with a biting NW wind, so I chose to have a drive around Walland Marsh in the warmth of the car. First stop was the 19 Bewick Swans at Marshlands, then a brief walk along Caldicott lane for a failed attempt at finding Tree Sparrows, but added Mistle Thrush to the year list.

Next stop the model airfield where 5 Whooper and 2 Bewick Swans could be seen distantly, apparently late morning they flew out over the wind turbines per DG & BB. A wander around a now decimated Midley was virtually birdless, I eventually caught up with a few Fieldfare, Redwing and Song Thrushes along Ashentree Lane. The local guardians of the countryside have decimated many hedges and road side trees are now just stumps.

At Dengemarsh c40 Russian White-fronted Geese were feeding with the Greylags viewed from the chicken sheds.

Some of the 19 Bewick Swans in the field at junction of Dennes Lane/Caldicott Lane

5 Whooper with 2 Bewick Swans very distant, viewed from opposite the model aircraft field

Probably the highlight of an hour at the fishing boats lunchtime was these 5 Shoveler coming in off the sea
 12.00-13.00 high tide at the fishing boats saw the usual 100s of Cormorants and Auks toting and froing, along with some Red-throated Divers, a flock of c100 Kittiwakes was loafing off shore, 5 Common Scoter flew west and 5 Shoveler came in off the sea.

This afternoon at Galloways no sign of any Owls. A Marsh Harrier flushed what would have been the best birds of the day 3 Partridges, unfortunately they were just silhouettes so remain unidentified.