17/12/2024

 Sea watch this morning on another dull and dreary winters day at Dungeness, saw several 1,000s of Cormorants feeding off shore along with several 100s of Gannets, c100 Red-throated Divers were back and forth, but very few Auks, all that were identified to species were Guillemots, just a handful of Kittiwakes, only 2 Mediterranean Gulls among the usual Gull species.

This afternoon at the fishing boats was the same species but smaller numbers with the addition of a 1w Caspian Gull and a flock of c50 Brent Geese that flew East. 

1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV now in its 5th winter at Dungeness fishing boats

On the reserve a couple more Caspian gulls were seen by others and the Great Northern diver was still present, but the Long-tailed Duck wasn't seen though is probably still present. 

A quick sit to Walland saw 19 Bewick swans at Midley and the single Whooper Swan with Mute Swans at Newlands Farm

                                                               1                                                 1 of 19 Bewick Swans at Midley today

A brief spell of sunshine yesterday enticed the local Little Owl out

15/12/2024

Pinkfeet. Whitefronts and Geylags on Walland Marsh today

A long and very muddy walk across Walland Marsh today found 10 Pink-footed Geese, 13 Greater White-fronted Geese and 4 Brent Geese, among some feral Greylag, Canada's and Egyptian Geese. The whole flock was very wary as there was a lot of shooting going on nearby. A Chiffchaff in an isolated Hawthorn in the middle of the marsh was notable. 23 Bewick Swans at Middle were nice but most were just sitting so I was unable to check for colour rings. A party of 6 Missile Thrushes was very notable as was party of 4 Yellowhammers, but I only saw small numbers of Redwing and Song Thrushes and just a single Fieldfare.

Late this afternoon at my allotted reed bed 2 Marsh Harriers came in to roost, while waiting a Kingfisher flashed past me and 2 Little Owls were calling.

The only other news I heard was the Great Northern Diver and Long-tailed Duck was still present on the New Diggings today. 

2 of the 23 Bewick Swans on Walland marsh today 

Chiffchaff in a single Hawthorn in the middle of the marsh

 

14/12/2024

Some of the 100s of Gannets that were feeding close inshore this morning off the fishing boats

Gannet

Lots of Red-throated Divers to-ing and fro-ing, this one was exceptionally close

Short-eared Owls on the ranges late afternoon, 

Above is the life history so far for yellow ringed Bewick Swan AAT that I saw on Walland Marsh on 04/12/2024, apparently it was seen again today by NB in the same place. The data is not quite up to date due to the fact they have not yet received my written permission to use my sighting, the data protection act apparently, the world is going mad.

Today the Great Northern Diver and Long-tailed Duck were both still insitu on the New Diggings. Some Pink-footed Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese were associating with some Greylags on Walland Marsh today per SM. I believe they are mobile so its a case of checking every field.

12/12/2024

Another cold morning at the fishing boats. The boats not giving much protection from the force 4 ESE wind, at least it was cloudy so no glare from the sun. 

07.45-0915 from the Boats
Brent Goose: 13E
Wigeon: 15E
Velvet Scoter: 1E
Common Scoter: 9E
Great-crested Grebe: 3E    4 present
Oystercatcher: 2E
Black-headed Gull:  present
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Common Gull:  present
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present  
Guillemot: 42E          
Auk: 9E       
Red-throated Diver: 26E        
Gannet: 53E       
Cormorant: 3,500E in first half hour
Grey Seal: 1 

The next couple of hours was spent with Hume's Warbler, it showed and called frequently, but was still very challenging trying to get any images of it, the abysmal light conditions did not help.

Hume's Warbler with damaged eye that might be a tick

Hume's Warbler

Hume's Warbler

Hume's Warbler

Hume's Warbler

The Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver were still on the New Diggings today but quite elusive. The single Whooper Swan was still at Newlands Farm, Walland Marsh also 6 Bewick Swans and some Greater White-fronted Geese were near the Woolpack per CG.

Black Redstarts were reported as still being around the power station perimeter wall. 

11/12/2024

A brief sea watch this morning due to my having to get back for a parcel delivery, which was probably a blessing in disguise, as apart from the usual early morning movement Cormorants and Gulls little else seemed to be moving.
07.55-08.25 from the Boats
Common Scoter:1E
Great-crested Grebe: 18E    5 present
Oystercatcher: 1E
Kittiwake: 6E
Black-headed Gull:  286E
Common Gull:  present
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present  
Lesser Black-backed Gull: present  
Guillemot: 146E          
Auk: 15E       
Red-throated Diver: 23E        
Gannet: 141E       
Cormorant: 1,311E
Carrion Crow: 5 present
Grey Seal: 1

Juvenile Great Northern Diver on The New Diggings

When the postmen eventually delivered my parcel, I stopped at the southern end of the ARC to scan the New Diggings for the Long-tailed Duck, nearly the first bird I looked at was a juvenile Great Northern Diver on the far side of the lake. I drove to the VC and walked out along the Outland Trail  to the New Diggings where the Diver was reasonably close to the viewpoint, the Long-tailed Duck was however the other side, by the time it started to come closer what little light there had been was severely diminished.

The only other news today was the long staying Hume's warbler at the observatory.

Long-tailed Duck on the New Diggings

10/12/2024

Red-throated Divers moving past the fishing boats into Lade Bay in the gloomy weather

07.45-09.45 from the Boats. Overcast, NE wind 7º

Brent Goose: 2E     

Wigeon: 9E

Tufted Duck: 1E

Common Scoter: 5E

Great-crested Grebe: 32E    9 present

Oystercatcher: 33E

Kittiwake: 9E

Black-headed Gull:  present 

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Gull:  present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present  

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present  

Guillemot: 77E          

Auk: 14E       

Red-throated Diver: 56E       4W   

Great Northern Diver: 1E 

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 479E       

Cormorant: 2,807E   (07.45-08.15)

Grey Seal: 2

Common Seal: 2

Oystercatchers passing the fishing boats this morning

I totally messed up what should have been a reasonable image of Great Northern Diver😆

Whooper Swan at Newlands Farm, Walland Marsh.

Most of Walland Marsh seemed devoid of avian life, I did find a few Fieldfare and Redwing but that was about it.

I walked around the reserve this afternoon in the drizzle and saw only a Raven of note, even the Black-necked Grebe was hiding. The Hume's Warbler was still in the observatory gardens but very elusive per DW. 

09/12/2024

Just over 2hrs in a freezing hide in a force 7 NNE wind with drizzle and rain, in the hope of spotting a Little Auk or better this morning, ended as expected in miserable failure. No doubt I'll be back again tomorrow and probably another failure😂

07.50-10.00 from the hide
Brent Goose: 2E         1W
Pintail: 8W
Wigeon: 11E
Common Scoter: 21E       10W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1E drake
Great-crested Grebe: 48E   1W    7 present
Oystercatcher: 10E
Kittiwake: 46E
Black-headed Gull:  present 
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Common Gull:  present
Herring Gull: present
Great Black-backed Gull: present  
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 present  
Guillemot: 23E        6W   
Auk sp.: 43E       5W
Red-throated Diver: 68E       12W    
Gannet: 553E        44W  
Cormorant: 18E        374W
Grey Seal: 3
Common Seal: 2

This Red-legged Partridge was on the entrance track to the visitor centre late morning, only the 3rd one I've seen this year on the Peninsular.

One of Five Goldeneye from Dennis's Hide early afternoon

Burrowes Pit and the ARC were both so windswept today that there was very little to be seen again, Scotney was also bleak, the highlight there just 17 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin.

Another hour at the fishing boats this afternoon in my quest for a Little Auk before the heavy rain set in, needless to say my quest continues.

13.15-14.15  from the Boats

Great-crested Grebe: 6E    8 present

Kittiwake: 6W

Black-headed Gull:  present 

Common Gull:  present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present    

Guillemot: 26E  

Auk: 3E

Red-throated Diver: 4E     

Gannet: 61E  

Cormorant: present n/c 

08/12/2024

Storm Darragh duly arrived across the peninsula making birding virtually impossible. Yesterdays sea watch was as expected poor and with the wind going due North overnight I didn't attempt a watch this morning. The Hume's Warbler is still present but unsurprisingly very flighty in the wind. A wander from Dennis's up to Dengemarsh hide and back this morning was unrewarding, with highlight of a Black-necked Grebe, a not so welcome sight was that of a Mink scurrying across the track at Firth Look Out. An unseen Chiffchaff at Christmas Dell and nothing notable at Dengemarsh. Viewing from on the ARC from Hanson was unpleasant with the wind howling straight across the lake into my face, again unsurprisingly nothing of note was seen.

Now that the wind has eased marginally and turned to North East I will hopefully try the sea again tomorrow.  

Single Cattle Egret with the Little Egrets in the Cockles Bridge triangle this morning

06/12/2024

A just about typical sea watch this morning for this time of year, though there is a distinct lack of Auks.

08.00-09.00 from the hide

Common Scoter: 7W

Great-crested Grebe: 36E    4 present

Kittiwake: 19W

Black-headed Gull:  present 

Mediterranean Gull: 7W      1E

Common Gull:  present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present    

Guillemot: 5W    3E

Razorbill: 10W    

Auk: 51W    14E

Red-throated Diver: 124W          3E     

Gannet: 96W       9E   

Cormorant: present n/c

Grey Seal: 2

Common Seal: 1

Hume's Warbler in the observatory garden this morning

After the sea watch a visit to the Observatory gave many views of the Hume's Warbler, but again trying to get good images is another matter. Highlight for me while I was there was a a flyover calling Woodlark the first on the peninsular for me this year. A walk into the TA was as expected quiet.

Long-tailed Duck on the New Diggings

Before a late lunch the Long-tailed Duck was viewable from the viewpoint at the end of the Outland Trail on the reserve, nice views were had with sun behind while viewing. though the bird seemed to stick to middle of the lake while I was there.

Black-headed Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon, gorging on the large quantities of shellfish being washed up. In the next few days much more will be washed up to hopefully entice some scarcer Gulls to visit.

04/12/2024

This morning with Colin I visited a nearby very well managed woodland where wildlife abounds, the undoubted highlight was several Hawfinches including the bird below which posed on high despite the rain. There lots of Chaffinches, Redwing, Redpolls and Siskins moving through the wood, also a Fieldfare, Tits, Nuthatches and other woodlands birds that I have not seen on the shingle this year. Many thanks are due to to the woodlands owner for allowing us access to roam freely today.

Male Hawfinch

Hawfinch

Hawfinch

Lesser Redpoll

 

Driving back across Walland Marsh we spotted a newly arrived flock of 17 Bewick Swans

Bewick Swans

A colour ringed Bewick Swan, hopefully I'll be sent the details of the bird soon

Single Whooper Swan on Walland Marsh this afternoon

Back on the shingle mid afternoon I went to the observatory where the Hume's Warbler was again showing well but still very mobile around the observatory cottages gardens.

Mid afternoon a Long-tailed Duck was spotted on the New Diggings, so on my way back home I made a short stop there, where the bird was on the far side of the lake from the road, to far and to dark for photographs.

Hume's Warbler 

Hume's Warbler 

Hume's Warbler