31/12/2025

The highlight of this mornings watch was the arrival of Trinity House Ship Patricia

The Bouy was dislodged by c100mts by the NE gales last week, this morning Trinity House lifted it out cleaned it and returned to its original site.

08.00-09.30 from the hide with RW & OL. Wind N2  a chilly 0º

Brent Goose: 4W

Shelduck: 4W

Pintail: 1W      4E

Tufted Duck: 1W

Great Crested Grebe: 2 present 

Oystercatcher: 19E

Kittiwake: 2E

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 7E

Auk sp: 348E

Red-throated Diver: 592E    5W

Gannet: 17E 

Cormorant: present

Merlin: 1 present

Alba Wagtail: 1W after landing on Trintiy House ship

Back home after the morning sea watch I was uploading the watch onto Trektellen, when I glanced out of the window at the the feeder I was amazed to see a Lesser Whitethroat sp. on it. Panic ensued as I ran back down stairs and out to my car to grab my camera hoping it would still be there when I got back, fortunately it was, indeed it was still present at dusk.

A strange Goldfinch on my garden feeder

Lesser Whitethroat sp.

Lesser Whitethroat sp.

Lesser Whitethroat sp.

Lesser Whitethroat sp.

Lesser Whitethroat sp.

The local Little Owl enjoying todays sunshine

A single Tundra Bean Goose was with 22 White-fronted Geese at Dennes Lane

30/12/2025

A very poor sea watch this morning , though the Cormorants were a spectacle as they came in from the shipping lane at least c6 miles out in the channel, from the moment we arrived until we left they just kept coming.

08.00-09.00 from the hide with RW. Wind NE3  3º drizzle

Wigeon: 8E

Great Crested Grebe: 4E  

Oystercatcher: 16E

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 4 present

Auk sp: 121E

Red-throated Diver: 174E    

Gannet: 36E 

Cormorant: 7,000-10,000 present

The Great Northern Diver finally posed for a while this morning

There was still at least 5 Caspian Gulls at Burrowes today and a handful of Goldeneye. 32 Bewick Swans were on Walland Marsh. At Scotney the Scaup was present at the double bends.

This Common Crane was my 232nd species for 2025 in the Dungeness area, thanks to a very timely call early afternoon from John Young letting me know it was flying around high in front of my house, it circled for a few minutes before drifting off West into Sussex.

It seems likely that the 32 Tundra Bean Geese that were at Hook Wall yesterday have relocated to Worth Marshes.

There were probably 54 Whitefronts at Dengemarsh today and 6 extra Barnacle Geese per JY.

4 Tundra Bean Geese viewed from Dennes Lane, Lydd with 22 White-fronted Geese

29/12/2025

Harbour Porpoise washed up near the sea watch hide

07.55-09.30 from the hide with RW & OL. Wind ENE3  4º

Wigeon: 2E

Common Scoter: 4E

Great Crested Grebe: 32E  

Oystercatcher: 17E

Sandwich Tern: 1E

Kittiwake: 4E

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Auk sp: 445E

Red-throated Diver: 341E    

Great Northern Diver: 1E

Gannet: 223E 

Cormorant: 7,000 present

Most of the rest of my day was spent around Walland Marsh/Scotney looking at Geese and Swans. Around the lanes a few Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Corn Buntings can be found, but winter Thrushes are pretty much non existent here at the moment.

The reserve is fairly quiet now as there are very few Gulls coming in now the NE gales have abated. There are still no Smew or Goosander and just a handful of Goldeneye, Bitterns can been seen at the ARC with a llittle patience. The work at Boulderwall seems to have come to an end so I'm hopeful  that some of the Walland Marsh wild Geese will drop in to what looks to be great habitat.

Some of a party of 22 Greater White-fronted Geese from Dennes Lane, Walland Marsh

A single Tundra Bean Goose was with the Dennes Lane Whitefronts

2 Bewick Swans were enjoying this puddle at Midley, on Walland Marsh

Some of the 32 Tundra Bean Geese viewed from Hook Wall

The Scaup on Scotney main pit viewed from the double bends refused to lift its head

5 more White-fronted Geese dropped into Scotney main pit viewed from the double bends

Great Northern Diver still on Burrowes Pit

Dutch Green ringed L9 Caspian Gull still hanging around on Burrowes this afternoon

 

27/12/2025

08.00-10.00 from the hide with OL. Wind ENE6  a balmy 6º

Shelduck: 3E

Pintail: 1E

Velvet Scoter: 2E

Great Crested Grebe: 37E  

Oystercatcher: 4E

Kittiwake: 58E

Black-headed Gull: present

Mediterranean Gull: 3E

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 1,870E

Razorbill: 98E 

Red-throated Diver: 222E    13W

Gannet: 324E 

Cormorant: 2,000 present

Grey Seal: 2 present

Common Seal: 2 present

The Auks separated by percentage.

Lapwing in field opposite my house this morning

3 Black-necked Grebes at the Kent end of Scotney main pit

Some of the at least 32 Tundra Bean Geese on Walland Marsh today, viewed from Hook Wall, also from the same viewpoint 3 Barnacle Geese, 5 Greater White-fronted Geese, Greylags, Canadas, and Egyptian Geese, also some Bewick swans.

The centre bird in the image above looks interesting?

Tundra Bean Geese whiffling after a short fly around

On Burrowes the now usual Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls, along with the Great Norther Diver, 5 Great White Egrets, 4 Goldeneye and 2 Bewick Swans that were new arrivals today.

Yesterday there was probably at least 3 Kingfishers present.

Left to right:1w Caspian Gull, 1w Y L Gull, 3w Caspian Gull, 2w Caspian Gull

Left to right:Cormorant, Dutch ringed 1w Caspian Gull, 1w Herring Gull 1w Caspian Gull, Gull, 3w Caspian Gull, 2w Caspian Gull

2 Bewick Swans on Burrowes Pit today

26/12/2025

Sunrise at Dungeness this morning

07.50-09.50 from the hide. Wind a biting ENE6 

Great Crested Grebe: 126E  

Avocet: 1E

Kittiwake: 4E

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 10,925E

Razorbill: 575E 

Red-throated Diver: 356E 

Fulmar: 1E  

Gannet: 821E 

Cormorant: 5,300E

Grey Seal: 1 present

Harbour Porpoise: 1 present

The Auks and Cormorants were counted in several timed counts, the Auks separated by percentage.

Auks passing the Bouy

Great-crested Grebes and a Guillemot

2w Caspian Gull between Great Black-backed Gulls

A wander down to Dennis's saw the now usual Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls, as well as the Great Northern Diver on Burrowes, most of the islands were covered in a black slick of Cormorants.

1w Caspian Gull centre front

Adult Yellow-legged Gull with an Adult Caspian Gull

Juvenile Great Northern Diver

From Cockles Bridge 2 Bewick Swans, 3 Cattle Egrets and 7 Greater White-fronted Geese. There would appear to have been an influx of Bewick Swans onto Walland as well as Pink footed and White-fronted Geese, difficult to assess numbers as the wildfowlers were out in force today causing much disturbance.

2 Bewick Swans with a Mute Swan at Cockles Bridge

One of 3 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge

23/12/2025

A rather cold watch this morning even in the relative comfort of the hide.

07.55-09.45 from the hide with RW. Wind a biting NE6 

Shelduck: 9W

Eider: 1E adult drake

Common Scoter: 3E

Great Crested Grebe: 23E   14 Present

Oystercatcher: 2E

Kittiwake: 17E

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 645E including an individual with completely white wings that caused momentary excitement. 

Razorbill: 20E 

Auk sp: 2738E 

Red-throated Diver: 378E   

Gannet: 604E 

Cormorant: 2,000+ present

Grey Seal: 2 present

3 Caspian Gulls together 2w, 3w & 1w from Dennis's

2w Caspian Gull & 1w sporting a German yellow colour ring

I went no further than Dennis's Hide as there were not many Gulls with islands covered in Cormorants, also the bitter wind deterred me. The Great Northern Diver was still present at the far NE end of Burrowes along several Goldeneye.

 There are still at least 12 Bewick Swans and 2 Whooper Swans still on Walland per DB.

22/12/2025

A busy sea watch with lost of birds but nothing out of the ordinary.

07.55-09.35 from the hide with RW, OL, CG et al  Wind SE3  

Brent Goose: 358E

Shelduck: 8E

Wigeon: 1E

Common Scoter: 2W  1E

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Great Crested Grebe: 2E     33 Present

Oystercatcher: 19E

Kittiwake: 44W

Black-headed Gull: present

Common Gull: present

Herring Gull: present

Great Black-backed Gull: present 

Guillemot: 273E       50+ present

Razorbill: 13E 

Auk sp: 1,752E 

Red-throated Diver: 483E    4W

Fulmar: 3W

Gannet: 762E 

Cormorant: 2,000+ present

Black Redstart: 1 present behind the hide

Grey Seal: 1 present

Adult Caspian Gull from Dennisis's Hide

After a quick breakfast it was back to Dennis's Hide for another Caspian and Yellow-legged Gull fest,

There didn't appear to be quite so many as there has been but enough to keep me busy.

2nd Winter Caspian Gull from Dennis's Hide

I do like a Northern Herring Gull (Argentatus) a real bruiser with its Bubble Gum pink legs.

While browsing the Gulls and searching for the Great Northern Diver at least 6 Goldeneye were seen

A Danish ringed Great Black-backed Gull at Dengemarsh

From Dennis's I wandered round to Dengemarsh with John, to be honest we didn't see a great deal, but we had 2 Ravens fly over and female type Merlin also a Red Admiral.

An adult Yellow-legged Gull from Dengemarsh hide

This bird at Dengemarsh is a real puzzle to me, I'm going for a 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull, but that is a guess, hopefully more research will reveal its identity. When we arrived back at Dennis's the Great Northern Diver appeared distantly in near darkness.

Great Northern Diver