29/10/2024

A drizzly foggy morning on the peninsular ruled out any chance of a sea watch, indeed I did not leave home until after 10.00 when the weather began to improve. A damp walk around The Point found at least 5 Dartford Warblers, 3 Black Redstarts and a couple of Goldcrests. Overhead a few each of Redpoll, Siskin and Chaffinch were heard but not seen and again no Thrushes except a 3 Blackbirds. 

On the reserve the 2 Black-necked Grebes and the Red-throated Diver were still on Burrowes but little else and only a handful of Gulls. At Denge Marsh again few Gulls just 2 Common Snipe on the new islands of any note, with 24 more on the new Christmas Dell islands.

8 Cattle Egrets and 4 Great White Egrets were on Boulderwall Fields.

Darford Warblers

Goldcrest

Black Redstarts

Common Snipe at Denge Marsh

28/10/2024

Intense rainbow over the power station as I arrived this morning at sunrise

A very busy sea watch on my own but no quality.

06.50-08.45 from the Hide &13.00-14.00 from the Fishing Boats
Brent Goose: 10W
Wigeon: 1W
Common Scoter: 4W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 2E
Dunlin: 1W
Curlew: 1W
Sandwich Tern: 5W
Kittiwake: 26W
Black-headed Gull: c2,000W
Mediterranean Gull: 41W          
Common Gull: 172W
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c 

Arctic Skua: 1W
Razorbill: 311W    
Guillemot: 20W  
Auk: 48W    21E
Red-throated Diver: 2W
Gannet: 556W.   89E
Cormorant: 434W
Peregrine: 1 in off carrying prey

Swallow: 3 SW out to sea
Starling: 30W
Goldfinch: 18W

Harbour Porpoise: 1
Grey Seal: 1
A brisk walk around The Desert and southern trapping area was as expected very poor avian wise, a few Chiffchaffs heard, and a few each of Redpoll and Siskin overhead was about it.

On the reserve 4+ Great White Egrets and 8 Cattle Egrets around the Boulderwall Fields, from Dennis's the Red-throated diver was quite distant and couple of Caspian Gulls on the ever diminishing islands.

From Hanson very little of interest the usual wildfowl are clinging on to a few stalks of vegetation that were once islands. In the Willow Trail a Migrant Hawker and Great spotted Woodpecker, along with several unseen Water rails and Cetti's Warblers. As far as I know only Tom and myself are left on the peninsular this week, Wednesday and Thursday are looking interesting weather wise.

Great White Egret

One of two 1w Caspian Gulls from Dennis's late morning

27/10/2024

On my arrival at The Point this morning there was no wind, also because the peninsular was shrouded in fog a sea watch was out of the question. Goldfinches and Chaffinches could be heard above the fog, along a few each of Redpoll, Siskin and Brambling, a juvenile Marsh Harrier appeared out of the gloom and sailed out to sea.  In the the gardens Chiffchaffs were calling with the odd Firecrest and Goldcrest as yet unseen, until the shroud lifted revealing sparkling clear skies but in truth few birds. Walking round the area very few thrushes were encountered but at least 8 Dartford Warblers were encountered, also an increasingly scarce Brown Hare, RW nearly stepped on a Short-eared Owl in The Desert.

Firecrest in a private garden

Chiffchaff in the TA

Some of the days Dartford Warblers

Brow Hare in The Desert

A late morning/early afternoon cycle ride to Scotney saw 2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Little Owl another Dartford Warbler and 3 Barnacle Geese of note, there were also 100s of Lapwing, Golden Plovers and Wigeon on the back lakes.

Mid afternoon I joined Richard at Dennis's Hide where we found an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 1w Caspian Gulls and 3w Caspian Gull.

Another late afternoon cycle down Galloways was very disappointing, once again no Owls of any description and precious little else.

Black-necked grebes

Green Sandpipers

One of the local Little Owls

The first Barnacle Geese I have seen since last winter

26/10/2024

 

A male Hen Harrier flew south across The Desert this morning and was quickly chased out to sea by a Crow.

Also around The Point this morning several each of Goldcrest and Dartford Warbler, a few Siskin and Redpoll over and 2 Brambling but it was generally disappointing on the migrant front.

One of several Goldcrests around The Point this morning

Great spotted Woodpecker in the Willow Trail ARC

This 2w Caspian Gull was one of several Caspian Gulls on Burrowes today 

Adult Yellow-legged Gull on Burrowes

A Cattle Egret on one of the new islands at Denge Marsh

First Dark Chestnut this year

First Featherd Thorn of the year

One of several Palpita vitrealis in and around the trap this morning

A late Dark Arches in the trap this morning

25/10/2024

Sea watching the last 2 days has been very poor, 2 Balearic Shearwaters have been the only quality in several hours of staring out to sea.

There have been at least 3 Dartford Warblers around The Desert lately

While I was in The Desert yesterday a party of Blue Tits dropped out of sky but quickly moved on
 

Red-throated Diver on Burrowes today

Black-necked Grebe on Burrowes today

3w Caspian Gull

There were at least 5 Caspian Gulls on Burrowes this afternoon

3w Caspian Gull

1w Caspian Gull

3w Caspian Gull

Adult and 2w Yellow-legged Gull with what is probably a hybrid Caspian gull

23/10/2024

 

100+ Swallows around The Desert this morning

No sea watch this morning due to the very light wind. Instead I joined Richard in a wander around The Desert which in truth pleasant enough but not particularly rewarding, 3 flocks of Wood Pigeons over totalling c100 birds, 40+ Stock Doves, several Siskins over all unseen as were the 2 Brambling, a single Golden Plover also over. In the bushes just a handful each of Song Thrush and Blackbirds with a Chiffchaffs seen and more heard and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Cetti's Warbler by the track to Hanson

A visit to the ARC saw little of note though there seemed to be numerous Cetti's Warblers calling all around. The Islands have all but gone and once again 2 Glossy Ibis came in and landed somewhere behind the spit out of sight. Another Great spotted Woodpecker was in the Willow Trail.

Migrant Hawker by the track to Hanson

One of the Little Owls was still showing well late morning on my cycle ride

Another quick cycle out to Scotney found 6 Curlew on the Sward very little else of note, out the back several 100s of Golden Plover and 126 Egyptian Geese  among the greylags and Canadas, but again no sign of any winter Geese.

A 1w Caspian Gull on one of the new islands from Denge Marsh hide

The new islands seem to be attracting the roosting Gulls, also several 100 of Lapwing and a single Black-tailed Godwit.

It's a hard life for a Caspian Gull