Great Northern Diver!

2 hrs sea watching this morning at the boats 08.00-10.00 was somewhat unproductive, but with the strong winds and rain it was the only viable option.

Common Scoter: 17W

Great-crested Grebe: 29 around

Gannet: 272W

Cormorant:76 around

Turnstone: 4 on beach

Kittiwake: 3W

Guillemot: 1 on sea

Auk sp: 19W

Goldfinch: 35W

Linnet: 24W

An hour or so chatting in the comfort of VC where an adult Caspian Gull came in to bathe, a Goosander swam by and 10 Knot flew through.

Back on the beach this afternoon a 3w Caspian Gull was in the roost. The sea was still very quiet but a Great Northern Diver flying west was a nice surprise.  

 3w Caspian Gull 

Adult Caspian Gull on Burrowes. Taken through the VC window.

Blustery!

After yesterdays impressive totals at Cap Gris-Nez I was expecting at least a Sooty Shearwater or two at the fishing boats this morning, unfortunately it was not to be, just a few each of Gannets, Auks, Kittiwakes, Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants, the only notable bird was Peregrine which coasted west.

On the reserve from Makepiece hide a 3w Caspian Gull was joined briefly by an adult bathing out among the islands, an adult Yellow-legged Gull also dropped in. From Scott a Smew and Goosander were sheltering under the Sallows.

This afternoon I joined Mick and Richard at the beach, it wasn't long before there Popcorn and fish offal pulled in the Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull 65P5. For some of superb images of it please look at http://birdingthedayaway.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://mybirdwatchingdaysout.blogspot.co.uk/

 Where is it???

 There it is!! (Mick and Richard getting head shots of the Caspo)

 65P5 1w Caspian Gull

 A slow, probably painful death awaits this Great black Backed Gull due to careless fisherman

JZ235 Great Black Backed Gull

Late afternoon at the airport Harrier roost just 2 Marsh Harriers came in. 12 Little and a Great White Egret flew over the airport from New Romney presumably heading for the ARC roost, also of note a party of 24 Pied Wagtails over along with a Common Buzzard and many Corvids.   

Miserable Day!

1 of 2 Black-necked Grebes on The New Diggings this morning

08.45-10.15 from the fishing boats.
Brent Goose: 3W
Common Scoter: 3W
Red-breasted Merganser: 2W
Red-throated Diver: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 117 on sea (my first 3 figure count this winter)
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Gannet: 66W   13E
Cormorant: 27 on sea
Turnstone: 8 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 9W  (incl.party of 5)
Kittiwake: 12W     4E
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Razorbill: 6W       1 on sea
Auk sp: 36W
Grey Seal: 1

Goosander in the rain on The New Diggings as I went home for breakfast.

Another sea watch this afternoon in appalling conditions 13.30-15.00 

Red-breasted Merganser: 4W

Great-crested Grebe: N/C

Gannet: 141W   17E

Cormorant: N/C

Turnstone: N/C

Kittiwake: 31W

Guillemot: 4W

Auk sp: 34W

Egrets and Corvids!

A very brief look at the sea this morning from a windswept point before moving to the relative shelter of the reserve. Despite looking at all the gulls there I could find none of of note. On Burrowes the Goosander and 2 Smew still also a Kingfisher before the wind and rain forced me home to a late full English.

As the rain cleared I spent the afternoon at the beach with RS and DW, despite copious amounts of fish offal, popcorn and bread the only Gull of note attracted was a colour ringed Great Black Backed Gull.

JT302  Great Black Backed Gull

This evening at the ARC roost 9 Great White Egrets and 19 Little Egrets came in for the night. Of note several 1,000s of Corvids mainly Jackdaws and Rooks came across the ARC and New Diggings to roost in the Oppen Pits.

Late Swallows and more Caspians!

2 relatively quiet sea watches though this afternoons was great enlivened by the arrival of 2 1w Caspian Gulls.                                       

                                               08.00-09.00                             13.30-14.30

Common Scoter:                  1E       5W                                    2 on sea

Red-throated Diver:                                                                  1W

Great-crested Grebe:            44 around                                   N/C            

Gannet:                                 33W                                            19W

Cormorant:                           49 around                                    N/C

Sparrowhawk:                        1 out

Oystercatcher:                        4E

Turnstone:                            16 around                                    N/C

Kittiwake:                              2W                                             56W

Mediterranean Gull:              1 around                                       3W

Caspian Gull:                                                                             2 around

Guillemot:                             3 on sea                                        2 on sea

Razorbill:                              5W                                                1 on sea

Auk sp:                                41W                                             68W

Pied Wagtail:                         5 on beach

Starling:                             120 in                                           105 in

Goldfinch:                            90 over

Grey Seal:                              1

I haven't been drinking there seems to be a problem with the tabs on blogger!!!

1 of 2 Swallows over the return trail

The 2 Black-necked Grebes were still on the New diggings as was a Great White Egret.
On the reserve of note, 2 1w Caspian Gulls came into Burrowes for a wash and a preen, also there 2 red head Smew, a Goosander, and plenty of the common duck species, 2 Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher and 2 Marsh Harriers. Around Dengemarsh 2 more Great White Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, a Stonechat, Cetti's Warblers, Bearded Tits, Water Rails and 2 Swallows over the the return trail.

Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull

Un-cropped image!

This 1w Caspian Gull put in a brief appearance at The Point this afternoon and declined the bread I through out for it, unlike the Polish bird which greedily filled it's crop.   

Quiet Times!

 Yesterday's Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Honest!

 Tame Lesser-black Backed Gull at The Point

As the sea was unproductive this morning, I walked the shore from The Point to the Lifeboat Station and back:

Brent Goose: 5E   1W
Red-throated Diver: 2W   1 on sea
Great-crested Grebe: 57 on sea
Gannet: 17W
Cormorant: 89 on sea
Marsh Harrier: 1 out
Turnstone: 45 on beach
Kittiwake: 2 on sea
Sandwich Tern: 3
Guillemot: 9W
Auk sp: 17W
Pied Wagtail: 6 on beach
Goldfinch: 90 over
Linnet: 20 over

 Great White Egret from Hanson

On the New Diggings 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Great White Egrets of note still. On Burrowes 2 red head Smew, 3 Goldeneye, a Goosander, 3 Great White Egrets, 8 Pintail among good numbers of the usual wildfowl. Also a Kingfisher and 2 Marsh Harriers.

On the ARC 2 more Great White Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Bearded Tits, 2 Marsh Harriers, also a party of 67 Gadwall. In the Willow Trail 2 Goldcrests, 2 Cetti's Warblers, a Water Rail, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker.

Red Head Smew

At Scotney little of note though I did count for no particular reason, 113 feral Barnacle Geese, 6 Egyptian Geese, 100s of Greylags and Canada Geese, several 100s of Wigeon, 3 Redshank, 14 Golden Plover among c300 Lapwing. 

Green ringed Caspo!

It was hard work and uncomfortable in the strong winds today at The Point: 

08.00-09.00   + 12.30-15.00:

Brent Geese: 1E

Common Scoter: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 2W   + 1 on sea

Great-crested Grebe: 14 around

Gannet:  163W   + 200+ feeding distantly first thing.

Turnstone: 11 around

Mediterranean Gull: 2W

Caspian Gull: 2 around

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around

Kittiwake: 78W

Guillemot: 10W    6 on sea

Razorbill: 4W   2 on sea

Auk sp: 58W

Pied Wagtail: 5 around

Meadow Pipit: 6 over

Goldfinch: 70 over

Harbour Porpoise: 2

This afternoon green ringed XMFV 1w Caspian Gull came into the puddles briefly this afternoon. The original red ringed 65P5 was in the roost early morning. 

 XMFV Caspian Gull

On the beach!

Most of today was spent around the fishing boats where this morning Kittiwakes and gannets were streaming by mainly along way out. This afternoon Mick and Richard were there with buckets of fish heads and popcorn drawing in the gulls including a brilliant new Polish ringed Caspian Gull.

Brent Goose: 1W   4E

Common Scoter: 5E

Red-throated Diver: 1 around

Great-crested Grebe: 4+ around

Sooty Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 200+

Knot: 25W

Turnstone: 22 around

Pomarine Skua: 1W

Mediterranean Gull: 12+ W

Yellow-legged Gull: 1ad around

Caspian Gull: 4+ around

Little Gull: 1W

Kittiwake: 400+ W

Sandwich Tern: 1W

Goldfinch: 1,000+ over

Linnet: 100+ over

65P5 Caspian Gull

A new Polish ringed Caspian Gull 85P5

Yest another 1w Caspian Gull

A distant Sooty Shearwater

Mediterranean Gull over the fishing boats this morning

some of the 36+ Goldfinches frequenting the Plodland feeders

Not a Great Day!

Rain and mist made it a thoroughly miserable day on the peninsular, made worse this morning by the smart entry to system to my car being so smart that it would not let me into the car. When it did unlock all the alarms went off and promptly locked me out again! The engineer told me it was probably an intermittent fault that would resolve its self! What was worse Gannets, Kittiwakes and more were streaming past The Point per SG.

I did manage to get to the beach for hour mid afternoon, visibility was abysmal though a few Gannets and Kittiwakes were feeding close in shore also a single Sandwich Tern moved west. In the Gull roost an adult Caspian gull spotted by DW also an adult Yellow-legged Gull there.

 Caspian Gull

Woodcock Surprise!

 B4 Great Black Backed Gull (probably Dutch ringed)

 Pink billed Herring Gull

Most of my day was spent on the beach looking at Gulls and sea watching. I  don't really know why I enjoy sea watching so much especially on drizzly miserable afternoon like today. 4 hrs on my own staring out to sea counting mainly Kittiwakes, then I spot a dark dot miles out and start to follow it with the scope, it appears to be coming towards the shore but I have no idea what it is, a couple of minutes later it's still coming in but still I have no idea what it is, all I know it's dark and fast, very fast and agile as it easily evades the attentions of Great Black Backed Gull, is it a Merlin? no to big, wrong shape and flight, then it rises briefly above the horizon showing a long bill, the penny drops Woodcock! I grab the camera and fire off some shots, it is approaching the shore quickly, I press the shutter again and hope for the best as it comes ashore, up and over the beach in land towards The Desert. Those few minutes watching it come in trying to identify it, managing a poor record shot made my 4hr vigil worthwhile. Thats why I love sea watching you just never know what will happen.   

                                  07.40-09.00                                       12.10-16.20
Brent Goose:                                                                          17W
Teal:                                                                                         4W
Common Scoter:          2E
Red-Throated Diver:                                                               1W
Great-crested Grebe:   3W                                                      7 on sea
Gannet:                    181W                                                    47W         4E
Curlew:                        3W
Turnstone:          1 on beach                                                    4 on beach
Woodcock:                                                                              1 in
Mediterranean Gull:   1W                                                       7W
Kittiwake:                36W                                                    323W
Sandwich Tern:                                                                       7W
Guillemot:                                                                             38W    2 on sea
Razorbill:                                                                                6W    1 on sea
Auk sp:                   12W                                                       54W
Swallow:                4 out
Pied Wagtail:         3 on beach
Goldfinch:          176 over
Siskin:                4 over
Linnet:              35 over
Harbour Porpoise:                                                                   2
Grey Seal:                                                                               1

Sandwich Tern 1 of 7 this afternoon

This Woodcock was a real surprise coming in off the sea.

A mid morning look at Burrowes found a different 1w Caspian Gull from Makepiece, also of note the 2 red head Smew, Goosander, 3+ Great White Egrets plus the usual Wildfowl.

Scotney held 300+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, c400 Wigeon and the usual feral Geese, also a couple of Marsh Harriers hunting the north bank but again no sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard which has presumably moved on.

Brent Geese (no juveniles) past the fishing boats