09/10/2022 Sabine's gull

The superb Sabine's Gull at the Fishing boats

07/10/2022

A wander around The Desert and Long Pits this morning was quiet rewarding, the stars being 3 Dartford Warblers in The Desert, a fourth bird was seen by the station by OL, 29 Skylarks flew NW along with a Brambling, 32 Siskin, 8 Chaffinch, 2 Grey Plover, 4 House Martins and 7 Swallows. 73 Chiffchaffs were recorded in the bushes with 9 Blackcap, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 3 Green Woodpeckers, 12 Stonechats were recorded as was 6 Kestrels and Marsh Harrier.

Tree Sparrow at back of Scotney

A long walk out towards the wind turbines was a little disappointing because of the lack of Corn and Reed Buntings and Skylarks, though 20 Tree Sparrows was very nice, 4 Marsh Harriers, between 6-10 Common Buzzards and 2 Green Sandpipers.

2 Green Sandpipers at Scotney

Long-tailed Duck this afternoon on the ARC

Late afternoon at the ARC from Hanson yesterdays Long-tailed Duck was still present and at least 4 Colour ringed Gulls were present but otherwise fairly quiet.

There are still at least 2 Glossy Ibis still around, Cooks Pool seems to be their place of choice lately, also up to 15 Cattle Egrets and the usual Great White Egrets still present.

Spanish ringed Lesser black-backed Gull N:CXV oat the ARC this afternoon

Arctic Skua yesterday from the fishing boats

2 Spoonbill at Scotney yesterday

 

06/10/2022

A wander around the The Desert and trapping area this morning found a trickle of Hirundines and Skylarks, also a few Siskins, Goldfinches, Chaffinches over, a single Wheatear in the NE Desert and 4 Black Redstarts around Lloyds.  Mid morning at the ARC 4 Black-tailed Godwits, a Little Stint, a 1w Caspian Gull and a Spoonbill. 

Black-tailed Godwit from Hanson

Lapwing from Hanson

Spoonbill from Hanson

Spoonbill

Late morning a Red-breasted Flycatcher was found in The Moat at the observatory, although quite mobile around its favoured Sallow it showed quite well.

Red-breasted Flycatcher

                                                        Red-breasted Flycatcher

                                                        Red-breasted Flycatcher

05/10/2022

1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this morning

08.00-10.00 from the fishing boats with JS & DW

Common Scoter: 27W

Great-crested Grebe: 2 present

Balearic Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 424W

Cormorant: Present n/c

Turnstone: 1 present

Kittiwake: 1W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Common Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 present

Caspian Gull: 2 present

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 52W

Arctic Skua: 10W

Razorbill: 4W

Auk sp: 33W

Peregrine: 1

Grey Seal: 1 

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Swallow: c2,000 south

House Martin: c100 south

Sand Martin: 3 south

Wasp nest broken into by a Badger by the screen hide

 A Hobby was hunting Swallows over the causeway. At Cooks Pool 2 Glossy Ibis, 6 Cattle Egrets in fields by Tanners. Burrowes was agin very quiet.

The ARC has become a very interesting Gull roost especially for ring readers, also a Little Stint and 4 Dunlin there.

Back at Dungeness

I've been sea watching in Spain at Estaca de Bares for the last 2 weeks, hopefully I will get round to doing a post on the trip.

A slightly out of focus Siberian Chiffchaff that was trapped and and ringed at the observatory yesterday along with many Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

1 of several Red-throated Divers currently feeding close inshore at the fishing boats, along with some Auks, Sandwich Terns, Arctic Skuas and Gannets. This morning at least 2 Balearic Shearwaters flew West along with a few Brent Geese, on the beach at least one Caspian Gull came to bread. 

A couple of Glossy ibis on Dengemarsh, where there were 11 Cattle egrets and a Spoonbill yesterday.

 

Cattle Egrets at Dengemarsh

A juvenile Cattle Egret at Dengemarsh

Great White Egret at Dengemarsh

Glossy Ibis at Hanson today

A Toadlet on the track to Hanson this afternoon

Great Green Bush Cricket on the track to Hanson this afternoon

13/09/2022

A short walk around the bushes this morning found a few Wheatears, lots of Meadow Pipits, a few Hirundines going south and not much else.

Black-tailed Godwit in small pool by Axell viewpoint ARC

From Hanson today 2 Wood , 5 Common, a Curlew and  a Green Sandpiper, a Little Stint, an Avocet, 4 Dunlin, a Redshank, 87 Golden Plover, 5 Glossy Ibis, 2 Black Terns etc. A Spotted Flycatcher at the pines.

Glossy Ibis's on the ARC today

1 of 2 1w Caspian Gulls on Burrowes today

 Yellow ringed H049T a bird from Heligoland

3 Curlew Sandpipers, a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, a Little Stint and a Greenshank flew over, from Firth viewpoint which was very uncomfortable today in the North East wind and drizzle, amazingly there was no else there, can't think why.

1w Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Just a couple of Arctic Skuas chasing Sandwich Terns off shore from the fishing boats were the highlights of a short sea watch this afternoon.

I apologise for the Sandwich Tern overload, my excuse is that they were feeding close in to the fishing boats and very little else was passing.