16/05/2025

Turtle Doves on the marsh

A dawn start on the marsh to see Turtle Doves and to hear them purring, the hedgerows were full of bird song despite the stiff north wind and cold temperatures. Reed, Sedge, Cetti's and Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush providing an almost deafening cacophony of song. After an hour or so I moved onto the woods where numerous Nightingales were singing unseen with Blackcaps and Garden Warblers trying to compete with them, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker, also a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which flew through the car park, walking around the woods I had 2 glimpses of Goshawk flashing across the rides, Willow Warblers, Goldcrest and Firecrest were all seen and heard, a thoroughly enjoyable morning despite the efforts of the North wind.

Early afternoon from Hanson the pair of Garganey still present, along with the 4 Avocets. Late afternoon on Hayfield 1 Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin, Avocets and Yellow Wagtails but unfortunately the Wood Sandpipers departed before I arrived. 

This evening a Purple Heron was seen to land in the Long Pits but my phone was on silent so hopefully it will still be around tomorrow.

Yellowhammer

Garden Warbler

                                                                     Roe Fallow Deer

 

15/05/2025

Pair of Garganey on the ARC today

With the return of winter this morning I went to Hanson Hide first thing rather than stare at an empty sea, a pair of Garganey were a nice surprise, also 4 Avocet, an LRP, 3 Turnstone and a handful of Common Terns. High over the lake were 100s of Swifts, Swallows, House and Sand Martins with a couple of Hobbys for company. A White Stork toured the peninsula but remained unseen by me.

 

10 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits & 2 Redshank at Hayfield 1 today

The walk to the hayfields was accompanied by the singing of lots of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats also Reed Buntings, Cuckoo, Bearded Tits and Bittern. At the hayfields were the Godwits and Redshank  along with 4 Avocets and 4 Ringed Plovers, the resident Lapwings and 7 Cattle Egrets. An afternoon visit to Burrowes saw 2 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin and 4 Grey Plover.

some of the 7 Cattle Egrets at Hayfield 2 today

2 Brown Hares by the visitor track entrance this afternoon

14/05/2025

Whiskered Tern on the reserve 13/05/2025

Whiskered Tern overhead early afternoon

Whiskered Tern as the sun was setting

                                                  Whiskered Tern as the sun was setting

The highlight of yesterdays sea watch was a flock of 15 Cattle Egrets flying East past the bouy, there was also another 11 Pomarine Skuas.

Black Redstart on the power station wall early morning, as made my way to the hide. The sea watch was very poor today with very few birds seen in the hour I was there.

There were at least 12 Red Kites over the peninsular today, but not a great deal else, the Bar-tail Godwits and Whimbrel have mostly moved on though there was a smart Knot on the Cemex Pit at Kerton Road. The Whiskered Tern seems to have moved to Sandwich.

Cuckoo at the ARC this morning

Cuckoo

Cuckoo

                                                                             Cuckoo

Great Tit  about to enter its nest at Hanson hide

Four-spotted Chaser in the Willow Trail today

12/05/2025

Little Egrets passing this morning are an uncommon sight on a Dungeness sea watch

2 Eider and 2 Pintail made were unusual to see together on a sea watch this morning

A pair of Mute Swans drifting West past the Bouy were another unusual sight this morning

Oystercatchers passing this morning. A full list of todays sea watch can be seen HERE

Once again the peninsula produced very little in the way of new migrant birds, it seems most birds have already moved on.

The Post Box at Jurys Gap, where I park for access to the Midrips/Wicks

 

11/05/2025

This short video courtesy of David Scott of a Long-tailed Skua might not mean much to most people, but I have dreamed of seeing a spring Long-tailed Skua on a sea watch at Dungeness. I so very nearly missed it as myself and John Young had packed up watching and just reached the old lighthouse car park, when over our walkie talkies Jacob was shouting Long-tailed Skua close in. Both myself and John set off running the couple of hundred yards across the shingle to the beach, John was well in front of me but stumbled and fell as we neared the beach, when we got to the beach thanks to Jacobs instructions we both managed to see the bird, I have to admit it was not the views I have dreamed of but I am very grateful for the view I had.😀 Many thanks to David Scott for letting me have this video which I will cherish. 

What with seeing 7 Pomarine Skuas, a Bonxie and several Arctic Skuas today it was also a 4 Skua day. 

A full list of the days sea watching will be HERE  late this evening. 

3 of a flock of 4 Pomarine Skuas passing this morning

Ringed Plover in the ranges

I have been visiting the Ranges ie The Midrips and Wicks for last 3 days as they are very under watched,

There have been up to 74 Avocets present along with 30+ Whimbrel, 10+ Bat-tailed Godwit, 5 Grey plovers, 6 Turnstone, Dunlins, Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Greenshanks but nothing scarce so far.

Avocets in the ranges

Whimbrel in the ranges

Winter Plumaged Curlew Sandpiper at Kerton Road Pit

Summer Plumaged Curlew Sandpiper at Kerton Road Pit

Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot and Oystercatchers at the Kerton Road Pit

Bar-tailed Godwits and a Knot  at the Kerton Road Pit

 

A distant image of a White Stork taken from my garden this morning

The White Stork toured the peninsula this morning, also a Bee-eater made a brief tour of The Point, various waders were to be found on the reserve along with the resident birds, but no bid arrival.

09/05/2025

A flock of 80 Whimbrel passing the sea watch hide this morning

More of the c400 Whimbrel that passed while I was watching

A couple of distant Pomarine Skuas from yesterday

The Curlew Sandpiper found by Kevin at the Kerton Road Pit late morning, pity about the heat haze

Another Curlew Sandpiper was found on the ARC this afternoon by Graham and Nikki

I walked out along the Midrips and Wicks late afternoon and saw 52 Avocets, 34 Whimbrel, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Sanderling, 5 Redshank, several each of Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Lapwing, also Wheatears and Yellow wagtails. I feel sure this very under watched site will reward me eventually. 

From the reports I have had today it seems the reserve and the peninsula in general is still very quiet due to the constant NE wind. 

07/05/2025

A Great Skua passing distantly off shore this morning

As a cool NE wind was blowing again this morning I didn't expect much to be passing.

 07.00-08.30 from the hide

Common Scoter: 6E    7W

Great-crested Grebe: 32 present  

Oystercatcher: 2E

Whimbrel: 1E    1W

Bar-tailed Godwit: 10E

Little Tern: 1E

Commic Tern: 4E

Sandwich Tern: 44E      17W

Kittiwake: 42E   

Black-headed Gull: 5W

Herring Gull: Present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: Present n/c

Great Skua: 1E

Auk sp: 3E

Guillemot: 1E 

Gannet: 81E 

Cormorant: present N/C

Swallow: 3 In off the sea

Sand Martin: 13 In off the sea

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Grey Seal: 1

A party of 10 Bar-tailed Godwits passing 

4 of the 6 Common Sandpipers at the ARC from Hanson this morning

As I made my way home for breakfast after the morning sea watch I stopped at the ARC on route. From Hanson I was pleased to see at least 2 Black-headed Gulls appearing to be sitting on nests, also 3 Avocets there and 6 Common Sandpipers. Over the lake 100s of Swallows and Swifts.

Male Yellow Wagtail at Scotney

After breakfast I drove to the old sand pit and wandered around the now full to the brim lake hoping in vain to find some waders. There were a few duck and Mute Swans there and in the surrounding fields Skylarks, Corn Buntings, Linnets and Yellow Wagtails. Carrying on to the Western pit there was 1 each of Avocet, Greenshank, LRP and Common Sandpiper, also many Swifts and Swallows hawking over the pit.

I carried on to the farm seeing more Yellow Wagtails and checking the islands on the way which appear to have completely been taken over by Herring Gulls, even the Eastern Pits held few birds apart from Greylag Geese. Heading back to my car at the old sand pit I walked the length of the main pits seeing just 5 Whimbrel of any note on the sward. All in all a rather disappointing long hike, I keep telling myself if you get out and look you'll never see or find anything.

Another male Yellow Wagtail

A posing female Yellow Wagtail at the back Scotney