02/08/2023

Little tern at the fishing boats

Sea watching today was an improvement than of late, both Balearic and Manx Shearwaters but only 2 of each, 100s of Common Terns west with smaller numbers of Sandwich Terns and Gannets, also a small number of Little Terns and singles of Roseate and Black tern for 1 lucky observer. The 100s of Swifts were a definite highlight. 

At the ARC it was Groundhog Day Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin, and a few Little Ringed Plovers, the 2 Glossy Ibis also still present.

Some of the 100s of Swifts going out to sea today

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

                                 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Mediterranean Gull by the fishing boats this afternoon

Hummingbird Hawkmoth by the perimeter wall yesterday morning

31/07/2023

Little Tern from the Firth fence

I can only assume that there is little or no fish off of Dungeness at the moment, only 4 Porpoises seen again today where as most years in the summer up to 90 would be present, also there are no feeding flocks of Gannets, Kittiwakes, Gulls, Terns off shore, it would also explain the total lack of any Shearwaters at this end of the channel.

At Burrowes Pit today there were 8 Little Terns, 3 Sandwich Terns, 14 Common Terns, a Turnstone, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover, the Terns probably driven in by the severe weather overnight and today, also 100s of Sand Martins and c20 Swifts.

Little Terns on Burrowes

 

1 of 2 Whimbrel present at the ARC this morning

ARC totals today single each of Wigeon, Greenshank, Wood and Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Sandpipers, 2 Whimbrel, 6 Little Ringed Plovers, 4 Dunlin and Garganey among the usual wildfowl.

Wood Sandpiper from Hanson this afternoon

Wood Sandpiper bathing this afternoon

The back packing drake Garganey from Hanson this afternoon, also another drake present at the far side of the lake.

2 juvenile Garganey from Hanson this afternoon

Sparrowhawk by Hanson Hide

Tree Lichen Beauty the highlight of a meagre catch last night

28/07/2023

This juvenile Little Egret dropped onto the beach in front the sea watch hide this morning, it rested for a few minutes then flew off West.

Sea watching today saw a definite improvement, much better numbers of Gannets and Terns and also an Arctic Skua.
 

These 2  Whimbrel visited the ARC this morning

At the ARC this week Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed and Ringed Plovers, 2 Glossy Ibis and up to 3 Garganey have all been present daily, along with the usual wildfowl. My first 2 Willow Warblers of the autumn were present at the ARC this morning.

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile Common Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

This Temminck's Stint was the highlight at the ARC this week 

                                                                Temminck's Stint

This beautiful Oracle Moth was the standout highlight in the MV this week, the first to have graced my trap.

24/07/2023

The sea continues to be rather quiet and repetitive.

06.45-08.15

Common Scoter: 2E      5W
Great-crested Grebe: 1 present
Kittiwake: 53W     
Mediterranean Gull: 2W 
Great Black-backed Gull: 12W  
Sandwich Tern: 28W
Common Tern: 36W    
Auk sp: 1W
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 61W    5E
Sand Martin: 38 out
Swallow: 6 out
Harbour Porpoise: 5
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1

13 species of wader on the reserve today, Wood, Green and Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Knot and Dunlin, also Great White, Cattle and Little Egrets, Glossy Ibis and the usual wildfowl. A dozen or so Common Terns being very noisy but little sign of nesting, a Hobby, even Bearded Tits were seen and heard despite the abysmal summer weather. 

Wood and Green Sandpiper from Hanson today

Green & Wood Sandpiper joined by a Little Ringed Plover

Common Sandpiper from Hanson

Garganey from Hanson

2 Cattle Egrets around the hay fields today

A first for my trap a Dewick's Plusia

Double Kidney a scarce moth in my trap

21/07/2023

Green Sandpipers

As there was absolutely nothing moving on the sea this morning it was nice that there were a few bits at the ARC today, highlights were 3 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Avocets, 9 Little Ringed Plovers, 6 Ringed Plovers, 12 Dunlin a Redshank, 4 Garganey (3 fresh juveniles and the satellite tracked drake) as well as the usual Lapwing, Oystercatchers and wildfowl. The Glossy Ibis flew over the car park towards the tower and a Hobby was over the Tower pits. A Lesser Emperor dragonfly was seen by Hanson Hide per DB

Little Ringed Plovers, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and the top of a Redshanks head

Little Grebes

Gypsy Moth from last nights catch

 

This Druid will probably be the highlight of the 2023 moth trapping year in my garden. Only the 4th Kent record and 2nd Dungeness area record.

 The sea watching is still rather poor, but I'll keep plodding at it because eventually it will improve.

06.45-08.45 from the hide with RW 

Common Scoter: 13W      2E

Great-crested Grebe: 1 present

Swift: 3W

Oystercatcher: 1W

Grey Plover: 1W

Whimbrel: 1W

Curlew: 2W

Kittiwake: 9W     

Mediterranean Gull:10W 

Yellow-legged Gull: 3W juveniles

Great Black-backed Gull: 27W  

Sandwich Tern: 24W

Common Tern: 4W    

Auk sp: 1W

Gannet: 50W    14E

Sand Martin: 11W

Harbour Porpoise: 3

Grey Seal: 1 
 

Little Egret from Hanson Hide

Despite good conditions at the ARC there is very little turn over of birds there at the moment, though I am sure it will improve in the next few weeks. Still up to 10 Little ringed plovers with 1 pair still sitting on a nest, 6 Ringed Plovers, a Bar-tailed Godwit dropped in for a couple of hours and up to 3 Garganey present along with usual wildfowl.

Yesterday I took a long walk out onto Walland Marsh to check some nest boxes, I was delighted to find that they had been used by Tree Sparrows with several newly fledged young present, plenty of Skylarks were singing and c20 Yellow Wagtails were seen, though not as many as in previous years, also a few Corn Buntings also in lower than usual numbers.

Skylark

Adult male Yellow Wagtail

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail

17.07/2023

As you can see below sea watching at Dungeness is still a very slow, much patience is needed to see anything of note.

6.45-09.00 from the hide with RW & OL

Common Scoter: 3W      1E

Swift: 2 in off

Oystercatcher: 1W

Whimbrel: 1W

Kittiwake: 54W     

Mediterranean Gull: 33W 

Yellow-legged Gull: 1W juvenile  

Sandwich Tern: 19W

Common Tern: 2W 

Guillemot: 3W     

Auk sp: 1W

Gannet: 115W    3E

Arctic Skua: 1E 

Sand Martin: 7 out

Harbour Porpoise: 3

Grey Seal: 1

The power station Peregrines will soon be leaving the safety of there nest ledge

Eclipse drake Garganey at the ARC from Hanson Hide

Avian wise Dungeness is very quiet, Hobbys can be seen at the ARC and Dengemarsh, there are still a couple of Garganey present, a single Cattle Egret, 2+ Great White Egrets, several each of Little Ringed Plovers and Ringed Plovers and maybe up to 5 pairs of Common Terns, along with the usual Marsh Harriers and wildfowl. AS usual this time of year there are many 100s of Sand martins moving through the peninsula.

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.