A good days birding

An Early morning walk around some of Walland Marsh was very rewarding with good numbers of Tree Sparrows seemingly in every bush and flying over into the fields, plenty of Yellow Wagtails, 4+ Corn Buntings, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Marsh Harriers, 2 Turtle Doves, 2 Hobbys and a singing Quail. From there i went to The Patch but just the usual culprits there. A Black Redstart was on the power station wall. At the carpark i heard the news of the Great White Egret and the Marsh Warbler. As i walked from the car park at the centre to the viewing ramp 3 Ravens flew over calling (2ads 1juv). As i approached the viewing Ramp i could hear the Marsh Warbler, but in 3 hours all i had was 3 fleeting views even though most of the time it was singing less than 20 feet away, its mimicry was brilliant with Great Tit, Chaffinch, Bee-eater, Nightingale, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, House Martin all copied.
While waiting for it to show 2 Common Cranes flew over, A Bittern was booming, Beardies were pinging, 6+ Hobbys were hawking over head and the Great White Egret was showing well on Denge Marsh.
From the screen and Hanson hide on the ARC Pit 2 Avocets, 8 Black tailed Godwits, 11 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and more Hobbys. At the Eastern end of the pit 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers chasing each other presumably a territorial dispute.           

Pannel Valley and Rye Harbour

Bearded Tit Pannel Valley

In the Pannel Valley this morning 2 Cuckoo's, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Common Buzzards, 1 Hobby, numerous Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings singing, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Common Whitethoats, a Bearded Tit and many Swifts moving infront of thrf the showers. On the scrape 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 6ad Med Gulls, 1 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 20+ pairs of Avocets with at least 14 young so far, 2+ pairs of Oystercatchers with 2 young, a Tufted Duck with a brood of new ducklings with a Heron in attendance swallowing them whole.  

At Rye Harbour by the Long Pits a Nightingale singing, as was a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Cuckoo's and several Common Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers. On the scrapes 5+ pairs of Avocets with at least 4 young, 1 Whimbrel, 4 Black Tailed Godwits, and a 1 legged Ringed Plover. On the way to the Ternery Pool 20+ Little Terns 2 Northern Wheatears and 1 Marsh Harrier. On the Pool many pairs each of Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Black Headed Gulls and  Med Gulls. A flock of 100+ Oystercatchers and probably rarest of all in Sussex 1 pair of Common Gulls nesting on one of the islands.   

Afternoon Hobbys

An afternoon visit to the ARC Pit was rewarded with up to 12 Hobbys around the area, On the pit were 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Dunlin and 4 Little Egrets.

Trouble with Blogger

For a few days i have been unable to sign in to Ploddingbirder. Looking on the web i am not alone as it appears thousands of Bloggers are suffering a similar experience. Hopefully Google have fixed the problem.

 



Heath Fitillary



A visit to East Blean Woods on Wednesday late morning i found at least six stunning fresh Heath Fritillaries on the bank in the centre of the car park. From the car park Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Nightingales were all singing.
The last few days around Dungeness have been relatively quiet with a pair of Garganey taking up residence on the ARC Pit. Also 4 + Little Ringed Plovers there and Burrowes pit, up to 10 Hobbys and hundreds of Swifts yesterday. The water levels are dropping on the ARC and Burrowes and the islands now appearing are starting to attract waders so hopefully some good things will be found. Today they held 1 Knot, 5 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4+LRP, 6 Ringed Plover, 6+ Oystercatchers and 1 Bar tailed Godwit a good start. An hour watching the sea at The Patch 11.00 - 12.00.  122 Gannets W + 26 E, 16 Common Scoter E, 8 Kittiwake W, 12 Auks sp E, 1 Red Throated Diver W, 2 Fulmar W, 1 Balearic Shearwater W at 11.25 and hundred or so Common Terns with a few Sandwich Terns milling around the outfall. 

Record of 2 Summer Plumage Black-necked Grebes

A relatively quiet day at Dunge yesterday with 5 Med Gulls at The Patch and 300+ Common Terns. The Black Redstart was still singing on the Power Station as was a male Wheatear.  The trapping area held 2 singinging Lesser Whitethroats, 2 more Wheatears and several Common Whitethroats. At the ARC Pit from the causeway 2 Little Gulls, 1 Brent Goose and a Little Ringed Plover. From the Screen hide 2 Garganey 3 Marsh Harriers 2 more LRPs and 4 Hobbys. A visit to Orlestone Forest last night for Nightjars was a failure but 5 + singing Nightingales and 2 roding Woodcock were compensation.
Today at Dunge the strong wind made things difficult. On the reserve 6 Sanderling and 2 Ravens were the highlight. On the ARC pit only 1 Little Gull, 2 Garganey, 2 LRPs, 2 Black-necked Grebes and many swifts and Martins hawking over the pit.  

Garganey Pose but Golden O no show

I arrived the ARC to late to see the Golden O but up to 12 Hobbys over the Tower Pools was compensation. This evening at a deserted RSPB a pair of Garganey infront of Firth hide posed just for me, the lower water levels are exposing more islands and looking good for waders, 2 Whimbrel, 8 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 4 Ringed Plovers. The strong wind made finding any passerines difficult but 2 Yellow Wagtails at Makepiece were good and 3 Ravens over.  

A couple of hours at Dungeness RSPB and the ARC Pit this afternoon found 3 Greenshanks, 2 Little Ringed Plovers,  2 Common Sandpipers, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Cuckoo's, 2 Hobbys, 3 Marsh Harriers, numerous Reed, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers,  Common Whitethroats and good numbers of Hirundines over the pits.Also seen 1 Raven and 2 Lesser Whitethroats at Christmas Dell and Hookers.

A meeting in West Sussex gave me the chance to visit Lords Piece.  Woodlarks were very prominent not taking much notice of the dog walkers, 4 Common Buzzards and Red Kite was over the north facing hangers on the downs, 2 Hobbys were hawking over the common and a family of Mistle Thrushes were  by the pond. But little else could be found in the strong wind.

Swifts and Dragonflys

Nothing new noted at The Patch this morning and the Black Redstart was still singing on the power station. The Stubby Tail the Glaucous Gull was still on the beach by the fishing boats with 3 Ruddy Turnstones though the walk to and from the beach was done with my mouth firmly shut to avoid swallowing myriads of flies. These being gorged by the local Gulls, Starlings, House Sparrows, Pied Wagtails and a couple of Wheatears.

At the ARC Pit hundreds of Swifts and House Martins and at least 5 Hobbys, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Egyptian Goose and 4+ Marsh Harriers. The bushes round the pits held hundreds of Blue Tailed and Azure Damselflys, a few Hairy Dragonflys,Four Spotted Chasers, Broad Bodied Chasers and i think there were some Variable Damselflys though not sure.  

 Walking out to the Patch this morning the Black Redstart was singing on the power staion. At the Patch along with 200+ Common Terns and the usual gulls were 2 first year Med Gulls, nothing moving at sea. As the bushes were also quiet i went to The Midrips. At Jurys Gap a Sedge Warbler was posing 

and by the cottages 1ofseveral pairs of Meadow Pipits were busy feeding young.

Off shore from the Midrips still 3 Great Crested Grebes and a few Sandwich and Common Terns were fishing. On the pools only 6 Avocets with no sign of breeding, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Bar Tailed Godwit, 1 Knot, 10 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 12 Oystercatchers, 2 Curlews,6 Lapwing and 37 Shelduck. On the bank 3 pairs of Common Whitethroat, 2 Pairs of Northern Wheatear by the pools. A drive across Walland on the home Turtle Dove on overhead wires, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 3 Marsh Harriers and 4 Tree Sparrows.