Polish Caspian Gull!

An excellent start to the day this morning when I opened the door, a superb male Black Redstart was perched on the aerial of my car. 

On my way to The Point I stopped at the south end of the New Diggings where the 2 Black-necked Grebes were still in residence.

I cut my sea watch at The Point short, when after 15 minutes I'd only seen a single Gannet go west and 2 Starlings arrive in from the sea. 

 1 of c15 Black Redstarts I saw around the peninsular today.

Goldfinch by the old lighthouse

 A walk around the area with AJG gave the distinct feeling of after the Lord Mayors Show. There appeared to be far fewer grounded migrants today, just the 1 Ring Ouzel in The moat, 3 Firecrests, c30 Goldcrests. Goldfinches, Siskins, Redpolls, Chaffinches and Brambling continued to pass overhead there were fewer of them.

 Polish ringed Caspian Gull

Late afternoon I was with David Walker near the fishing boats, he through out a couple of slices of stale bread for the gulls, within seconds a Polish colour ringed 1w Caspian Gull appeared. It was difficult to photograph as it so tame, coming close enough for us to read the metal ring. It was a pity it was so late in the day as the light was fading rapidly, hopefully it will still be around tomorrow.

Dusky Warbler!

06.30-08.00 from The Point with AJG who collated the numbers:
Brent Goose: 47W
Shoveller: 4W
Red-breasted Merganser: 1W
Common Scoter: 11W
Red-throated Diver: 1E  3W
Sooty Shearwater: 3W
Gannet: 56E
Mediterranean Gull: 2W
Kittiwake: 1W
Sandwich Tern: 4E
Guillemot: 3W
Auk sp: 3E   4W
Pied Wagatil: 9E
Skylark: 1 in
Starling: 55 in
Goldcrest: 1 in
Goldfinch: 194 E
Redpoll: 10 over
Next stop was the observatory where DW was busy ringing some of the 100+ of newly arrived Goldcrests which seemed to be everywhere. There was also an arrival of Black Redstarts with a minimum of 40 around.
A walk out into The Desert was relatively quiet apart from Goldcrests and Black Redstarts, also few Skylarks, Siskins, Bramblings and Redpolls which flew over. As I reached the northern end of The Desert news came through of a Duky/Radde's Warbler in front the power station seen by Paul Trodd.
With no sign of the bird when I arrived, those looking started to check other areas. I was by the lighthouse garden, where more Goldcrests, a Firecrest and Chiffchaffs were seen, when MH who was with SG called from c50yds away pointing to a small patch of Broom. We quickly made our way there, shortly after the bird called then flew to another patch of cover, a pattern it repeated several times before disappearing into a private area. It certainly wasn't a poser. Also seen 2 Wheatears and 3 Stonechats by the Britannia also a Ring Ouzel in The Moat.
A short video of yesterdays 1w Caspian Gull can be seen HERE

 A skulking Dusky Warbler (217)

Another walk around The Desert this afternoon with SG was very pleasant and rewarded with a Dartford Warbler (218) and another 16 Black Redstarts, though we failed to see the Great Grey Shrike that flew in front of AJG, who also had a flock of 14 Continental Coal Tits in his garden today.

Dartford Warbler

Caspian Gull!

A lovely warm autumn day on the peninsular but fairly quiet avian wise. Around the trapping area a few Finches over including Siskin, Redpoll and Brambling. In the bushes a few Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs. A Marsh Harrier and a Great Spotted Woodpecker also flew through. Of note a dartford Warbler seen by SG.

Late morning I was joined by Sally on walk out to the back of Scotney to the wind turbines, which stood stationary with not a breath of wind to stir them. We saw most of the usual birds out there, including 6 Common Buzzards, 2 Short-eared Owls and a Merlin, also the Rough-legged Buzzard which was over Cheyne.

This afternoon I joined Mick and Richard on the beach for an afternoon of Gulling. See HERE how they pull in the Gulls.

At least 2 1w Caspian Gulls came in this afternoon.

 1w Caspian Gull by the fishing boats

 JZ235 Great Black Backed Gull

Turstones making the most of a free meal

Another Shrike!

07.30-09.30 from The Point with MH and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Common Scoter: 9E    4W

Red-throated Diver: 4W

Gannet: 677 W

Merlin: 1 along beach

Great Skua: 1E

Arctic Skua: 1W

Kittiwake: 174W

Little Gull: 6W

Mediterranean Gull: 1 adult W

Sandwich Tern: 5 around

Guillemot: 11W   4E

Razorbill:2W

Auk sp: 8W   6E

Starling: 400 in

Goldfinch: 50W

The rest of the morning was taken up with domestic stuff, but I did have a party of 24 Goldfinches on the Plodland feeders.

 Distant Great Grey Shrike

My plans of an afternoon sea watching changed on news of a Great Grey Shrike behind Hookers Pit. A few minutes after getting the news I was having distant views of the Shrike which was quite mobile. Walking around Hookers several Bearded Tits could be heard even above the honking of 100s of Greylag Geese.

When I arrived at the beach, Richard Smith text me to say a 1w Caspian Gull was on the beach, unfortunately it flew off as I arrived but was replaced by a 2nd w Caspian Gull. 

2nd w Caspian Gull this afternoon.

At the ARC Egret roost this evening 8 Great White Egrets and 19 Little Egrets came in. While waiting 2 Black-necked Grebes appeared at the southern end of the New Diggings.

Barred Warbler!

A quieter morning around The Point, though still a few each of Siskins, Redpolls, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets, Bramblings and 4 Swallows over. A single Fieldfare in The Desert, 2 Redwing and 2 Song Thrushes flushed from the Broom, 3 Mistle Thrushes and a Ring Ouzel in The Moat along with a number of Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs and 2 Firecrests. 

The highlight of the day was Barred Warbler (216) which found its way into a mist net in the trapping area.

Fieldfare on the edge of The Desert

Goldcrests in the Broom

 Barred Warbler

 Kestrel opposite Lloyds

Great White Egret at the south end of the ARC

A visit to Galloways this afternoon was again disappointing, no Owls, just a couple of Stonechats.

The Rough-legged Buzzard is still showing on and off at Scotney though usually distant.

With the number of Short-eared Owls around, I spent the late afternoon early evening at home scanning the fields opposite Plodland. No Owls were seen, however 2 Ravens flew over, 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting the ditches, 3 Little Egrets flew over along with 100s of corvids going to roost. 

Scotney revisited!

 First thing this morning a Great Spotted Woodpecker trying out the sleepers on the edge of The Desert. A wander around The desert was much quieter than of late, Thrushes were virtually non existent, though finches could be heard flying over but remained mainly unseen.

I joined Steve Gale in a walk around the back of Scotney where the Rough-legged Buzzard performed for the best part of 40 minutes for us, though distant for photographic purposes before it disappearing out onto Walland Marsh. We also saw a Raven a couple of Marsh Harriers, many Golden Plover and Lapwings, a few Skylarks, Corn and Reed Buntings, Swallows and a Stonechat.

Yellow-legged Gull

A walk from the ARC car park to The Pines and out the back of the water works saw of note a Merlin, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Sparrowhawks, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 4 Swallows.
The sea was very quiet this afternoon, just a handful of Gannets and a Sandwich Tern. The usual adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the roost.

Great Grey Shrike!

Merlin just after grabbing a Goldfinch for Breakfast 

07.30-09.00 from the Point                           09.30-11.00 The Desert

Brent Goose:             4E      39W
Gadwall:                    2 on sea
Goldeneye:                1W
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E
Gannet:                      c15 around
Merlin:                       1 around
Sparrowhawk:            2 around                            3
Oystercatcher:            3E
Golden Plover:           1 in
Curlew:                                                                 1 over
Sandwich Tern:          3 around
Skylark:                     6                                         4
Swallow:                  44                                       11
House Martin:          33
Meadow Pipit:          21                                       15
Pied Wagtail:            17                                        4
Stonechat:                   2
Long-tailed Tit:                                                    6
Great Grey Shrike:                                            1
Starling:                 500 in                                 210 in
Brambling:                1
Linnet:                     83                                        15
Redpoll:                   14+                                       4+
Goldfinch:              360                                        70+
Siskin:                      11+                                     28+
Reed Bunting:            4                                          1

Eurasian Treecreeper trapped and ringed at the observatory (214)

This Great Grey Shrike (215 local patch year) flew past me as I was working The Desert, fortunately it landed on some bushes c400mts away. It was quite flighty and gradually moved north, crossed the road, then lost to view near the ARC. Fortunately it was around long enough for about dozen other observers to see it.  

Stonechat, Scotney

This afternoon I spent 4hrs at the back of Scotney waiting for Rough-legged Buzzard to show, It didn't. It was seen around midday and probably caught a Rabbit, and spent the rest of the day sitting around digesting it. While I was there c3,000 Lapwings and c500 Golden Plovers were out on the fields along with 100s of feral geese. The set aside held many Reed Buntings, Linnets and Goldfinches along with a few Corn Buntings and Yellowhammer.

3 Merveille du Jour recently in the Plodland trap

Cypress Carpet

Some good birds but dodgy images!

The sea was again very unproductive this morning:

O7.30-08.00 from The point:

Common Scoter: 20E

Gannet: c25 around

Kittiwake: 1W

Sandwich Tern: 2E

Guillemot: 2 on sea

Auk sp: 13E

Harbour Porpoise: 2

I spent the rest of the morning around The Desert and Long Pits. Good numbers of Siskin, Redpolls Goldfinches and 3+ Brambling flew over, 44 Ring Ouzels including a flock of 37 that dropped in as bad weather approached, Fieldfares, Redwing, Song Thrushes and a Mistle Thrush flew through. More details of numbers can be found D.B.O.Web Site A Jack Snipe was flushed, also 2 Common Snipe and up to 5 Short-eared Owls were in the area.

 Jack Snipe at The long Pits

 Short-eared Owl in The Desert

I met MH at Brickwall farm who pointed out this superb male Brambling. Pity about the image.

I walked both sides of Dengemarsh Gully and barely a bird was seen. Galloways was opened early this afternoon. I spent 90 minutes there and was very surprised not to see a Short-eared Owl there considering the numbers around the peninsular, I did see 6 Stonechats, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Meadow Pipits but little else.

I had just arrived home when David Walker called to say he had a Rough-legged Buzzard at Scotney. A couple of minutes later I was there and the Buzzard soon appeared hovering over the fields north side of the lake viewed from the double bends. A Short-eared Owl, 2 Marsh Harriers and  2 Sparrowhawks were also there.

 Rough-legged Buzzard over the border in Sussex.

 Rubbish long distance images but you can see what it is. Hopefully it will still be around tomorrow when I will be able to get around the to the back of the lake for better views

Excellent Day on The Peninsular!

A brilliant day started with a wander from the Observatory towards the Desert. As I crossed The Moat 2 Ring Ouzels and 2 Redwing broke cover, overhead the first of several Brambling wheezed, Siskins were calling most unseen. In The Desert more Ring Ouzels, Redwings, Fieldfare, Song Thrushes and a Mistle Thrush flew over, also Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Redpolls, Reed Buntings more Siskins and Brambling and 100s of Swallows. In the bushes Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, a few Blackcaps, Tits, including a flock of 17 Long-tailed Tits. I missed a party of 4 Continental Coal Tits were trapped just as I was tucking into a fry up. A male Peregrine put on an aerial performance chasing off  2 Ravens. This afternoon a flock of 5 Ring Ouzels(minimum of 15 for the day) dropped into The Desert and 2 more Short-eared Owls appeared. For full details of numbers see D.B.O.Web Site

Late afternoon at the ARC by the track to the Pines several Cetti's Warblers calling, both Green and Great-spotted Woodpeckers were seen, more Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. Walking out to the airport Pits I flushed a Common Snipe, another Ring Ouzel flew towards the mirrors also several Redwings, at the pits a Merlin tried to catch a couple of large Bats, 2 more Short-eared Owls were seen and 4 Marsh Harriers roosted.  

 Short-eared Owls

 Ring Ouzel +DNA

Ring Ouzel

Owls and Goldcrests!

I've not posted the last couple of days due to domestic stuff and problems with windows 10 which hopefully have now been resolved.

In the last few days I have spent most of my birding time around the bushes at Dungeness. Although there was not large numbers of grounded migrants, overhead migration has been quite good, with many Siskin, Redpoll, Goldfinches, Chaffinches also Fieldfares, Redwings, Song Thrushes, Ring Ouzels, Reed Buntings, Bramblings, Meadow Pipits and few Swallows and House Martins. In the bushes Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs were fairly numerous, some Blackcaps also Common and Lesser Whitethroat. A few Wheatears, Stonechats and Black Redstarts were seen each day.  This afternoon an influx of Short-eared Owls with at 6 in the Desert and 2 more in the Kerton Road Triangle.

 Goldcrest Willow Trail

 Short-eared Owl 

 1 of 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls in the beach roost

 JE680 Great Black Backed Gull

Sea watching has been very poor recently, though I did see a Sooty Shearwater fly west this afternoon, while in the early mornings a Merlin has been hunting incoming migrants.

On the reserve still at least 10 Great White Egrets usually around Burrowes pit. A ring tailed Hen Harrier was seen at the back of the ARC yesterday afternoon per SO. 

 Wheatear 1 of 3 in the Desert today

Hare in the Desert