12/02/2025

Brent Geese passing the Bouy this morning

 07.55-09.55  from the hide with RW & PT  

NNW 2    3º

Bent Goose: 23E

Pintail: 85W  Appeared to come across the channel.   (250 were recorded at Cap Gris Nez this morning)

Common Scoter: 2E    9W

Great-crested Grebe: 9 present   

Oystercatcher: 4E  1W

Kittiwake: 4E

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Razorbill: 57E      51W

Guillemot: 1 Present

Auk sp: 68E   13W

Red-throated Diver: 147E     22W 

Gannet: 64E  24W

Cormorant: Present N/c

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Bird of the day was this female Smew discovered by Alan & Peter on Dengemarsh, the first one since January 2022. It is sad this once relatively common winter visitor to Dungeness has become such a rarity.

The 48 Bewick Swans are still on Walland Marsh but have moved to the farthest reaches of Horses Bones farm and can only be seen distantly from the back of Scotney. There were 19 Russian White-fronted Geese on Boulderwall Fields that had originally been flying around Scotney per OL. Also the Long-tailed Duck was still present on the New Diggings today.

These images were taken in the 2010s from Scott hide before the invasion of Cormorants

10/02/2025

Another wet, cold and dreary day. 

07.55-09.55  from the hide with RW & OL  

ENE 4-5    4º   Rain

Bent Goose: 2W

Common Scoter: 4E    all drakes

Great-crested Grebe: 43E    

Dunlin: 6E

Kittiwake: 33E

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Razorbill: 6E

Guillemot: 174E

Auk sp: 109E  

Red-throated Diver: 102E     7W 

Fulmar: 2E  

Gannet: 283E  

Cormorant:  38E      13W

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Common Seal: 1

After an early afternoon optician appointment in Tenterden I saw a Red Kite near to the Tenterden garden centre as I drove back to the peninsula, cutting back across Walland I was unable to find any Bewick Swans or anything else notable. There was no local news today at all, as I guess most sensible people stayed at home in the dry and warm.

08/02/2025

 A very cold SE wind that even in the hide chilled me to the bone, a few birds but still nothing to get to excited about.

7.50-09.50 from the hide with RW & OL 

Wind SE 4-5    3º

Pintail: 4E   2 drake

Common Scoter: 6E

Great-crested Grebe: 26E    

Oystercatcher: 27E

Dunlin: 36E

Kittiwake: 18E

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Razorbill: 2E

Guillemot: 3E

Auk sp: 46E

Red-throated Diver: 102E     9W 

Fulmar: 17E    1W

Gannet: 252E    11W

Cormorant:  523E      121W

Harbour Porpoise: 2

An afternoon visit to the reserve was really only to have a look inside the new Makepiece Hide. I am told it is designed with wheelchair access in mind with 2 doors that open both ways, it is as you can see from the images very spacious inside, which I guess makes it easier for wheelchair users to move around in the hide. Thankfully not myself being in a wheelchair I would have to ask a wheelchair user whether they would be able to use the flaps or even open them, they would be able to see through the large windows providing they are clear of salt spray, general dirt and rain, I fear anyone using these windows in sunny weather will be baked alive. The large swing doors are great in theory, but we opened one of the flaps and the door blew open causing a freezing through draft, so I can see that users will be looking to find some way of wedging the door shut as I was tempted, which defeats the object. One of the hinges already looks as though it is ready to break, so i'm guessing it wont be long before the doors that are very sturdy and heavy get damaged. As for what the 2 tiers at one end of the hide is for I have no idea. Hopefully teething troubles will dealt with quickly. At the moment all I can say is it is better than a viewpoint. 

What are the 2 tiers for?

A walk late afternoon at the ARC with Colin found Jack Snipe, an unusual newly arrived flock of Fieldfare, but where did they come from?  where are they going? also 2 Great White Egrets but little else notable on this cold grey afternoon.

Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe

A flock of c60 Fieldfare in the Sallows between ARC car park and the Screen late afternoon

05/02/2025

 As it was a lovely sunny still morning I gave the sea watch a miss, instead I parked up at the ARC and walked over to Denge Marsh, down to Burrowes and over to the New Diggings and back to the ARC. The 8 Russian White-fronted Geese were still at the back of Boulderwall Fields today along with the usual feral Geese and a few Curlews. 2 Great White Egrets were feeding on Cooks Pool.

Great White Egret on Cooks Pool

Lapwing at Dengemarsh

The Black-necked Grebe was still at the back of Dengemarsh but I saw little else notable there, apparently 2 Spoonbills dropped in for a short while a couple of hours after I left. For some reason the hayfields were devoid of birds, possibly the 2 displaying Marsh Harriers disturbed everything. Burrowes was also very quiet which was not surprising with all the work going on at Makepiece. The walk  over to New Diggings was uneventful but pleasant, on arrival the Long-tailed Duck was with a party of 8 Goldeneye but as usual about as far away as is possible. I glimpsed a Diver briefly through the bushes which I suspected was a Red-throated Diver, a short walk along the causeway confirmed my suspicions. Another Fieldfare was by the entrance track as was the Red-legged Partridge. At Cockles Bridge the usual 4 Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets. The 48 Bewick swans were still at Midley viewed from Cutters Bridge.

Red-throated Diver on the New Diggings

Jack Snipe on the reserve found with the Thermal Imager 

04/02/2025

Sea watch from the hide with RW, CP, OL 

07.55-09.30  WSW 4-5    6º 

Brent Goose: 61E    2W
Common Scoter: 2W
Great-crested Grebe: 1E     2 present
Kittiwake: 51W       26E  
Black-headed Gull: Present n/c
Mediterranean Gull: 6W     13E
Common Gull:  Present n/c
Herring Gull: Present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c
Razorbill: 19W
Guillemot: 33W     3 present
Auk sp: 35W      19E   
Red-throated Diver: 108W    9E  
Gannet: 51W      83E
Cormorant:Present n/c
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1

Most of my day was taken up with domestic stuff but I did manage to get out for a wander around the sandpit this afternoon. It is a shame that it has been allowed to fill up and become just another deep lake in the Scotney complex. It would appear bureaucracy got in the way as the complex straddles county boundaries, leaving Brett's to do whatever they like and take the cheap option and do minimal landscaping. TQ996 190

Alas the Sandpit is now just a very deep lake😢

The Plovers and huge flock of Starlings were often disturbed by raptors, several Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Merlin and a ringtail Hen Harrier were seen, also a turquoise flash as a Kingfisher whizzed along the Jury's Gut Sewer.

Some of the 1,000s of Golden Plover and Lapwing in the fields at the back of the sandpit 

Some of the 100+ Tree Sparrows going to roost late afternoon at the sandpit

Only other news were the 48 Bewick Swans still at Midley veiwed from Cutters Bridge TR008238

03/02/2025

This Fieldfare in Dengemarsh Flood yesterday was the days highlight for me, as it is a scarce species around the reserve.
 

A very long hour in the sea watch hide

08.00-09.00     SSW 1-2    3º

Wigeon: 4W

Great-crested Grebe: 2 present

Kittiwake: 3E   

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Razorbill: 10E

Guillemot: 1 present

Auk sp: 11W      11E   

Red-throated Diver: 5W    3E

Fulmar: 1E    

Gannet: 5E      17W

Cormorant: 672W    14E

Grey Seal: 3

Common Seal: 2

I found this Woodcock in dense bushes at the Long Pits this morning with the aid of a Thermal Imager, without the imager I would have blundered on and flushed it, instead it allowed me to photograph it and leave site with it still insitu.

Jack Snipe at The ARC found with the aid of a Thermal Imager, also 8 Common Snipe present.

One of 4 Cattle Egrets in the Cockles Bridge Triangle

My local Little Owl watching a couple of Buzzards fly over.

Now at least 9 Yellowhammers at Lydd FC. To put it in perspective thats more than were seen over the whole of peninsular the last few years.

On the reserve there were still 8 Russian White-fronted Geese present but no sign of the Pinkfeet, 2 Water Pipits were reported from the hayfields and the Long-tailed Duck is still present, otherwise very little of note.

01/02/2025

Pink-footed Geese and Russian White-fronted Geese

 08.00-09.00 with RW    Very Poor watch today despite a promising breeze.

Wind SSE 2-3    3º

Great-crested Grebe: 3E        13 around

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 5W    

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Guillemot: 1W

Auk sp: 5E    

Red-throated Diver: 7W    12E

Fulmar: 1E    

Gannet: c30  feeding off shore  

Cormorant: Present n/c

Grey Seal: 1

The first Black-necked Grebe of the year was showing on Denge Marsh early afternoon

Part of the group of 6 Pink-footed Geese and 8 Russian White-fronted Geese behind the Corale today

These Goldeneye on the New Diggings are part of the c20 strong group on the reserve

The Long-tailed Duck on the New Diggings remaining as distant as ever

There was a Red-throated Diver in the SW corner of the New Diggings this morning but no sign this afternoon.

4 Tundra Bean Geese on Scotney main lake about to swim from Sussex into Kent

Some of the 48 Bewick Swans at Midley today, a very nice herd but sadly only 1 juvenile among them, it wont be long before they leave us and hopefully return next November with lots of youngsters, though I have serious doubts about that happening. Also at Midley c100 Fieldfare and 4 Tree Sparrows.

31/01/2025

These Velvet Scoters brightened up a very damp and dreary sea watch

07.55-09.30  SSW 5          6º    Rain

Brent Goose: 5W       2E

Shelduck: 1W

Velvet Scoter: 5W  (single flock)

Common Scoter: 7W     3E

Great-crested Grebe: 11E

Kittiwake: 26W   

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 4W  

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Caspian Gull: 1W. 1w bird

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Guillemot: 7W     5E       4 present

Auk sp: 17W 

Red-throated Diver: 11W     5E

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 68W    11E 

Cormorant: present n/c 

Grey Seal: 1

Common Seal: 1

Common Scoters

Mediterranean Gull

Late morning the wind veered from SSW to SSE but still raining prompting me to go back to the sea, certainly more birds but no quality.

13.30-15.00  from the hide

Common Scoter: 7W

Kittiwake: 56W 

Guillemot: 143W.   8E

Razorbill: 31W

Auk sp: 244W    36E

Red-throated Diver: 36W     

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 168W    11E

Cormorant: present n/c 

To the unknown reader who left a comment on yesterdays blog, I realise it wasn't a good Blog but didn't think it was that bad. 😂

30/01/2025

A bright chilly morning with not much moving at sea except Auks. There were however 1,000s of Gulls offshore feeding.

 08.00-09.30 joined by RW & CP.   NNW 3  3º

Shelduck: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 17E

Kittiwake: 74W    

Black-headed Gull: Present n/c

Common Gull:  Present n/c

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Auk sp: 313W           12E

Red-throated Diver: 46W        14E

Gannet: 24W      8E   

Cormorant: Present n/c

Grey Seal: 2

Common Seal: 1

After breakfast and hanging around for a courier to arrive I went down Dengemarsh road, first stop to count the Yellowhammers just 3 today, then down to the manure heap where I could view the 6 Pink-footed Geese, they were quite difficult to see as they were distant and had to be picked out as they fed behind a reed lined ditch. I was going to look at Denge Marsh but there was work going on so I missed the new in Black-necked Grebe. Instead I went to Scotney and as it was a sunny day I guessed the Little Owls would be out sun bathing, they did not disappoint!

The local Little Owls sunbathing early afternoon

At Scotney again many Lapwing and Golden Plover, 2 Redshank and a Curlew loads of Wigeon but little else.

At the fishing boats I was joined by Richard where we saw good numbers of Auks but little else.

13.30-15.00 with RW at the fishing boats

Common Scoter: 3W  

Great-crested Grebe: 15E

Kittiwake: 13W

Red-throated Diver: 13W

Guillemot: 77W      3E

Razorbill: 202W

Auk sp: 1,088W

Gannet: 28W

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Common Seal: 1

Grey Seal: 2

Late afternoon there were 2 Cattle Egrets and 4 Little Egrets in the Horse Paddocks. 

The Long-tailed duck was still present on the New Diggings but the new Great Northern Diver was gone per JY.

29/01/2025

Large numbers of Gulls streaming West along the shore line this morning, strangely very little moving off shore, the passage petered out just after 09.00. As I was on my own the only way to get any count was to do timed counts. 

07.45-09.15   W 3      7º

Common Scoter: 4E

Kittiwake: 54W  (many more probably missed trying to sort out counts)  

Black-headed Gull: c7,500W

Mediterranean Gull: 15W  (many more probably missed trying to sort out counts)

Common Gull:  c800W

Herring Gull: c4,500W

Caspian Gull: 3+W. 

Great Black-backed Gull:Present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Guillemot: 18W

Razorbill: 6W

Auk sp: 47W 

Red-throated Diver: 46W    3E

Gannet: 9W  

Cormorant: present n/c 

Merlin from Cockles Bridge

At Cockles Bridge there were 4 Cattle Egrets and 5 Little Egrets, while there I noticed the above Merlin perched on some dredged reeds, I quickly drove home to add it to my from the garden year list

Curlew on the Scotney Sward this morning

1,000+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing on the Scotney Sward with 8 Curlews, 4 Redshank and 2 Dunlin, but still no Ruff. There were still 48 Bewick swans on Walland today per BH.

6 Pink-footed Geese on Boulderwall Fields

The Pinkfeet were relocated on Boulderwall Fields by JY this morning but quickly disappeared again.

The new Makepiece Hide viewed from Scott look out

I still haven't managed to obtain any decent images of the Water Pipits on the hayfields

Another poor image but it is my first Firecrest of the year at Firth lookout today

The long-tailed Duck is still present on the New Diggings but is always distant when I make the effort to look for it. Another Great Northern Diver has appeared on Burrowes today .

This is one of 2 Hares on the reserve today