Monday, 5 May 2025

05/05/2025

Grey Heron coming in off the sea early morning and leaving a calling card on the beach

As I drove over the causeway early this morning the frost warning light came on in the car, with a stiff Northerly wind it was very cold in the sea watch hide.
06.45-08.45 from the hide with OL et al
Common Scoter: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 19 present  
Oystercatcher: 7E
Whimbrel: 24E
Knot: 6E
Little Tern: 6W
Commic Tern: 18W
Common Tern: 4E
Sandwich Tern: 16E      42W
Kittiwake: 1W   
Black-headed Gull: 7E
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Herring Gull: Present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c
Auk sp: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 3E   
Gannet: 6E   18W 
Cormorant: present N/C
Grey Heron: 1 in off the sea
Swallow: 27 In off the sea
House Martin: 3 In off the sea
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1
I was going to go out the back of Scotney after breakfast but the wind was so strong I stayed home and got domestic tasks done instead.
When the sun was shining this afternoon I counted 14 Hobbys over Denge Marsh, most of them were very high so I probably missed the Red-footed Falcon if indeed there was one present. 😞

I counted at least 12 Lapwing chicks in Hayfield 1 & 3 but strongly suspect several more were present but hidden in the vegetation.
Lapwing and chick
It seems there were few birders out braving the cold weather looking for birds, but I was assured by Jacob that the trapping area, Desert and Long pits were avian free zones today.

Sunday, 4 May 2025

04/05/2025

As early morning there was a strong cold North wind blowing across the peninsular this morning, I didn't venture down to the beach, instead I drove the short distance to Springfield Bridge and wandered around the reserve. In the hayfields there were at least 2 broods of Lapwings, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and 8+ Redshanks along with 2 Little Egrets and 2 Yellow Wagtails. 3 Cattle Egrets were by Dengemarsh Hide and a Great White Egret on the NW bank of the lake, a Bittern was Booming from by Hookers. 
At Christmas Dell another Bar-tailed Godwit and Little Ringed Plover along with a cold looking Hobby, by the time I had completed the circuit of the reserve I had seen at least 5 Hobbys. Burrowes was very quiet avian wise no doubt not helped by the cold wind blasting across the lake. The plus side to the wind was that it attracted lots of Hirundines and Swifts which could be seen all across the reserve.
An hour in the sea watch hide this afternoon saw barely any birds of note. Nothing new was reorted from anywhere on the peninsula.
Even with 2 moth traps running I caught nothing notable.
A Hobby definitely not enjoying the early morning cold at Denge Marsh this morning
One of three Cattle Egrets behind Dengemarsh Hide
Bar-tailed Godwit at Christmas Dell
Little Ringed Plover at Christmas Dell
When the sun warmed the air a little I saw several Painted Ladies around the reserve
 

Saturday, 3 May 2025

03/05/2025

A record image of my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year at Dungeness today
Sea watching was very slow this morning, so I went for a walk around the area bumping into a Spotted Flycatcher and a Ring Ouzel of note. Also a couple of Wheatears and a Whinchat which eluded the camera.

A Skulking female Ring Ouzel at the top end of the TA this morning
A fly catching Wheatear with bling today

A Greenland Wheatear in The Desert today
A late afternoon visit to Lydd Ranges, 22 Avocets, 43 Whimbrel, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Greenshanks, 17 Redshanks, 7 Turnstone, 8 Sanderling, 14 Dunlin, 3 Grey Plover, 12 Ringed plover, Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Terns, Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and 10+ Painted Ladies. Ther was very little news form the reserve today apart from 2 Avocets from Hanson Hide.
Bar-tailed Godwit and Avocet at Lydd Ranges late afternoon
1 of 4 Greenshanks at Lydd Ranges late afternoon
                                     1 of 2 Little Terns at Lydd Ranges late afternoon

1 of at least 10 Painted Ladies along the Green Wall at Lydd Ranges today

Thursday, 1 May 2025

01/05/2025

Yesterday a flock of 26 Pomarine Skuas flew East past The Point, the biggest flock I have ever seen in the UK. There are 16 just about visible in the very poor image above, the memory of that flock will stay with me forever.
4 Red Kites (all 2nd calendar year birds) made a brief appearance on The Point late morning today 
Grizzled Skipper
As the sea watching today was a little tedious I ventured out into the trapping area seeing 2 Grizzled Skippers and 2 Hairy Dragonflys, I also lucked in on a flyover Tree Pipit thanks to Jacob, but little else was seen in my brief visit.
Elsewhere around the peninsular was also very quiet avian wise.
Hairy Dragonfly

 

Monday, 28 April 2025

28/04/2025

A distant record image of a Pomarine Skua that flew East past the sea watch hide at 16.41
The list of 10 hrs of sea watching today looks better than it actually was!

06.00-09.00 & 11.00-18.00 from the hide with RW + Ray

Brent Goose: 3E
Shelduck: 10E 
Common Scoter: 215E    15W
Long-tailed Duck: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: 3E 
Oystercatcher: 12E
Whimbrel: 23E
Bar-tailed Godwit: 97E
Arctic Tern: 30E
Common Tern: 2E
Commic Tern: 22E
Sandwich Tern: 220E
Kittiwake: 2E   
Black-headed Gull: 51E
Mediterranean Gull: 2E
Herring Gull: Present n/c
Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c
Arctic Skua: 6E
Pomarine Skua: 1E
Guillemot: 1 present
Auk sp: 2E
Red-throated Diver: 6E
Gannet: 18E  
Cormorant: present
Harbour Porpoise: 16+
Grey Seal: 2
Apart from 2 Avocets on the ARC from Hanson and the 2 Red-crested Pochards on the Kerton Road Pit there was no other news from the reserve.

Normandy rung Great Black-backed Gull (Green 4A4) has been around for a few weeks.
 

Sunday, 27 April 2025

27/05/2025

A local Raven scavenging in front of the sea watch hide this afternoon
 Sea watching over the weekend produced of note a Puffin, Long-tailed Duck, Great Northern Diver, 3 Great Skuas and 1,600 Bar-tailed Godwits. We are still waiting for the big Tern day and Pomarine Skua day. Although the reserve looks in good condition for migrants to drop in, it seems the birds think otherwise at the moment, but I'm sure it will come good in the next couple of weeks. The Bitterns are booming, plenty of Bearded Tits and all the regular Reed Bed warblers are in  and in full song, hopefully to be joined by one or two scarcities.

Friday, 25 April 2025

25/04/2025

Todays sea watching was dominated by the 3,500 Bar-tailed Godwits passing today, (a full list can be seen HERE ) also there was an arrival of Swallows. Nothing new was reported from the reserve, also very little in the way of new migrants on The Point apart from a few Wheatears. The pair of Red-crested Pochards continue to show well at the Kerton Road, Cemex Pit. 


Greenshanks on the hay fields last evening
Bar-tailed Godwits glowing in the setting sun last evening

Male Marsh harrier over Denge Marsh in the setting sun
The lone Barnacle Goose at Christmas Dell calling for a mate maybe?
Brown Hare on the reserve last evening
Brown Hare on the reserve last evening


Wednesday, 23 April 2025

23/04/2025

Pomarine Skuas passing this morning
An exceptionally good sea watch this morning despite the driving rain coming through the open slats of the sea watch hide. A full list of the of the numbers and species can been seen HERE
1 of the 15 Arctic Skuas that came past this morning 
Some of the 10 Black-throated Divers from this mornings sea watch
There was very little other news as everyone was sea watching, though at least 3 Black Terns made it onto Burrowes Pit, also the Red-crested Pochards were still on the Kerton Road Pit.
Black and Common Terns on Burrowes this afternoon






Tuesday, 22 April 2025

22/04/2025

 4 hours in total sea watching today for me was a some what fruitless experience. Tomorrows, morning rain coupled with SE winds promises good sea watching, but I have been deceived many times by the weather.
My first Hairy Dragonfly of the year along the track to Hanson Hide

At the ARC from Hanson this morning the islands are still improving but very few birds to be found there at the moment. Bearded Tits were very vocal around the hide, as were Water Rail and the usual Reed Bed warblers, along the track the my first Hairy Dragonfly of the year.
Cattle Egret at Brickwall Farm
At Brickwall Farm, Denge Marsh 2 Cattle Egrets and 2 Yellow Wagtails. A White Stork (probably a Knepp bird) toured the peninsular late morning , I managed to get distant views of it from Denge Marsh.
One of a minimum 7 sitting Lapwings on the hay fields
Despite the hay fields looking in excellent condition they are only attracting a small number of migrating waders. Today there was a singles of Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, and 2 Whimbrel with the resident Redshank, Oystercatchers and Lapwings, I feel sure more will turn up over the next few of weeks.
Greenshank Hayfield 1
Bar-tailed Godwit Hayfield 1
This Corn Bunting has set up its territory again this year at Springfield Bridge
A Frosted Green moth 
The above moth was a major surprise in my trap today, it took me a while checking the Moth field guide to actually identify it as a Frosted Green which inhabit old broad leaved woodland with mature trees. Apparently it is the first record of one on the Dungeness peninsula not an area known for its woodland.

Monday, 21 April 2025

21/04/2025

An Arctic Skua passing the bouy this afternoon

 As I drove to the the towards the beach early this morning the peninsular was covered in dense fog, I decided to make a stop at the ARC  in case there was any new arrivals singing. There were plenty of Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers singing with Blackcaps, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, also 2 Cuckoos my first of the year. From Hanson the islands are appearing quite rapidly but nothing was present when I looked this morning. I Carried on to the beach where I met Richard, due to the fog we decided to walk around the trapping area and Desert, on reflection not the wisest of choices, we saw 1 Wheatear and heard Wheatear and Willow Warbler and the resident Stonechats and not much else. As the fog thinned I spent an hour staring out to sea but saw little as visibility was still very restricted.

A pair of Red-crested Pochard  this afternoon

Back at the sea watch hide this afternoon for a couple of hours with better visibility there was a short spell where 10 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Skuas and Pomarine Skua came through but little else. 
While I was still sea watching a message came through from Graham that he had found a drake and duck Red-crested Pochard on the Kerton Road, Cemex Pit, as they are barely annual here I resisted the temptation to pack up sea watching straight away and twitch them, though I did see them on way home early evening.
On the reserve the Long-tailed Duck was still present on Burrowes Pit per RW, Greenshank, Whimbrel, LRP and Ruff on the Hay Field per RW also the long staying Greater White-fronted Goose on Denge Marsh. Several Hobbys were also seen