24/09/2025

This mornings sea watch with Richard was poor, not just because of the low number of birds nut due to the poor visibility. The cold air over a relatively warm sea caused a horrible haze, I'm sure there is a proper name for this phenomenon which escapes my memory, hopefully someone can enlighten me. Even with better visibility at the fishing boats this afternoon there was little passing, a couple of Arctic terns and 3 Little Gulls were the highlight.

While I was looking at the local Little Owl, I had a chat with the owner of the shed this morning when he came by, a very nice chap who gave me permission to explore the area.

The American Golden Plover at Jurys Gap was more distant today and there was no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

I went right out the back towards the wind turbines where there is a huge mixed flock of Buntings, Finches and Sparrows, also a huge flock of Starlings with at least 2 Sparrowhawks, a Merlin, 2 Kestrel, a Hobby, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Common Buzzards attending them.

There was a dearth of news today. Richard went around the reserve and found nothing notable.

Back at Jurys Gap 9 Glossy Ibis flew NE towards Lydd

Some of the 16 Ruff on the Scotney Sward today

 

23/09/2025

This Fox slowly made its way along the beach in front of the sea watch hide this morning

I spent an hour in the sea watch hide this morning for very little reward, hopefully things will improve in the next few days.

There were at least 14 Glossy Ibis and 6 Cattle Egrets around the reserve today, of note a party of 17 Grey Herons were on Denge Marsh.

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the American Golden Plover were still in the ploughed field at Jurys Gap this morning.

These 4 Glossy Ibis came in from the south and settled on Denge Marsh

 Glossy Ibis on the island in front of Christmas dell hide

I watched these 4 Glossy Ibis come in from the sea over the switch station, they then flew around Burrowes before landing on one of the Makepiece islands to preen and rest.

Cattle Egrets at Springfield Bridge

Marsh Harrier at Christmas Dell

22/09/2025

Today is the 10th anniversary of my finding the Acadian Flycatcher at the fishing boats

This mornings sea watch with Richard and Owen was as expected with NNW wind very unrewarding.

A quick visit to Hanson before breakfast saw just a Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Pintail among the Shoveler and Gadwall.

After breakfast I was out on my bicycle birding around the Scotney GPs gradually making my way down to Jurys Gap to check on the American Golden Plover, when I received a message that Colin Holter had found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the same field as the AGP, a few minutes later I was on site watching the juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper with Colin, many thanks to him for his timely report of the bird.

On the Scotney sward 12 Ruff were of note along with several Yellow Wagtails.

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper spooked by a Sparrowhawk

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper with a Golden Plover

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper coming back into the field

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper

 Moulting adult American Golden Plover

Some of the 12 Ruff on the Scotney Sward

The Red-backed Shrike on the east side of the Long Pits

20/09/2025

The peninsula was full of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs with the odd Redstart and Flycatcher this morning per the brave souls that stayed out in the thunderstorms, I made a beeline for the comfort of the sea watch hide, where I counted a couple of thousand Swallows leaving our shores (JY & JS) who braved the weather counted many thousands, full details will be on the DBO blog and Trektellen.

2 Glossy Ibis west past the fishing boats this afternoon, my first ones on a sea watch

Juvenile Little Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

Oystercatchers past the fishing boats this afternoon

Shags are very scarce at Dungeness, so I took this poor record image this morning as one flew past the bouy in a thunderstorm, but immediately forgot all about it as I was distracted by a Bonxie. Getting old would be fun if I had a memory as well😟 I also saw a couple of Manx Shearwaters, 3 Bonxies  (another this afternoon) lots of Arctic Skuas, a few Bar-tailed Godwits, Sandwich and Common Terns.

7 Cattle Egrets and 5 Glossy Ibis were seen on the reserve, the Red-backed Shrike was again just East of the Long Pits, The Grey Phalarope was again at the fishing boats but distant and very elusive.

19/09/2025

The local Little Owl this morning

The American Golden Plover was still in the ploughed field at Jurys Gap this morning with c300 Golden Plover. 60+ Manx Shearwaters went past the fishing boats, also a Grey Phalarope was lingering several 100mts offshore, full sea watching details will be on Trektellen.

Many 1,000s of Hirundines moved through the peninsular today, reasonable numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were in the bushes, Honey Buzzard and Osprey flew through, 2 Spoonbills were on the reserve one at Denge Marsh and the other on the ARC. The Red-backed Shrike east of the Long Pits was still present today.

Manx Shearwater viewed from the fishing boats this morning

Spoonbill on the ARC from Hanson mid afternoon

 

18/09/2025

Again most of today was spent sea watching despite the constant drizzle, there was no where near the number of birds passing today, but there was still 30+ Shearwaters of 3 species, lots of Arctic Skua action, along with Terns and Gannets. Singles of Leach's Storm Petrel and European Storm Petrel were seen, neither of which gave satisfying views. Full details will be on Trektellen.

Manx Shearwater feeding along the colour change

Manx Shearwater passing the fishing boats

Juvenile Kittiwake passing the fishing boats

Common Terns passing the fishing boats

Black Terns off the fishing boats

Arctic Skua looking for a victim at the fishing boats

Incoming Arctic Skua at the fishing boats

Common Sandpiper at the ARC this afternoon was the only wader other than Lapwings present. A Pectoral Sandpiper was reported on Burrowes briefly this morning. but no sign this afternoon. 

The American Golden plover was again in its chosen field at Jurys Gap today, nearby 3 Ruff at the double bends Scotney.

17/09/2025

My whole day was spent at the fishing boats staring out to sea at a procession of mainly Sooty Shearwaters, definitely a day to remember in excellent company. The only other news was that the American Golden Plover was still present and at least 2 Glossy Ibis still, no news either way on the Shrikes.

3 Sooty Shearwaters passing

Sooty Shearwater

The first Red-throated Diver of the Autumn

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern

Mediterranean Gull

16/09/2025

After an uninspiring sea watch this morning I visited the ARC with JY, this too was underwhelming, apart from Lapwing the only wader was a Black-tailed Godwit, there were 300+ Shoveler present and lots of Sand Martins hawking over the lake, a single juvenile Common Tern and a single Pintail. 

Leaving Hanson I went to Jurys Gap where more or less the first bird I spotted was the American Golden Plover among a flock of c80 Golden Plover, a Hobby and 2 Marsh harriers were also seen there.

From the double bends a Ruff and 2 Curlew among the hordes of feral Geese.

A distant image of the American Golden Plover at Jurys Gap this morning

One of 3 Clouded Yellows in Denge Marsh Gully

A late morning visit to Denge Marsh Gully found 3 Wheatears, 2 Whinchat, a Common Redstart and 3 Clouded Yellows of note.

The one eyed cross billed Red-backed Shrike on the RSPB Reserve

Early afternoon visit to the reserve gave super views of the wonky Red-backed Shrike, at least 8 Glossy Ibis were seen and another Whinchat.

Red-backed Shrike opposite the Long Pits 

Also early afternoon a wander around the area East of the Long Pits with Richard and Colin where the other Long staying Red-backed shrike showed distantly, this bird is quite skittish.

News of Storm Petrels being seen off the fishing boats saw Richard and and Colin hurry on down, alas I had to go to Tenderden to pick up my new glasses, though I did manage to get back to the around 17.30 and managed to see a few distant Storm Petrels and and Osprey that flew out to sea then changed its mind and came back to the land before dusk fell.