24/05/2025

A short sea watch this morning in damp breezy conditions and very poor visibility, so it was unsurprising that I saw very little.

I then went Hanson hide where the Avocets were still insitu along with the Black-headed Gulls. The Common Terns look as though they might try and nest there.

A wander around Burrowes saw 6 Knot, 7 Grey Plover, 3 Dunlin, 2 Turnstone, a Reeve and c20 Ringed Plover. From Christmas Dell I could see lots of Hobbys hawking over the back of Hookers, so I headed there stopping for a look at Hayfield 1, which held 5 Avocet, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Shelduck, more Ringed Plovers and 3 Cattle Egrets. At the back of Hookers 15+ Hobbys were hawking insects, also the female Red-footed Falcon giving me insane views as hawked over the lake and path sometimes skimming my head, just a pity about the very windy conditions and low light, I still managed some nice pictures as it performed for all comers for several hours.

The above and below images were taken last night as the sun was setting

These are just a sample of images taken today of this stunning bird

22/05/2025

The gorgeous immature female Red-footed Falcon found at Dengemarsh late this afternoon by Tone.

The light for photography was very challenging as well as being drizzly, thats my excuse for my poor efforts.

 

Immature female Red-footed Falcon perched with 2 Hobbys at Hookers

Immature female Red-footed Falcon with Dungeness power station in the background

Red Kite over Boulderwall this morning

It looks as though 2 pairs of Avocet are going to nest in front of Hanson, hopefully the Hayfield birds will join them, the Red-crested Pochard was still around today, not seen by me, but very little else in the cold conditions.

One of several Hobbys over the Tower Pits this morning

19/05/2025

This mornings sea watch was very slow, but did produce the best bird of the day a Shag! the first one I've seen for 2 years at Dungeness.

The avian interest was centred around the reserve with lots of waders dropping in, why they chose today I have no idea. There were 400+ Each of Tundra Ringed Plover and Grey Plover, 10+ Knot, at least 5 little Stints, a Temminck's Stint, Dunlin, Sanderling, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets and Redshanks as well as Cattle Egrets with Hobbys overhead. Sadly passerines were not to be seen.

Tundra Ringed Plovers on Hayfield 1

 

Cattle Egrets Hayfield 1

Greenshank Hayfield 1

Little Stint Hayfield 1

Temminck's Stint on the ARC from Hanson this afternoon

Temminck's Stint on the ARC from Hanson this afternoon

Knot from Makepiece

Stoat bounding up the path towards me at Christmas Dell this afternoon

Skids to halt when it sees me

Giving me the side eye

Trying to out stare me before vanishing into the undergrowth

18/05/2025

This mornings sea watch was very poor with just a handful of Sandwich terns, Gannets and Common Scoter. From reports I reieved the bushes around the peninsula were also poor for migrants except for a small arrival of Spotted Flycatchers. There was nothing new reported from the reserve.The Westernmost pool at the Midrips is rapidly drying out, the other pools (see image below) are a little better, but probably wont last long if the current weather conditions prevail.

In walk along the green wall from Jury's Gap to the Wicks 34 Avocets were feeding but no sign of any breeding, also 9 Grey Plovers, 8 Turnstone, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Sanderling, 3+ Dunlin, 4 Redshank, at least 60 Ringed Plovers majority of which were Tundrae birds, there was also Sandwich, Common and Little Terns feeding offshore.

Despite the difficulties in visiting these pools, climbing over the concrete sea wall and scrambling over the boulders at high tide or navigating a very slippery staircase at low tide, and that is only if the army is not live firing, it can be quite pleasant and rewarding walk, a scope is usually required as most birds tend to be distant.

A Dunlin that actually came close enough for a decent photograph

Heavily cropped Sanderling and Turnstone

A Ringed Plover with a recently hatched chick

17/05/2025

A few Manx Shearwaters moved East past the hide this morning with a trickle of waders, also notable was a drake Eider but little else.

Little Ringed plover on the nearest island to Hanson this afternoon

Chiffchaff by the Willow Trail

A couple of the 50+ Swallows that were around the ARC today

Red-crested Pochard gleaming in the afternoon sun at the ARC today

The pair of Garganey at the ARC this afternoon

A Marsh Harrier bringing a Marsh Frog to the nest today

A 1st Summer Little Gull on one of the back lakes at Scotney this evening. TRhere were also 12 Whimbrel at the back.

A couple of the 40+ Yellow Wagtails around Scotney this evening 

 

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