Weekend

Saturday morning at the Scotney complex of note, the 2 Spoonbills asleep, 2 Little Owls around the barns, a Green and Common Sandpiper and the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows.

In the evening on the ARC of note a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 4 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers.

Distant pic of the Spotted Redshank and Greenshank.

An hour this morning from The Point 09.15-10.15:

Common Scoter: 5E

Great-crested Grebe: 5 o/s

Gannet: 64W     4E

Cormorant: 4 o/s   7W

Sandwich Tern: 27W most carrying fish

Common Tern: 7 o/s  party of 8W

Auk sp: 1E

Swift: 4 south

House Martin: 1 south

Harbour Porpoise: 2 

On the turf at Scotney of note 31 Curlew, a Whimbrel, 6 Ringed Plover , 3 Egyptian Geese and 2 Barnacle Geese, among the hordes of Greylag and Canada Geese.

This evening at the ARC 4 Little Ringed Plovers, a Garganey and a mixed flock of c100 House and Sand Martins.

While putting the moth trap out this evening I watched amazed as a Hobby took a Sand Martin as easily as they take Dragonflys.

A lazy day!

 At Scotney this morning the 2 Spoonbills were on the back lake in their usual pose, it seems as though there maybe 1 pair of Avocets left and 1 pair of Common Terns on the islands, a Common Sandpiper was there along with 13 Black-tailed Godwits, a Little Ringed plover and a Ringed Plover, along with 100s of Greylag Geese several Little Egrets, the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows and 3 Little Owls. On the main lake another Common Sandpiper per DG and 2 Egyptian Geese along with 100s more Greylags.

 One of 3 Little Owls showing at Scotney today.

At The Patch 5+ Mediterranean Gulls and 6+ Juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls among the 100s of Herring and Black-headed Gulls, a Black Redstart was feeding along the perimeter wall and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

At the ARC 3 Little Ringed Plovers and a  Ringed Plover among c150 Lapwings, also a party of 5 Redshanks at the south end.

I spent the afternoon sky watching from Plodland with a supply of cold drinks whilst listening to the cricket, 3 Little Egrets, a Hobby, a Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and a pair of noisy Oystercatchers all flew over the garden, a brilliant way to spend a hot summers afternoon. 

6 of the 9 Elephant hawkmoths in the Plodland trap this morning

Bird's wing from this mornings catch.

A Butterfly and some moths!

From the screen first thing this morning 6 Black-tailed Godwits (19 in the afternoon visit) 4 Little ringed Plovers and 2 Ringed Plovers among c100 Lapwings. The Swallows were sitting tight on there second clutch, 2 Marsh Harriers hunted the reed bed in front the hide and a Hobby was hawking behind the hide.

At The Patch 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls among c200 Black-headed Gulls and c150 Herring Gulls including a North Thames colour ring MX3T, also 2 Great Crested grebes off shore and a handful of Gannets feeding distantly. On the perimeter wall a single Hummingbird Hawkmoth. 

 Mediterranean Gulls

 Juvenile Common Whitethroat

While I was at the observatory a neighbour brought in a juvenile Common Whitethroat that a local cat had caught, it seemed none the worse for it's experience but they had kept it overnight in a box, I placed it back in the bushes and hopefully its parents will hear it.

 Small Copper(radiata)

Also while I at the obs. a rare form of Small Copper (radiata) was found in the moat by a visiting Small Copper expert, apparently this was only the second he had seen.

 Brown Hawker at the ARC

The Plodland moth trap was fairly bulging last night, with an impressive for me 47 macro species, including a Balsam Carpet and my 10th Small Mottled Willow of the year, also at least 18 micro species including 96 Endotrichia flammealis and a gorgeous Cynaeda dentalis

 Balsam Carpet Scarce on the peninsular

Cynaeda dentalis a gorgeous micro moth.

2 Roseates!

From the screen hide at the ARC pit this morning, 2 Little Ringed Plovers among the dozens of Lapwings, a Cuckoo flew over as did a Marsh Harrier, the Swallows sitting tight on there second brood.

At The Patch 5 each of Mediterranean Gulls and juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, with c10 Common Terns over the boil but little else of interest.

This evening from the fishing boats 18.00-19.00:

Great-crested Grebe: 1 o/s

Gannet: 74E    32W

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juv on beach 2 juvs in the roost

Kittiwake: 1W

Sandwich Tern: c15 o/s

Common Tern: c10 o/s

Swift: 24 south

Grey Seal: 1

 Juv.Yellow-legged Gull, 1of 2 in the roost this evening

Udea ferrugalis in the Plodland trap this morning along with another Small Mottled Willow and 6 Plutella xylostella were the only immigrants.

Thanks to DW for realising from his pictures that there were definitely 2 Roseate Terns at the fishing boats Sunday afternoon, 1 ringed and 1 unringed.

 Ring clearly visible on this Roseate Tern

Clearly no rings on this Roseate Tern

Sitting in the Sun!

A poor video of yesterdays Roseate Tern

After emptying the moth trap this morning I drove to the fishing boats making a short stop at Cockles Bridge, where a Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard were hunting, 2 Yellow Wagtails were in the Paddock with 2 Stock Doves until a male Sparrowhawk shot across the paddock narrowly missing one of the Yellow Wagtails.
At the fishing boats just a handful of Common and Sandwich Terns were feeding along with a single 2s Mediterranean Gull and a bull Grey Seal.
At The Patch 7+ juv.Yellow-legged Gulls, 7 Mediterranean Gulls including a juvenile and a few Common Terns.  

 Little Owl, Scotney

At Scotney the 2 Spoonbills still showing distantly where as 2 Little Owls showed very well. The usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn buntings and Tree Sparrows were seen, but it seems that all of 15 Avocet nests have now been predated probably by a Badger.

2hrs sitting on the beach at the fishing boats this afternoon in the glorious sunshine, (retirement is tough) saw the Roseate Tern again briefly as it sped by heading westwards, a few Sandwich Terns headed west carrying fish for presumably youngster at Rye Harbour, which seems a long way to go to catch a meal, whats happened to the Rye Bay fish stocks? Also past the boats 5 Mediterranean gulls including a juvenile and 3 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls.

  

Below some of the moths that are scarce on the peninsular found in the Plodland trap in last few days.

 Scarce Silver-lines

 Small Mottled Willow (8 so far)

 Maple Prominent

 Vapourer

Sycamore

Roseate Tern!

Last nights moth catch was the best so far this year with 53 species of macro and at least 25 micro species although none were of real note. With the welcome rain this morning it gave me the opportunity to photograph the micro's and identify most of them.
Late morning the rain cleared and I made my way to the ARC where from the screen 2 Little Ringed Plovers could be seen among the many post breeding Lapwings and the hordes of Mute swans and Coots. At the south end 2 Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Sand Martins.
Next stop the fishing boats for a sea watch, from the moment I arrived there was a mixed party of c20 Sandwich and Common Terns feeding close inshore on Whitebait. I started trying to get some images of the terns when an adult Roseate Tern appeared in front of me a little further out than the rest of the terns, another panic moment ensued as I fired off some record shots as it moved off west, then made a call and tweet. Fortunately the Roseate Tern came back and showed well to those who came to it.

 Roseate Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull of the year was attracted by the offal put out by my Mick and the 2 Richards.

a 1st summer Common Tern at the fishing boats

Mystery Tern!

Sanwich Tern surfaces

With Whitebait 

Pesky Cats!

Early this morning I went outside to empty the Moth trap only to find it had been trashed, presumably by a cat chasing moths, even so it still contained 52 macro's of 25 species including another Small Mottled Willow.

 Eyed Hawkmoth, 2 Poplar Hawkmoths, Small Elephant Hawkmoth and very tatty Elephant Hawkmoth

Grey/Dark Dagger

A very pleasant hours sea watch 08.00-09.00 from The Point:

Shelduck: 19E (single flock presumably Heligoland bound)
Common Scoter: 16E
Great-crested Grebe: 4 on sea
Gannet: 15E  131W
Cormorant: 5 on sea
Oystercatcher: 1E
Mediterranean Gull: 7+ o/s
Sandwich Tern: c35 feeding o/s
Common Tern: c15 feeding o/s
Harbour Porpoise: 1
Grey Seal: 1
I then had a wander around The desert seeing very little of note as the temperature started to soar.
A chat with BB and DW and then off to the ARC where 2 Hobby's were hawking high over the car park. At Boulderwall several Tree sparrows were around the feeders, either side of the the track to the viewing ramp is a blue haze of Viper's bugloss, Hobby's were hunting either side and 3 Marsh harriers quartered the fields. From the ramp a Bittern put in a brief flyby appearance, while Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers are still singing and family of Bearded tits put in appearance. By the time I got back to the car the temperatures were in the high 20s, so back home for a late breakfast and afternoon chilling.

The Viper's-bugloss on the peninsular is particularly stunning this year

Don't Panic!

After going through this mornings disappointing moth catch, a Kent Black Arches being the highlight I drove to the observatory, where after a chat with DW I went out to the trapping area without any expectations. I spent about half an hour looking around and was making my way back to the observatory, when I flushed an Owl from a bush right beside me. I swung my camera up nearly strangling myself, fired off a series of very panicked shots as the Owl disappeared behind a bush, as is usual in such situations it did not come out the other side of the bush. I quickly moved a few yards forward so the bush was not obscuring my view, just in time to see it land briefly c50mts away in a sallow, allowing me to fire off a couple more record shots before it moved deeper into the trapping area. I did see it again even more briefly as I walked the Pilots path and flushed it again. 

 The product of a panicked shot!

A distant shot of the L.E.Owl showing its characteristic ear tufts!

12.00-13.30 sea watch from The Point, it was not exactly riveting but was just brilliant soaking up the sun sitting right on the waters edge in cool sea breeze. 

Common Scoter: 45E

Gannet: 19E  5W

Cormorant:  6E  3W

Sandwich Tern: c30 feeding along the colour change

Common Tern: 2E

Gannets!

After emptying a disappointing catch from the Plodland moth trap, I drove the short distance to the beach for an hours sea watch.

 One of the closer flocks of Gannets this morning.

08.35-09.40 from The Point.

Common Scoter: 12 E
Great-crested Grebe: 2 on sea
Gannet: 218 W   including flocks of 58 & 43   also 24E
Cormorant: 3W
Oystercatcher: 2E
Ringed Plover: 1 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 1 ad E
Sandwich Tern: 47E  38W
Common Tern: 21W        3E
Swift: 3 in
Skylark: 1 on beach
Pied Wagtail: 3 on beach
Harbour Porpoise: 1
At the ARC  a Cuckoo in the Willow Trail also a Water rail squealing, the first I have heard here for a while. From Hanson the Lapwing numbers are building nicely c150 today, many eclipse Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Shoveler could be seen along with hordes of Coot and c50 Mute Swans.

 Little Owl sunbathing

A late morning stroll around the Scotney complex found one of the Little Owls in its usual spot on the barn, Yellow Wagtails and Corn Buntings feeding young, 5 Little Egrets and the 2 Spoonbills in their usual pose. The remaining Avocets were still sitting tight, as were the Black-headed Gulls in their small colony. 2 Egyptian Geese and 2 Barnacle Geese still present along with many Greylag and Canada Geese.

2 distant Spoonbills

A disappointing watch this afternoon 13.35-15.00 from the fishing boats:
Great-crested Grebe: 2 on sea (same 2?)
Fulmar: 1E
Gannet: 2E  8W
Cormorant: 1E  2W
Mediterranean Gull: 1 2nd S  E
Sandwich Tern: 8W

Fisherman trying to find new ways of wasting the Dungeness lifeboatmen time this afternoon. Appears not to be wearing a life jacket.

This evening a short walk around Walland Marsh saw the usual Tree Sparrows, Yellow Wagtails, Turtle Dove, Common Buzzards, Marsh Harriers and a Barn Owl but I did not hear any Quail 

A quiet day!

It's good to see islands rapidly growing on the ARC from Hanson even if they are occupied by Coots and Mute Swans. The Reed Warbler chicks are now out of the nest I have been watching, but evading the camera. A Cuckoo flew past the hide as did an Egyptian Goose, little else was seen there today.

From Dennis's hide 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Ringed Plover were the highlights.

A wander around Dengemarsh saw the usual reed bed Warblers and 2 Marsh Harriers.

In this evenings stroll around the Scotney complex a family of Little Owls entertained me. Further on the usual Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows all of which I am so lucky to be able to see daily just a couple of minutes drive from home, indeed I can see Yellow Wagtails daily from my garden. On the back lake the 2 Spoonbills still, the Avocets appear to have been predated as there are now only 6 sitting birds and not a chick to be seen, 9 sitting birds less than yesterday. All the missing birds are from the island closest to the causeway, it wouldn't surprise me if 1 of the many Badgers around the area swam out and predated the eggs. 

 Adult Little Owl

 Juvenile Little Owl

 Photo bombing the Avocet

 2 of the 3 Small Mottled Willows in the Plodland trap this morning

 Shore Wainscot another surprise this morning

Swallow-tailed Moth always nice to one these in the Plodland trap