27/09/2024

Absolutely mind blowing the number of Hirundines leaving our shores in such a short space of time yesterday morning

07.45-10.15 from the boats with SG, TW,JY

Brent Goose: 2E       34W   Another 48W this PM 

Wigeon: 13W

Teal: 5W

Common Scoter: 8E

Oystercatcher: 3E     2W     

Sandwich Tern: 47W          

Common Tern: 10W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4 present

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Arctic Skua: 1W

Balearic Shearwater: 1W

Gannet: 51W    

Cormorant: Present n/c

Sparrowhawk: 1 in off

Swallow: 126,000 out

Sand Martin: 500 out

House Martin: 84,000 out

Meadow Pipit:1,000 out

Harbour Porpoise: 4

Grey Seal: 1

Tuna: 1

If watching 200,000 Hirundines wasn't enough to make a great day at Dungeness birding, a text from Dave Bunney saying come quickly I've got a Bonelli's Warbler in the garden. Needless to say less than 5 minutes later the fishing boats had been vacated and we were looking into Davids garden, thankfully before we had even seen the bird its identity as a Western Bonelli's rather than Eastern was confirmed by its call. I then spent several hours taking way too many images of the bird but thoroughly enjoying myself. To cap it all Sheila gave us one her lovely Ice Creams! Definitely recommended.

Western Bonelli's Warbler

About to catch a fly

Spotted Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Little Grebe from Hanson

Glossy Ibis still at the ARC

2 of the Balearic Shearwaters that passed the fishing boats this morning

The new Mirror outside Boulderwall Farm House

With the installation of the mirror pulling out of the ARC car park onto Dungeness Road is much safer now you can see if the road is clear. 

20/09/2024

This mornings sea watch was so abysmal I didn't bother going to the fishing boats this afternoon. Apparently I made the right choice as Richard went to the boats and saw just a couple of Brent Geese.

No waders on the ARC today, though the water levels are rising fast, the only notable was the Glossy Ibis.

As the NE wind was still roaring across the peninsular today there was scant coverage but I doubt there was much to see.

One of at least six Caspian Gulls seen on Burrowes today

Norwegian ringed GBB Gull J16EY

Glossy Ibis incoming at the ARC

Pintails on the ARC

 A few moths form the last couple of days

Clany's Rustic

Delicate

Palpita Vitrealis

19/09/2024

As you can see below the sea watching is still abysmal, probably due to the roaring NE winds blowing across the peninsular. The winds are also responsible for the lack of passerines apart from Hirundines that are still streaming through.

The sandpit has had a clear out of waders, now just a few Avocets and 2 each of Green and Common Sandpiper, The water levels on the ARC are still rising from the recent deluges now seeping through into the lake. This afternoon all I could find there was a Common Sandpiper and a few Lapwing. The track into the ARC car park was resurfaced today and is now nice and smooth.

The works on Christmas Dell/New Excavions has finished, the new islands look good, but time will tell if the Terns and Black-headed Gulls nest there, also the on going maintenance of the islands could be an issue due to lack of staff. The digger is now starting work on Denge Marsh creating 3 islands which will no doubt have the same maintenance issues, also I believe some rafts are to be deployed on Denge Marsh.

The weather at the weekend is shaping up to be quite good for birding.🤞

07.35-08.35 from the hide with RW, OL

Brent Goose: 2E

Wigeon: 2E

Common Scoter: 7 on sea

Dunlin: 3E      

Sandwich Tern: 38E           

Common Tern: 6E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Arctic Skua: 1E

Gannet: 22E      

Cormorant: Present n/c

Swallow: 362SE

Sand Martin: 13SE

House Martin: 7SE

Meadow Pipit: 4NE

Harbour Porpoise: c6

Grey Seal: 1

Yellow Wagtails at Boulderwall today

Cattle Egrets at Boulderwall today

Green Woodpecker at the ARC

1st calendar year Caspian Gull at the fishing boats yesterday

16/09/2024

This mornings sea watch with OL 07.20-09.00 

Mallard: 1E

Teal: 9W

Wigeon: 8W

Common Scoter: 3E

Sandwich Tern: c40 around

Common Tern: c10 around

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull:  present n/c

Arctic Skua: c10 around

Balearic Shearwater: 4E          13W

Gannet: 17W

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: c20 

Todays highlight a Grasshopper Warbler this morning courtesy of Dungeness Bird Observatory

A wander around The Desert saw and heard plenty of Chiffchaffs and a few Blackcaps, 9 Stonechats, 2 Ravens but little else of note.

A visit to the ARC saw 4 Cattle Egrets, a Glossy Ibis and a Little Ringed Plover as the only notable species. 

90 minutes early afternoon at the fishing boats was very pleasant in the warm sunshine out of the wind, but birds were very few and far between.

A late afternoon visit to Dennis's after the American Golden Plover had been reported found only 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Dunlin among the Lapwings and Gulls also 2 Black Terns present.

Sandwich Tern at the fishing boats

Common Tern at the fishing boats

 

15/09/2024

A few birds seen over the last few days on the peninsular

Yet another Honey Buzzard over the peninsular

Female Red-veined Darter in The Moat

Wood Sandpiper with Red-necked Phalarope in the Sandpit

 Red-necked Phalarope in the Sandpit

 Red-necked Phalarope in the Sandpit

Wood Sandpiper in the Sandpit

Common Sandpiper at the ARC

Pectoral Sandpiper at the ARC

Long-tailed Tit at the ARC

The American Golden Plover that was on Burrowes Pit for a few hours on Saturday

3w Caspian Gull on Burrowes Pit Saturday

Little Owl at Scotney

Greenshanks at Scotney

Tree Sparrows Walland Marsh

Red-necked Phalarope at the Sandpit this morning

Red-throated Diver at the fishing boats this afternoon

Balearic Shearwaters at the fishing boats this afternoon