21/10/2022

 07.45-09.15 from the fishing Boats
Brent Goose: 7W    
Wigeon: 1W
Common Scoter: 22W   45E
Velvet Scoter: 3W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Red-throated Diver:  1 on
Gannet: 39W    7E
Kittiwake: 26W
Mediterranean Gull: 8W

Little Gull: 1 juvenile feeding off shore
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Arctic Tern: 1W
Razorbill: 1,040W
Auk sp: 230W
Swallow: 7 out
Starling: 20 in 
Goldfinch: 500 over 

Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2

Short-eared Owl over The Desert this morning

A wander around the Desert saw my first Short-eared Owl of the autumn, 1,200 Goldfinches, 46 Skylarks, 9 Swallows, 14 Siskin and 2 Redpoll.

At The ARC 3 Spoonbills were roosting with the Gulls,  one of which was ringed in Holland. Among the Gulls were a number of colour ringed Gulls, including Spanish, Norwegian, Dutch and French. Also present were 2 Glossy Ibis, 5 Great White Egrets, the Kingfisher made another visit and late Hobby was hawking over the Willow Trail. 

3 Juvenile Spoonbills that had been roosting on the ARC

A late Hobby over the ARC

Common Buzzard in the Willow Trail

Spot the odd one out

20/10/2022

As my car was in for service this morning I missed all the Little Gulls passing, but did catch up with Dartford Warbler and 4 Firecrests in The Moat and another in the lighthouse garden.

Sandwich Tern

13.30-15.00 from the fishing boats

Brent Goose: 21W    

Teal: 9W

Wigeon: 5W

Common Scoter: 307W    9E

Red-breasted Merganser: 1W

Red-throated Diver:  2 on

Gannet: 14W

Curlew 1W

Turnstone: 1 present

Kittiwake: 5W

Mediterranean Gull: 4 around

Sandwich Tern: 5 around

Razorbill: 1W

Auk sp: 7W

Skylark: 3 in

Starling: 20 in

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Common Scoter passing the fishing boats

Spoonbill from Hanson this afternoon

 The Kingfisher was very obliging this afternoon

19/10/2022

In a strong easterly wind the sea watch hide was the sensible place to watch from. Brent Geese were moving south in reasonable numbers though most of them were several miles offshore and heading for the French coast.

O7.30-10.00 from the hide with OL & RW,

Brent Goose: 2,001W    26E

Teal: 27W

Wigeon: 146W

Goldeneye: 3E

Common Scoter: 16W     6E

Red-throated Diver: 3W     1 on

Gannet: 27W

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 3W

Mediterranean Gull: 11E

Sandwich Tern: 2 around

Arctic Skua: 1W

Auk sp: 43W

Skylark: 3 in

Starling: 20 in

Grey Seal: 1

One of three Firecrests in Dengemarsh Gully today

A walk from Springfield Bridge to Dengemarsh Gully found 4 Corn Buntings, a fly over Fieldfare, 4 Song Thrushes flushed and at least 3 Firecrests in the Gully, but little else in the blustery conditions. The Spoonbill was back at Dengemarsh where 6 Cattle Egrets were with the cattle also a single Ruff there. Another 6 Cattle Egrets were at Boulderwall, 2 Glossy Ibis and the Long-tailed Duck were on the ARC.

Fox keeping a wary eye on me

Spoonbill with a Little Egret on Dengemarsh

One of six Cattle Egrets on hay field 2

A superb Deaths Head Hawkmoth found by Dave Bunney yesterday

17/10/2022

An hour in the sea watch hide sheltering from the rain this morning:

08.00-09.00 

Common Scoter: 7W

Red-throated Diver: 1W

Great-crested Grebe: 1 present

Gannet: 73W

Kittiwake: 4W

Mediterranean Gull: 4W

Razorbill: 234W

Auk sp: 189W

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Dartford Warbler on the return trail on the reserve

A long walk around the reserve checking all the lakes for the elusive Ruddy Duck, so elusive that none of the locals have seen it nor know anybody who has. The highlight on Burrowes was 16 Great White Egrets but little else of note. In todays breeze and rain the viewpoints offered no protection from the weather, little wonder there were minimal visitors.

Kingfisher from Hanson Hide this afternoon

Little Stints from Hanson

Spotted Redshank at Dengemarsh

Ornate Sheildbug, thanks to David Walker for showing me

14/10/2022

A wander around the trapping area, Desert and Long Pits this morning saw and heard a steady trickle of Skylarks, Siskin Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Reed Buntings, House Martins and Swallows and 2 Brambling, on the ground 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Dartford Warblers, 2 Black Redstarts, 34 Chiffchaffs and 24 Stonechats.

There 18 Great White Egrets at the ARC, 2 Glossy Ibis Boulderwall Fields and at least 14 Cattle Egrets around the reserve. The ARC played host to at least 7 Caspian Gulls.

Long-tailed Duck at the ARC today

Long-tailed Duck at the ARC today

 

7 of 18 Great White Egrets on Burrowes this afternoon

Great White Egret from Dennis's

Polish yellow ringed TPT0 Black-headed Gull on the ARC

Polish yellow ringed P.71X Caspian Gull at the ARC

12/13/10/2022

Chiffchaff in the Trapping area yesterday

Long-tailed Tit in the trapping area yesterday

This mornings sea watch from the hide was abysmal considering the date, though lack of wind and constant drizzle didn't help.

08.00-09.00 

Brent Goos: 19W (11 + 8)

Common Scoter: 2W

Red-throated diver: 1W     2 present

Gannet: 12W

Cormorant: 26 all into Rye Bay

Sandwich tern: 1W

Razorbill: 3W

Auk sp 4E        39W

Grey Seal: 1

6 of the 8 Great White Egrets at the ARC this morning

2 visits at the ARC of note 8 Great White Egrets, 4 Little Stints, 2 Glossy Ibis, 3 Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 1w Caspian Gull, 2 Ruff and the Long-tailed Duck was still present.

At Dengemarsh today 14 Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret and 2 Caspian Gulls, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, among large numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Golden Plover and Lapwing at the ARC

Colour ringed Lapwing at the ARC possibly a German bird

Crows feasting on dead Swan at the ARC

 

10/10/2022

Arctic Skua at the fishing boats yesterday

Yesterdays Sabine's Gull being photo bombed by Brent Geese

Red-throated Diver at the fishing boats yesterday

Juvenile Herring Gull impaled on an anglers lure at the fishing boats yesterday, the hook does not appear to be barbed so with luck the lure will come off soon.
 

1 of 2 Little Stints at the ARC late morning

As it was a very warm still start to the day this morning I had high hopes of a fall of Thrushes and Warblers, by 09.00 it was raining, the wind was blowing and temperature had dropped several degrees.

2 Firecrests and a Goldcrest along with Chiffchaffs and Goldfinches were trapped and ringed at the observatory before the rain sat in. A Yellow-browed Warbler was heard in the trapping area by JS.

Another Yellow-browed Warbler was heard at the ARC Pines by JY and was still calling there late morning when I arrived. The bushes were full of Chiffchaffs and a few Blackcaps and a few Goldcrests.

From Hanson 2 Little Stints, a Black-tailed Godwit, 60+ Golden Plover, the female Long-tailed Duck, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 4 Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Glossy Ibis.

A Spoonbill dropped into Dengemarsh another Yellow-browed Warbler was at the top of the Long Pits late afternoon per JTM.

Black-tailed Godwit at the ARC this afternoon

Long-tailed Duck still on the ARC this afternoon

Mediterranean Gull white ring 3367 ringed in Antwerp

Red Fox sleeping in the afternoon sunshine