Crossbills

Went to Blackdown today for the Parrot Crossbill but failed, good to catch with old friends though. The photographs of the bird claimed today seem some what unconvincing, but I am probably just grumpy because I did not see it.
20+ Common Crossbills seen including a male with faint wing bars also 1+ Woodlark.

Glaucous Gull

In a bitter south easterly at the point this morning the sea was once again full of birds. 2000+ Great Crested Grebes, 1000+ Auks and several hundred Cormorants on the sea, with many more tooing and froing along with 100+ Kittiwakes, 50+ Red Throated Divers, 50+ Gannets 2 Shelduck E, 7 Common Scoter W. On the beach I was unable to locate the Caspian Gull but the 2w Glaucous Gull reappeared after a weeks absence among the few gulls that were in the roost which was regularly disturbed by dog walkers and the many fisherman today.

On the ARC Pit fron the causeway in the rain 5 Smew including the drake, the Long Tailed Duck, 12+ Goldeneye and a Kingfisher flashed across. Around the Tower Pits another or the same Kingfisher, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harriers and 100+ Golden Plover flew over. 

On Scotney the only birds of note were 10 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, several hundred Lapwing, the feral Barnacle Geese Flock  and a Sparrowhawk flew through.

On Walland the 53 Bewick Swans were back at Midley this afternoon. 

Dotterel

After a text from BB I went to straight to Lydd Airport, where the Dotterel after being refound by Neil B was giving good scope views, in the field beside the airport approach road among Golden Plover and Lapwing. Also seen there a Common Buzzard, a Peregrine, a Black Redstart and 8 Red Legged Partridge.
A couple of hours round the Tower Pits was disappointing bird wise with 2 Marsh Harriers, a Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff  and a Common Buzzard perched on the listening ears.  

Little Owl year tick

A lunch time start today after sorting out bits at home this morning. I went straight to the fishing boats which were bathed in sunshine where the Caspian Gull was immediately on show. On the sea only a few Auks, Grebes and Kittiwakes tooing and froing but 2-300 Cormorants were busy fishing. Again the Glaucous Gull was conspicuous by its absence.
On the ARC from the causeway 3 Smew including a smart drake, the Long Tailed Duck and fly by Bittern.

On the reserve Burrowes Pit was birdless. Not surprising as brush cutting was being done on the islands.

Christmas Dell was its usual peaceful self, with a single Common Snipe taking advantage of the newly cut reeds in front of the hide, up to 3 Marsh harriers quartering the reed beds a couple of Bearded Tits calling as was a Water Rail. The rest of the reserve was just as quiet with brief views of a Great White Egret, 4 Stonechats around the paths and 9 Tree Sparrows at the entrance.

On Walland this afternoon 2 Little Owls my first for the year, no sign of the Bewick Swans. At the Woolpack Harrier roost 4 Tufted Duck on the reservoir but no Harriers came into roost though 6+ were seen further out on the marsh and 2 Common Buzzards were seen.

Brent Geese

On my way to Dungeness there were still 53 Bewick Swans at Midley.
Sea watching from the fishing boats  (10.30-12.30) was kept interesting due to the large number of Brent Geese moving east, most were along way out and high.
Brent Geese: 2262E
Wigeon : 37 E
Numbers of Auks, Great Crested Grebes,Kittiwakes, Gannets and Red Throated Divers were well down on recent counts. The Caspian Gull was still on the beach.
At the ARC Pit from Hanson with MH this afternoon the Long Tailed Duck, 42 Bewick Swans, 4 red head Smew, 16 Goldeneye, 400+ Golden Plover, 2+ Marsh harrier, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2+ Cetti's Warblers and 2 Water Rail squealing.
MH and I then went to Dengemarsh hide which was very quiet. As we left I got a call about a Dotterel with the Golden Plover flock on the ARC. On arrival a very kind birder had the Dotterel lined up for us in his scope at 50x mag which was necessary as the birb was distant. We moved to the screen hide where we located the Dotterel at slightly closer range,  but it was still very difficult buried in among all the Golden Plover.
Back on Walland the Bewick Swans had gone so were presumably the ones relocated to the ARC Pit.

For some reason Blogger wont let me upload any pictures from my computer only from the internet!

Tractors

With the rain tipping down I arrived at the point at about 10.15 and stayed till 11.30.  On the sea things had not changed with 100s of Auks, Great Crested Grebes, Kittiwakes and smaller numbers of Red Throated Divers and Gannets. 68 Brent Geese moved east and 14 Common Scoter west. At the ARC a Great White Egret, 1 red head Smew, the Long Tailed Duck and 14 Goldeneye and a soggy Marsh Harrier.

With the rain still falling I decided to head home. As I drove across Walland near Midley I noticed a large pale shape flying way out in the field a male Hen Harrier, I quickly stopped grabbed the camera and managed a couple of extreme range shots in terrible visibility, before my ears were blasted by the horn of huge tractor filling my rear windscreen just as the bird turned and headed towards me. By the time I moved the car out the way the Harrier had crossed the road close behind me and was heading out to the windmills. ****! 

Further along the road the 53 Bewick Swans were still in there usual field. 

Back Home

A visit to Mum gave me the opportunity to try and see the 3 Snow Buntings at Widewater  my old stamping ground. The Buntings were not difficult to find and showed well in the early moring sun.
Also there 4 Little Egrets, 6+ Little Grebes, a Kingfisher, 1 Redshank and a Red Throated Diver off shore.

Little Change

A couple of hours plodding around Orlestone Forest was pleasant but not overly rewarding bird wise. I probably clocked up more dogs species than birds. 4 Bullfinches being the highlight with a few each of Great, Blue, Coal, Long Tailed Tits, Goldcrests and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Where are all the Finches?

 On the beach at Dungeness little change in numbers of Razorbills, Guillemots, Red Throated Divers  and Great Crested Grebes. Though Kittiwakes seemed more numerous and my first Little Gull of the year was feeding back and forth along the surf along with hundreds of other gulls. Off shore there was very little movement except for 32 Wigeon moving west.
The 1w Caspian Gull was in the roost but no Glaucous Gull today.

On the reserve 2 red head Smew and the Long Tailed Duck were on the ARC and a Great White Egret was on Burrowes from Dennis Hide.
Round the tower pits a Common Snipe flushed from a boggy area, a Kingfisher flashed over and a Bittern briefly, also 2+ Marsh Harriers.
Out on Walland the 53 Bewicks still at Midley. 

Man Flu

After spending all of yesterday and most of today indoors suffering from man flu (uploaded  1000+ pictures onto Flickr) I managed to drag myself to the fishing boats for an hour this afternoon. As I arrived the 1w Caspian Gull was on the track. On the sea 1000+ Great Crested Grebes, 1000+ Auks, 200+ Kittiwakes a few Gannets and a Bonxie west at 14.50.
Driving back across Walland still 53 Bewick Swans at Midley.

Wild and Wet

 At a very breezy and wet ARC Pit this morning the handsome drake Smew and a single redhead were at the southern end. Along with 6 Goldeneye and the Long Tailed Duck. On the New Diggings 1 Great White Egret and 6 Little Egrets.
11.30-12.30 at the fishing boats in very poor visibility, found most the Razorbills and Guillemots have moved on leaving several hundred Great Crested Grebes and a few Red Throated Divers with usual Gannets and Kittiwakes milling around off shore. The Caspian Gull and Glaucous Gull were conspicuous by there absence.

On Walland still 53 Bewick Swans at Midley, nearby 15+ Tree Sparrows in the bushes opposite the feeders, 50+ Fieldfare and 4 Mistle Thrushes at Midley Barn and 4 Marsh Harriers around the marsh.