17/06/2024

Grass Snake hunting Marsh Frogs at the ARC

Marsh Frog ARC

As is usually the case this time of year the birding is very quiet as most birds are settled down to nesting. 

Norfolk Hawker in the  trapping area today

Close up of a `Norfolk Hawker looking straight into the camera

Small Skippers have appeared all over the peninsula

Young Great Tit from the Hanson Hide nest where at least 7 fledged, not a bad result considering the poor weather.
 

16/06/2024

Manx Shearwater (Library image from last autumn)

07.00-09.00 with JD, MW from the sea watch hide

Common Scoter: 5E

Kittiwake: 2W 

Great Black-backed Gull: 3E     4W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 3W      12E

Commic Tern: 6W       2E

Great Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 7E   5W

Auk sp:  4E     5W

Fulmar: 5W

Manx Shearwater: 60W    2E

Gannet: 17E    140W

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Manx Shearwater (Library image from last autumn)

With the peninsular still being swept by this annoying strong wind the few birds that are around were keeping their heads down, so a long wander around the reserve saw very little. The 2 Avocet pairs are still sitting on the slivers of islands on the ARC from Hanson, a few Hobbys were darting around seemingly not very successful in catching much. Once the clouds moved through most of the Swifts departed with them.

15/06/2024

 07.15-09.00 with RW, AM from the sea watch hide.
Common Scoter: 11E
Great-crested Grebe: 2 present 
Curlew: 1W    
Kittiwake: 3W
Black-headed Gull: 2E   
Great Black-backed Gull: 2E      1W
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 2W
Common Tern: 4W
Guillemot: 2E  
Fulmar: 2W
Manx Shearwater: 109W    1E
Gannet: 13E    33W
Swift: 5E
Grey Seal: 1

The rest of my day was taken up with domestic stuff.

14/06/2024

 With overnight strong winds a few Manx Shearwaters were expected but not 288 of them, a single Arctic skua East was also a surprise.

07.15-09.30 with RW, JD, OL. 

Common Scoter: 12E

Great-crested Grebe: 3 present 

Kittiwake: 9W

Black-headed Gull: 37W

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 7W

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 3E  

Fulmar: 2W

Manx Shearwater: 288W

Gannet: 29E    44W

Swift: 3E

Harbour Porpoise: 2 

Grey Seal: 1

A Great-crested Grebe taking a large Marsh Frog

At the ARC 2 pairs of Avocets appear to be nesting on the small amount of islands that are now showing, hopefully no heavy rain will come in the next few weeks. There still seems to be several Hobbys present and at least 3 Cuckoos, a Bittern is still booming regularly in front of the screen hide leading me to think it is unpaired. A Norfolk Hawker was along the the track to Hanson.

2 Cal year Great Black-backed Gull J99AM ringed as nestling in southern Norway last June.

The Hobbys around the reserve have been very entertaining and showy

Good to see the Norfolk Hawkers around the reserve

11/06/2024

In 90 minutes early morning the ARC I didn't see a single Bee, hopefully it was only because the temperature was 7° ridiculously low for this time of year, I didn't bother with the moth traps either. The pair of Avocets at the ARC finally look as though they will nest, I have seen them mating and making a nest scrape. Hopefully there will be no serious rain in the coming weeks so that the islands will good for returning migrants.

Another wander around the reserve today saw very little change, still 4 Avocets on the hay fields but no sign of the Garganey, though it could easily be hiding in the sedge. The cold north wind seems to have a subdued effect on all the birds as very little song was heard. 

Superb display by several 100s of Swifts at the ARC last night

Sucking in the insects

Hobby in the morning heat haze despite the cold wind

Brown Hare from last night

Surveying its domain

09/06/2024

This time of year is usually very quiet avian wise as most of the resident species have settled down to breeding. An early morning visit to the ARC saw a couple of Avocets on a sliver of an island that is now above water, with the continuing dry weather albeit not very summery there should soon be enough islands showing that they might have a try at nesting. So far the seabird rafts around the reserve don't seem to be attracting many sea birds, in fact I didn't see a single Tern on the reserve in the last couple of days.Reed and sedge Warblers numbers appear to be in low numbers as are Common Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats appear to be in good numbers. A bittern was booming at the ARC this morning, also another at Hookers and another at Dengemarsh, Bearded Tit numbers seem to be low this year but there is a pair or 2 at the ARC. The hay fields although looking good don't seem to be attracting many breeding birds, possibly due to to the hordes of Crows, disturbance the farmer moving cattle and and the the seeming ever present sound of strimmers and mowers. The drake Garganey and some times a duck have been showing on the Hayfield 1 along with up to 6 Avocet, notably very few Redshank and Lapwing, though some pairs of Lapwing seem to successful outside the protected areas.

Garganey spooked by a Teal that was spooked by a Coot

 

Sedge Warbler

Reed Bunting

Marsh Harrier

Lesser Whitethroat

Along the Lydd track plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, also a few Corn buntings and Yellow Wagtails, with Hobbys hawking the ditches. 

Skylark in the sunshine

Skylark in cloudy weather

Meadow Pipit

Corn Bunting

Lapwing Chick on the Oxbow

07/06/2024

Yesterday morning I was enjoying a cup of tea with Dave Bunney and Owen when Dave spotted a high flying raptor which turned out to be another Black Kite, our 3rd one in a few days. Unfortunately the rest of my day was taken up with domestic tasks, like most of today after my early morning walk around the reserve.

2 of 4 Avocets on the emerging islands on the ARC

Common Tern over the ARC, a rare sight there this year.

Common Whitethroat

Garganey on hayfield 1

5 Cattle Egrets that were roving the hay fields

A Red Kite that flew in front my house this morning, thanks to John Y for letting me know it was headed in my direction.

The Home Office De Havilland that seems to daily fly into Lydd Airport