PLODDINGBIRDER

Sunday, 3 April 2022

03/04/2022

Mediterranean Gull heading for The Patch this morning

This mornings sea watch was again rather poor, though not surprising as the temperature was -4 when I arrived, causing horrible haze out to sea.

07.00-09.00 joined by RW,

Brent Goose: 172E (13 parties)

Tufted Duck: 2 in off

Common Scoter: 14E

Red-throated Diver: 12E 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 1E 5on

Grebe sp: 1E Slavonian/Black-necked

Gannet: 81E

Cormorant: 136 on sea

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 2E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4E

Common Gull: 19E

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 4E 9W

Guillemot: 1E

Carrion Crow: 5 in off

Linnet: 1W

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Grey Seal: 1

Immature male Marsh Harrier at Dengemarsh

There were a handful each of Swallows and Sand Martins seen this weekend, surprisingly no Sedge Warblers as they are usually singing around Dengemarsh by the 1st,, I guess the northerly winds have held them up along with the Yellow Wagtails that are usually present at Dengemarsh and Scotney by now. On The Point Black Redstarts, Wheatears and chiffchaffs can be found in small numbers. Hopefully with westerly and southerly winds forecast the sea watching may improve bringing the first of the Arctic Skuas for me.

White-fronted Goose on Dengemarsh

2 drake and a duck Garganey Hayfields

Another drake Garganey with a duck almost completely hidden behind it

Little Gull on Burrowes Saturday

Displaying Goldeneye on Burrowes

Yellow colour ringed Caspian Gull from Firth viewpoint, unfortunately to much wind shake even in the viewpoint shelter to read the ring.

There are still 5 Glossy Ibis around, but they are getting more elusive

Nice to have the Greenfinches coming to back garden feeders regularly again

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

30/03/2022

Gannets passing the bouy this morning

A cool gloomy drizzly morning with just a little easterly movement

07.50-09.50 From the sea watch hide:

Brent Goose : 382E (13 parties)

Shelduck: 2E

Pochard: 1E drake

Common Scoter: 20E 1W

Red-breasted Merganser: 4E

Red-throated Diver: 19E

Great-crested Grebe: 1E 2 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 71E

Cormorant: 13 around

Kittiwake: 1E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 18E

Guillemot: 3E

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 5E

Common Seal: 1

Grey Seal: 1

One of the 13 small flocks of Brent Geese that passed East this morning

Garganey on the Hay Fields today

A brisk walk from Springfield Bridge in the hope of some Yellow Wagtails and Sand Martins failed on both counts, likewise a look at Scotney.

The smart Ruff still present

Yesterdays Avocet on the hay fields

At the fishing boats this afternoon a few Red-throated divers flew East, also a Little Gull, but the star was a posing 2nd calendar year Caspian Gull ringed in Poland.

Polish ringed 2nd calendar year Caspian Gull P:WJ7 at the fishing boats this afternoon, attracted by David and Jasons stale bread.

Fighting over a pebble

Would have been my favourite pic of the Caspian Gull had I not chopped its wing tip

Monday, 28 March 2022

28/03/2022

4 of this mornings Mediterranean Gulls

This mornings sea watch was fairly quiet one, except for the mewing of passing Mediterranean Gulls.

08.30-10.00 from the hide

Shoveler: 12E

Teal: 2E 2W

Pintail: 5E

Common Scoter: 82E

Red-throated Diver: 13E

Great-crested Grebe: 1E 2 on

Gannet: 7E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 1E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 40E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 5E

Skylark: 1E

Carrion Crow: 7 in

Linnet: 2E

Linnet collecting nest material in the car park

Peregrine over the power station

Black Redstart at the observatory thanks to Jacob and David

House Sparrow at West Beach, a beautiful bird that I don't photograph often enough

Stock Dove at Jarmans, another beautiful bird I more often than not ignore much to my shame

White Wagtails around Dengemarsh

There have been up to 30 White Wagtails around Dengemarsh, but I've still not found a Yellow Wagtail but they have been reported. Garganey seem to be in view just about every time you lift your binoculars at Dengemarsh and Boulderwall, at least 12 today, also 5 Glossy Ibis that are being a little camera shy, the 4 Cattle Egrets seem to have moved to Boulderwall for last 2 days. Little Egret numbers seem to be building but as is usual this time of year the Great White Egrets seem to be moving on. I guess with the onset of cold weather spring will be put on hold.

1 of 2 Garganey in the ditch that runs parallel to the conveyor at Scotney today

Garganey at Cooks Pool today

Garganey on Hayfield 1

Garganey on Hayfield 2

Little Ringed Plovers on Hayfield 1

Dunlin with Little Ringed Plovers

Saturday, 26 March 2022

26/03/2022

Same NE wind and clear skies as yesterday but slightly better sea watch, bringing the spring sea watch total of Garganey past The Point to 94 birds!

06.50–09.00 RW, RB, PT, OL, SM, DW et al

Brent Goose: 8E

Garganey: 4E

Common Scoter: 13E 9W

Red-throated Diver: 23E

Great-crested Grebe: 2E 6 on

Gannet: 152E 9W

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 34E

Kittiwake: 2E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 6E

Guillemot: 3E

Auk sp: 7E

Merlin: 2 in off

Peregrine: 1 around

Jackdaw: 3 in

Carrion Crow: 7 in

Siskin: 1 in

Harbour Porpoise: 6+

At the ARC 13 Little Egrets and 2 Great White Egrets on the far bank. At Boulderwall 5 Glossy Ibis and at least 2 Garganey reported there along with the usual wildfowl and Harriers.

At Dengemarsh this afternoon 6+ White Wagtails were the highlight, also several Corn Buntings. 2 Swallows and 4 Garganey earlier in the day per RW.

White Wagtail at Dengemarsh

Corn Buntings at Dengemarsh

Friday, 25 March 2022

25/03/2022

Probably the poorest sea watch this year.

06.30-08.30 from the hide AJG

Brent Goose: 18E

Red-throated Diver: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 11 on

Gannet: 56E 8 feeding

Oystercatcher: 18E

Sandwich Tern: 4E

Carrion Crow: 7 in off

Pied Wagtail: 7 in off

Harbour Porpoise: 3

At the observatory 3 Peregrines tussling around the power station, also some unseen Siskins calling as they flew over and a Brambling.

A quick check of the ARC found 2 Great White Egrets and 10 Little Egrets in front of Hanson, viewed from the screen and at least 2 Goldeneye still. At Cooks Pool at least 2 Glossy Ibis and at Cockles Bridge 4 Cattle Egrets still.

At Scotney still good numbers of Wigeon, 20, Avocet, Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Tree Sparrows, and the usual feral geese.

At cool Dengemarsh this afternoon still at least Garganey present, plenty of Teal and Shoveler still, also Cetti's Warblers, Bearded Tits and Bittern which boomed half heartedly as I was leaving, most unusual was a Fieldfare at Springfield Bridge.

I'm guessing this bird lost the argument

The winner perhaps

3 of the Garganey at Dengemarsh this afternoon

Fieldfare at Springfield Bridge

Thursday, 24 March 2022

24/03/2022

North East breeze with clear skies does not bode well for a good sea watch at Dungeness as to todays watch proved.

06.30-09.00 from the hide joined by DW

Brent Goose: 130E

Common Scoter: 8E 2W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 12E 2W

Great-crested Grebe: 7 on

Gannet: 14E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 4E

Kittiwake: 2E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 5E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 17E

Guillemot: 2 on

Jackdaw: 9 in

Carrion Crow: 4 in

Harbour Porpoise: 19

Firth viewpoint now that Firth Hide has been removed

Apparently a screen is going to erected, as to whether it will protect visitors from the elements time will tell but I have my doubts. It was a beautiful calm sunny afternoon, yet when I ventured onto Scott Viewpoint it was very cold and uncomfortable there as the North East wind blew straight from across the lake, I now feel justified in not bothering to venture any further than Dennis's Hide this winter, as the viewpoints are totally unusable for anyone actually wanting to look at birds, even in todays calm conditions.

Where Makepiece Hide stood

A new hide is planned to replace the old Makepiece hide when funds are available. On the plus side you can now view the islands if you can keep your optics steady enough and avoid frostbite.

Black-tailed Godwit at Dengemarsh

A beautiful Lapwing on the hay fields

Walking in to Dengemarsh from Springfield Bridge this afternoon a Bittern quite vocal, as were several Water Rails, Cetti's Warblers but no Bearded Tit today. Several Lapwings look as if they are trying to hod territory on the hay fields, lets hope they are more successful than last year though the same problems for them still exist. A single restless Black-tailed Godwit was flying around. On Dengemarsh there were at least 5 drake Garganey and a duck, with reports from Boulderwall and the ARC it seems there were a minimum of 10 birds present. There were still 4 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge but I heard no reports of the Glossy ibis.