30/05/2024

Several Hobbys are around the reserve

After yesterdays Bee-eater flew over me unheard and unseen, I was delighted this afternoon when trying to count the Swifts in a an approaching shower cloud, I heard a Bee-eater calling, after what seemed an age of panic spinning around trying to locate the bird and failing, it called again several times allowing me to spot it very high among the feeding Swifts, I desperately tried to get a record shot of it but failed to get a focus lock as it drifted further away South West. 3 Cattle Egrets were new in today but very little else to be seen on the reserve.

Barn Owl at the ARC

1,000s of Swifts have been around the peninsular for the last couple of days

3 Cattle Egrets at Boulderwall

Reed Warbler in the Willow Trail

Blue Tit at its nest hole in Hanson Hide

Puss Moth in the Willow Trail

Common Spotted Orchid in the Orchid Trail

27/05/2024

A Hare running along a track towards me on the marsh 

Then it stopped for a pee

Having a look around

Then ran towards me again

Stopped for another look around

Then came right up to me. Absolutely magical!

 

Black-tailed Godwits on Hayfield 1

I checked out the House Martin colony at Brett's, I could only see 4 nests but could be more, I need to get better access. Todays walk around the reserves as expected fairly quiet in the strong wind, a secretive drake Garganey on hayfield 3, 100+ Swifts with smattering of Swallows. House and Sand Martins and 3 Hobbys of note. Once again with virtually no islands Burrowes was somewhat barren. A distant Red Kite flew NE along the coast.  

Common Gull surrounded by dummies at Christmas Dell

Great-crested Newt on the return trail

This Delicate was the highlight of last nights moth catch

26/05/2024

 Whilst we have been having warm still evenings, I've been spending more time out on the marsh with some success.  The sea has been very quiet, likewise the reserve, although there was a Golden Oriole there yesterday seen by several people but not me.

Barn Owl Walland Marsh 1 of 4  seen

Corn Bunting on the Marsh

Plenty of Yellow Wagtails on the marsh

Common Whitethroat

Up to 11 Black-tailed Godwits have been frequenting hayfields 1 & 2

One of 2 Garganey that have been on the ARC viewed from Hanson hide

A gorgeous Willowherb Hawk-moth trapped by Barry Benson, only the 5th British record.

23/05/2024

As I haven't looked at the sea for a few days I joined Owen in the hide this morning, not surprisingly it wasn't a busy watch.

 07.30-09.00 with OL

Brent Goose: 4E

Common Scoter: 24E

Great-crested Grebe: 1E    1W

Oystercatcher: 2W  

Dunlin: 11E  

Kittiwake: 16W

Black-headed Gull: 3W

Great Black-backed Gull: 4W

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 17E   

Guillemot: 1E      2W

Fulmar: 3W

Gannet: 6E    21W

Cormorant: 4 present

Harbour Porpoise: 4+ 

On the land migrants were very thin on the ground, this camera shy Spotted Flycatcher found by JY at the top of the Long Pits was about it for grounded migrants, it darted out numerous times to catch insects but always returned to the same perch covered by twigs.

In a couple of hours around the ARC, this Hobby that flashed by me was the highlight of my time there

The Great Tits and Blue Tits are still feeding there young in Hanson Hide

A fresh female Emperor Dragonfly by the track to Hanson

022/05/2024

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit in the trapping area

A wander around The Desert and TA this morning saw very little of note, 40+ Swallows, 2 Grey Herons going out and a Hobby which presumably had just come in off the sea were the only birds noted.

Common Lizard at the ARC

Again very little noted here this afternoon, an increase in Hirundines along with c50 Swifts. Without islands the ARC is not attractive to birders, another month of dry weather and hopefully there will be some islands and with them some birds, the same can be said for Burrowes.

Yesterday Dave and Sheila Bunney kindly allowed me into there garden to see a Marsh Warbler, unfortunately the Warbler had other ideas and only allowed a few glimpses in several hours, although it was singing quite frequently. 

Spoonbill on Burrowes yesterday

 

20/05/2024

A gorgeous Woodchat Shrike that graced the return trail on 19/05/2024, the first I have seen at Dungeness since one near the fish shack on 12th May 2017.

The continuing very high water levels and no islands for Terns, Waders and Gulls to nest and rest on, has meant the reserve has been very quiet avian wise, what I find more more concerning is the general lack of Hirundines and the small numbers of Reed and Sedge Warblers, where once there was a cacophony of sound emanating from the reed beds, they now appear to me to be quite quiet, I have no idea why as the habitat is still there with little change to it, I'd like to think that the birds are just late in returning but I don'r really believe that. 

The distance and heat haze made photography challenging

Devouring a Bee

It also pounced on a Lizard that it appeared to half impale and half consume

Esperia sulphurella although seemingly a common species this is the first I have found in my trap, though I have probably overlooked this minuscule micro moth in the past. 
 

15-16/05/2024

15/05/2024 06.45-09.00 with RW, CP, OL

Brent Goose: 2E
Common Scoter: 126E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 present 
Oystercatcher: 19E      3W
Kittiwake: 58E   1W
Black-headed Gull: 20E
Mediterranean Gull: 7E 
Great Black-backed Gull: Present N/C
Herring Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 20E
Common Tern: 37E 
Arctic Skua: 6E 
Guillemot: 3E  
Red-throated Diver: 2E     1W
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 30E  
Cormorant: 2E        6 present
Harbour Porpoise: 4 
Grey Seal: 1

A reasonable sea watch this morning was brought to an abrupt end by a message from Tom Wright that the Melodious Warbler was still present and showing well.

Melodious Warbler

What should have been a nice series of images of the bird taking a Cinnabar Moth, was marred by the failure to get a focus lock.

This lovely "Rubicola" Stonechat is also resident in The Moat

One of the 1,000s of Marsh frogs around the Marsh

Nic elf the RSPB to provide this Common Gull a nesting platform among the dummy Terns at Christmas Dell. While I was there the highlight of the day a Pair of Garganey flew over and dropped into Hayfield 3.