Gulls, Dragons and a Spitfire

 

The Patch was very quiet this morning with just 2 Common Terns and 2 Sandwich Terns with a few Gulls and a single Wheatear on the sea wall.

Great black Backed Gull

  The fishing boats were just as quiet with the Yellow-legged Gull in its usual place and a colour ringed GBB Gull among the other loafing gulls

Yellow;legged Gull

On the ARC from Hanson the adult Little Stint, 4 Dunlin, c60 Golden Plover, 8 Little Egrets, 2 Pintails and 26 Wigeon among the numerous Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal and Mallard.

  On the way back to the car park I finally managed a decent flight shot of a Migrant Hawker.

 A walk up to the pines found the sallows held 10+Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Common Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap and large Tit flock of Great, Blue and Long Tailed Tits also seen there 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard and a Hobby.
While I was at the pines a Spitfire spent a few minutes circling overhead.

 

By the track to the reserve centre near the gull roost a Whimbrel skulked. In Firth hide I met Mike Hook hoping to get shots of a very uncooperative Pectoral Sandpiper, and while we were  chatting  saw 1+Marsh Harrier, 2 Pintail fly by as did a distant Hobby. Round the rest of the reserve 2 Great White egrets, 6 Little Egrets, 2 Hobbys, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Ravens, 6 Cetti's Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 4 Common Whitethroats and 3 Dunlin.



14.00-1600 from the fishing boats;
5 Dark Bellied Brent Geese W
58 Wigeon (45,9,4) W
4 Arctic Skuas off shore
1 Guillemot W
And few each of Common and Sandwich Terns and gannets off shore
8+ Harbour Porpoises off shore.

Painted Lady

Painted Lady Shoreham by Sea

Around The Marsh

 

Sea watching from The Point this morning was some what slow with 3+ Arctic Skuas off shore as was a single Little Gull small numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns, c100 Gannets a couple of Guillemots and 4+ Harbour Porpoises.

At the ARC the Great White Egret flew over New Diggings towards Dengemarsh and from Hanson the adult Little Stint still, 2 Common Sandpipers, c 200 Lapwing and 50+ Golden Plover along with the usual wildfowl.

On the reserve the Pectoral Sandpiper still on Burrowes best viewed from the centre, 20+ Yellow Wagtails and a Hobby at Dengemarsh and 3+ Marsh Harriers.

Dengemnarsh Gully held 3 Wheatears, a Stonechat, a Chiffchaff and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.



 At Scotney 150+ Golden Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-headed Geese, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard and 10+ Yellow Wagtails.
Across Walland the usual Tree Sparrow flocks, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Stoat while I was scanning the prairie like fields for Dotterel or Bustards.

Much The Same

At sea from The Point this morning the usual Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns along with 2 Little Gulls, 3 Arctic Skuas, 4 Harbour Porpoises a trickle of Swallows, House and Sand Martins out and 2 Turnstones and a Yellow-legged Gull on the beach.

At the ARC a Little Stint, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin, c50 each of Golden Plover and Lapwing were the highlights. On the reserve the Pectoral Sandpiper still from |Firth hide and the Great White Egret at dengemarsh.
Another hours sea watch from the fishing boats this afternoon produced much the same as this morning probably the same birds.
At Scotney c200 Golden Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Curlew and a Whimbrel.

Monty's and a Pec.

A wander around the point and desert and moat this morning found just 8 Wheatears, 4 Common Whitethroats and a few Swallows over. Wondering where to go next a text from CT telling me the Montagu's Harrier was still at The Midrips solved my dilemma, especially as there is no more access until Friday 21/09/12. A few minutes later I was parking at Jurys Gap and plodding the c1000mts out to the third pool, where the Harrier was showing non stop for the couple of hours I was there catching Dragonflies and possibly Grasshoppers. At one point it was being harassed by 2 Hobby's ,but never came close for the camera and with the heat haze any image was difficult. Also seen a Merlin which flew through 20+ Yellow Wagtails, a few Wheatears and some Swallows and Sand Martins moved through. There was a distinct lack of waders despite the pools looking brilliant, just 3 Curlews, 2 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin were seen (TG) and c200 Sandwich Terns roosting on the beach.

 





Hazy Monty's

 As we got back to the cars a text from SB alerted us that the Pectoral Sandpiper was back in front of Firth hide. A few minutes later we were watching it until a Little Egret flushed it and flew out of sight behind vegetation. From Hanson 200+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, 5+ Dunlin, 3 flyover Whimbrel and a Black-necked Grebe.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Red-backed Shrike

A late morning visit to the ARC pit from Hanson found very little of note 100+Golden Plover, 1 Pintail, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2+ Marsh Harriers and few Phylloscs in the bushes. A plod up to the pines with TG and PB was unrewarding apart from a flock of 6 probable migrant Herons.

An early afternoon visit to The Midrips was very disappointing with c200 Sandwich Terns roosting on the beach and only 5 Dunlin and 1 Ringed Plover on the pools being watched over by a Common Buzzard. While there I received news of  a Red-backed Shrike in The Desert. On my arrival it  was quite elusive and flighty, certainly not allowing close approach. While watching the Shrike news of a Pectoral Sandpiper on Burrowes was received, but it had disappeared by the time I arrived on site. 



 

A Dowitcher and a Monarch (Friday 7/09/12)

With Dungeness being so very quiet an offer of a trip to Dorset to see a Short-billed Dowitcher was very appealing. Sometime around 13.00 GH,DW,DB and myself found ourselves at Lodmoor staring way into the distance through a terrible heat haze at 2 clumps of reeds, waiting for a brown smudge to walk between them. The smudge duly did this on several occasions. After a couple of hours and with news of Monarch Butterfly at Weston, we decided to go on to Portland and admire this beauty (which must have struggled gazillions of miles over land and sea?) for our viewing delight.

After viewing this beauty and stopping for GH to have her photo taken with a golden post box, we made our way back to Lodmoor. Where we once again looked at a brown smudge occasionally appearing between 2 clumps of reeds though the heat haze had lessened considerably. About 19.00 as we were preparing to leave, the brown smudge suddenly appeared much closer to us. After viewing the bird for a few minutes confirming its identity, we made the decision to dash about half a mile so that we could get 50 yds closer. This was successful and allowed me to get some record pictures of it just before the sun went down. Another great day out in good company and many thanks to GH for driving.   

Little Owl

 

Little Owl being mobbed by Black Redstart

 Little change at The Patch this morning with 2+ Arctic Terns and 1 Little Gull among 40+ Common Terns. Off shore a few Gannets, a single Arctic Skua west and 3+ Harbour Porpoises.
On the power station behind The Patch a Little Owl was unusual, also 3 Black Redstarts, 1 Whinchat, 4 Wheatears, 4 Pied Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail and c30 Linnets. At the rear of the power station 2 Peregrines.

A plod around The Desert found it virtually bird less with just 1 Wheatear, 1 Common Buzzard, 39 Swallows and 14 Sand Martins over.
At the ARC  highlights were 60+ Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Dunlin, 1 Pintail and 6 Garganey from the Screen.
Kerton Road Pit held 200+ Oystercatchers and 30 Knot in the high tide roost. On the shingle 10 Wheatears and 20+ Yellow Wagtails.
From the fishing boats this afternoon the Yellow-legged Gull, a few Common and Sandwich Terns and Gannets fishing with 3+ Harbour Porpoises off shore.
At Scotney c200 Golden Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Curlew and a Ruff.

No Change

My Nemesis. Lesser Weever Fish courtesy of DW thumb still throbbing.

In the continuing glorious sunshine 2 Little Gulls, a Black Tern and 3+Arctic Terns among c40 Common Terns and a Wheatear on the hide roof  at The Patch this morning. Also a Spotted Flycatcher on the fence per DW.4
Little of note around the bushes,. From the Obs. a Common Buzzard, 2+ Marsh Harriers, 3 Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine.
On the ARC from Hanson 1 Little Stint, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, c30 Golden Plover among c200 Lapwing.
Had a wander around the reserve with MT, the Great White Egret still at Dengemarsh also 2+ Marsh Harriers and 8+ Yellow Wagtails with another 6+ on the entrance track and a Spotted flycatcher. Also a Common Redstart(MT). The paucity of birds meant neither of us took a single photo    

A Quiet Day

The Patch Hide still being built

 At The Patch this morning of interest just the 1 Arctic Tern among the c40 Common Terns, 306 Swallows out in 10 minutes and 4+ Harbour Porpoises. The track to the hide held 3 Wheatears, 2 Black Redstarts and c25 Linnets.

View from the top of The Moat

Most of the morning was spent around the obs skywatching where 7 Sparrowhawks, 2 Peregrines, 3 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard and steady stream of Swallows with a few Sand Martins were seen.
In couple of visits to ARC pit highlights were 2 Avocet, 70+ Golden Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers 1 Little Stint, 1 Turnstone, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Garganey and 2 Marsh Harriers. Also 6+ Willow Warblers in the bushes.
At Scotney c150 Golden Plover, 2 black-tailed Godwits, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlews and 20+ Yellow Wagtails.
Dengemarsh Gulley held 7 Wheatears, 2 Common Whitethroats, 4 Willow Warblers and 10+ Yellow Wagtails.