Bonaparte's Gull

 Today along with Owen, Colin and Richard I made the pilgrimage to Oare Marshes to see the Bonaparte's Gull that has returned again for at least its tenth year, it did not disappoint us giving us superb views. The water level on the flood was quite high but still held 100s of Black-tailed Godwits, 10s of Redshank, Avocet and Dunlin, with a few Greenshanks. Every time a shower threatened pulses of Swifts and Sand martins came through, also a Red Kite flew over. There were many Bees, dragonflies and butterflies there. As is now a tradition we finished the day with a piece of Owens delicious home made Madeira Cake.

Bonaparte's Gull

This Swallow was nesting in one of the hides at Oare Marshes, as it was in near darkness I had use 20,000 ISO to get an image, consequently its quite grainy.

11/07/2023

 

Common Scoter west past the Bouy this morning

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull feeding on Whitebait

An oddly enjoyable sea watch seeing 600+ Swift fly out to sea, a stream of Mediterranean Gulls heading west feeding along the shoreline on the abundance of Whitebait, I saw 174 but I'm sure many more slipped by underneath my scope as I was counting Swifts out at sea and looking for Shearwaters that didn't appear. 

07.00-10.30 from the hide with OL
Common Scoter: 26W
Great-crested Grebe: 1 present
Oystercatcher: 2E
Swift: 634 SW
Curlew: 1W
Whimbrel: 1W
Kittiwake: 7W     
Mediterranean Gull: 174W 
Yellow-legged Gull: 3+ present   
Sandwich Tern: 4W  
Common Tern: 1E 
Guillemot: 5E
Fulmar: 2W 
Gannet: 26W     
Sand Martin: 16 out
Harbour Porpoise: 5
Grey Seal: 2

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull enjoying the Whitebait

1st summer Mediterranean Gull

2nd Summer Mediterranean Gull

1st Summer, 2nd Summer and adult Mediterranean Gull

A nice comparison between a Juvenile Mediterranean Gull (top bird) and a juvenile Black-headed Gull

The ARC was fairly quiet today with all the usual birds still present but nothing new, Cooks Pool held Cattle and Great White Egret, many Sand Martins could be seen heading south all over the reserve.

A Glossy Ibis was seen to drop into the tower pits per RW.

Little Ringed Plover still sitting tight at the ARC

Sedge Warbler from Hanson early afternoon

Cattle Egret at Cooks Pool this afternoon

Great White Egret at Cooks Pool this afternoon

Marsh Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper

Yesterday morning after another tedious sea watch I went to Hanson Hide, on opening the flaps I could see a small flock of Redshanks which were new in, getting myself settled I started to scan the flock with my scope an immediately spotted a smaller paler wader among them, first thought was Greenshank but immediately dismissed it due to size, which only left Marsh Sandpiper. With a little panic setting in I doubled checked the bird, size between Redshank and Wood Sandpiper, needle straight thin bill, long green grey legs, slight supercillium and blackish spots on its back making it an adult, happy with the identification I put the news out. 

Marsh Sandpiper with Redshanks

Marsh Sandpiper, Redshanks and Lapwing

Marsh Sandpiper chased by Lapwing

Marsh Sandpiper, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing

Marsh Sandpiper, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing

Common Sandpipers

Greenshank with juvenile Redshank

Satellite tagged eclipse drake Garganey still present

Cattle Egret at Boulderwall

05/07/2023

 

After the sea watch I joined DW at The Patch where he spotted this juvenile Yellow-legged Gull the first of the year. Also 30+ Mediterranean Gulls there and a couple 2nd year Yellow-legged Gulls.

Even by recent standards this mornings sea watch was abysmal!

07.00-08.00 from the hide 
Great-crested Grebe: 1  present

Kittiwake: 3W
Mediterranean Gull: 7W towards The Patch
Sandwich Tern:  1W    4E
Guillemot: 2W
Gannet: 18W
Cormorant: 1W    1E
Swift: 24 in    
Harbour Porpoise: None seen today again
Grey Seal: 1

1 of the Common Sandpipers at The ARC today

Yesterdays Wood Sandpiper at the ARC was still present today, along with another, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Dunlin. 10 Little Ringed Plovers, 7 Ringed Plovers, a Garganey and all the other usual suspects. 

A walk around the reserve late afternoon in the strong winds saw many Sand Martins around, 8 Common Terns, a Black-tailed Godwit and the usual Gulls, a Hobby flashed over Christmas Dell but I saw little else, the pool behind Dengemarsh Hide is drying up rapidly. 

Pine Hawkmoth, the highlight of a soggy moth trap this morning

03/07/2023

Meadow Pipit on the Sea Kale behind the sea watch hide

Another unsurprisingly dour sea watch, if I don't look I will never have a good one.

 07.30-09.00 from the hide with OL

Common Scoter: 1E
Oystercatcher: 1E
Kittiwake:2W
Mediterranean Gull: c9 around
Sandwich Tern:  4W
Guillemot: 4W
Gannet: 2E     52W
Cormorant: 2W    3E
Swift: 5 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1

This Cattle Egret was new in at the ARC this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper and 4 Dunlin, in 3 visits today there was very little change.

The back packing drake Garganey was still present at the ARC

A Great White Egret heading over the ARC car park towards Boulderwall

An afternoon visit to very windswept Burrowes saw just 2 Common Terns of any note, At the Firth the wind was so strong I was unable to keep my binoculars steady despite standing in the shelter of the screen, a complete waste of money, the only people who use it are those that turn up in perfect weather conditions, at Makepiece there is now not even the pretence of any shelter as everything has been removed. I got as far as Scott before giving up when I came across a party of 4 dog walkers. 

A Small Mottled Willow not annual in my trap was the highlight from last nights trapping.

02/07/2023

Unsurprisingly this mornings sea watch not much to get excited about.

07.00-09.00 from the hide with RW & JC,

Mallard: 1W
Teal:1W
Common Scoter: 8E
Oystercatcher: 1W
Kittiwake: 7W
Mediterranean Gull: c8 around
Sandwich tern: 9E   5W
Common Tern: 2W
Guillemot: 1W
Auk sp: 2W    1E
Gannet: 1E      21W
Cormorant: 11W
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
Grey Seal: 2

Eclipse drake Garganey, its satellite tracker just about be seen here, shame the ring is unreadable.

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover with a Little Egret from Hanson Hide

No change avian wise on the peninsula in the persistent strong westerly wind.

Large Emerald, although fairly common nationally it is less than annual in my trap

Lozentaeniodes formosana, this one no doubt wandered from the Pines in the army camp

Metzneria lappella a regular in the trap

01/07/2023

Green Sandpiper with Lapwing and Ringed Plover from Hanson

As expected the reserve was fairly quiet today in the strong wind, plenty of eclipse wildfowl are present, a moulting adult Great White Egret and several Marsh Harriers, most the smaller birds were keeping themselves in deep shelter, a trickle of Sand Martins were passing through along with a few Swifts, 

Reed Warbler from Hanson

Eclipse drake Garganey from Hanson

1 legged Common tern from Hanson

My first Shore Wainscott of the year yesterday