Common Redpolls!

07.40-09.10 from The Point with SG and MH

Brent Goose: 34E       169W

Shelduck: 4E             4W

Pintail: 11W

Wigeon: 109W

Teal: 3W

Common Scoter: 45E       78W

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E    2W

Great-crested Grebe: 5W

Red-throated Diver: 3E     4W     1on

Great Northern Diver: 1E

Gannet: 45E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 3E

Turnstone: 1 on beach

Kittiwake: 9 around

Mediterranean Gull: 4 around

Auk sp: 20E    27W

Alba Wagtail: 4 in

Meadow Pipit: 1 in

Goldfinch: 12E

Linnet: 2 over

Chaffinch: 1 over

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Our sea watch was cut short by a call from DW to say he had caught a Common Redpoll. 

 Common Redpolls

 Common Redpolls

 Common Redpoll in The Moat

Little Auk at The Patch

As I was leaving the Observatory PT called with news that he found a Little Auk at The Patch, minutes later I arrived with Auk still present but always distant, it eventually drifted east along the scum line. Also there another 31 Brent Geese passed west.

Early afternoon at the ARC from Hanson, a Bittern flew to the tower pits, a Water Rail in the reeds in front the hide, the usual wildfowl, a Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret. In the Willow Trail a Cetti's Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest.

As I was leaving the hide a message from AK about the return of the Cattle Egret which was  still performing when I arrived a couple of minutes later.

 Cattle Egret doing what they do!

Cattle Egret

I joined some locals at The Point this afternoon unfortunately after most of the movement had occurred.

14.20-15.30

Brent Goose: 1E     64W

Common Scoter: 1W

Red-throated Diver: 1E         2W

Sooty Shearwater: 2E

Gannet: c20 around

Dunlin: 2W

Kittiwake: 25+ around

Mediterranean Gull: 12+ around

Guillemot: 34E    2W

Razorbill: 52E      1W  

Auk sp: 346E       7W

Yellowhammer 1st of the year!

This morning at The Point SG flushed a Bunting which turned out to be a Yellowhammer, my first sighting on the peninsular this year. A Merlin was also flushed taking its prey with it. Overhead very small numbers of Skylark, Redpoll, Goldfinch, Linnet and Meadow Pipit. On the sea c45 Kittiwakes, c25 Mediterranean Gulls, 18 Wigeon E & 4W, 14 Brent Geese E & 7W, a Curlew over and 8 Gannets E.  

 Hen Harrier

Walking out from the Observatory to get views of a hunting Hen Harrier a Woodcock came out of The Moat and 2 more were flushed in The Desert. While watching the Hen Harrier a Buzzard was over the Trapping area, also a Marsh Harrier there with 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels and a Peregrine which was over the power station. The Dartford Warbler was again keeping with the company of 2 Stonechats. A Ring Ouzel was still in residence in The Moat. 

 Hen Harrier

Dartford Warbler

A short visit to the fishing boats this afternoon saw Kittiwake party had grown to c100 and still c25 Mediterranean Gulls, a Guillemot was on the sea and 17 Auks flew West.

From the VC car park a Goosander flew towards the New Diggings, the usual Great White Egrets were still around the reserve.

A cooler foggy start this morning on the peninsular but no change in the lack of birds. In 2 walks taking in the lighthouses, the station, Lloyds, West Beach, The Moat and The Desert  just a handful each of Siskin, Redpoll, Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits over, while on the ground a party of 8 Great Tits that quickly departed west over the power station, a few Blackbirds and Robins.   

2 x 1w Scaup on Dengemarsh

A call from MH telling me he had found a couple of Scaup on Dengemarsh a very scarce bird here now, saved me from another fruitless plod around The point.

While I was at Dengemarsh the Scaup spent most of the time resting and fairly distant. Also there 2 each of Marsh Harrier and Great White Egret of note. Nearby a Bittern flew over the track towards Boulderwall.

Midday at The ARC a walk around the Willow Trail saw just a Robin and a Wren. From Hanson 4 Common Snipe and a Dunlin on the islands were the only waders, not even a Lapwing! Wigeon numbers have increased, apart from another Great White Egret little was seen.  

Common Scoter past the fishing boats

Sea watch from the fishing boats 13.15-15.30 joined by SG and MH
Brent Goose: 10E      7W
Wigeon: 77W
Shoveler: 1W
Common Scoter: 3E   42W
Great-crested Grebe: 1W
Black-necked Grebe: 1 on sea drifted to the point
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Gannet: 23W    12E
Cormorant: Present
Grey Plover: 2E
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Kittiwake: c20 around
Mediterranean Gull: c20 around
Black-headed Gull: Present
Herring Gull: Present
Great Black Backed Gull: Present
Guillemot: 10W   3 on sea
Razorbill: 9W       7E
Auk sp: 27W    16E
Alba Wagtail: 3 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Caspian Gull!

Once again despite reasonable conditions on the peninsular migrants were non existent. I started by looking around the lighthouse area where 6 Skylark, a couple of Redpoll and Siskin over were the highlight and a Chiffchaff in the Heligoland trap. 

Another walk around The Desert, the beach area and the trapping area in the company of Steve Gale   (northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.co.uk) was very pleasant in the warm sunshine but completely bird less.

Mid afternoon I joined Mick and Richard at the fishing boats shortly after a superb adult Caspian Gull had dropped in giving excellent views.

 Adult Caspian Gull

 Adult Caspian Gull

 Adult Caspian Gull

Expensive Bird Table

First thing this morning at The Point conditions seemed perfect for some grounded and overhead migrants, so it was very disappointing to see just 3 Fieldfares, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and a few Blackbirds in a wander around the bushes and then drizzle started in earnest. 

North Thames CR Herring Gull on the beach this afternoon.

As the sea was flat calm I was a little surprised when AJG called me to say there was some movement off shore. I quickly joined him in the sea watch hide.

Numbers collated by AJG.

10.45-13.15

Brent Goose: 291W
Shelduck: 1 in
Wigeon: 12W
Teal: 1W
Red-breasted Merganser: 6W
Common Scoter: 76W
Great-crested Grebe: 4W
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Black-throated Diver: 1W
Great Northern Diver: 1W
Great Skua: 5W
Arctic Skua: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 38 down
Kittiwake: 164W
Guillemot: 5 around
Razorbill: 8 around
Auk sp: 19E
Skylark: 16 in
Starling: 167 in

Sea Watch Surprise!

For a change first thing this morning I went to a cold windswept Dengemarsh Gully, where the virtually the only bird I saw was a Swallow heading towards the power station, the gully apart from a Robin and a Wren was an avian free zone.

At Dengemarsh the Linnet flock was still in the Sunflower field, 2 Marsh Harriers quartered the reed bed and a Great White Egret was in the shallows.

 Black Redstart 

I joined AJG in walk around The point which was also very disappointing, a single Black Redstart in the lighthouse garden, 2 Stonechats by the Britannia, a couple of Siskins and Redpolls over, a Redwing, a Green Woodpecker and a couple of Chiffchaffs. We arrived back at the observatory just as Great Spotted Woodpecker was about to be released, which was also the highlight of the meagre total of birds ringed there today. 

At Scotney nothing of note unless you include Egyptian Geese,
A surprising sea watch in the company of AJG this afternoon from the fishing boats. In benign weather we recorded a totally unexpected 668 Mediterranean Gulls, which is the highest count I have had at Dungeness.
13.40-16.10
Common Scoter: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Gannet: 49E   12W
Cormormant: present n/c
Oystercatcher:  5W   1E
Grey Plover: 3 on beach then E
Turnstone: 4 around
Dunlin: 33 on beach then E
Arctic Skua: 1 chasing off shore then W
Kittiwake: 506W
Mediterranean Gull: 668W
Black-headed Gull: present n/c
Common Gull: present n/c
Herring Gull: present n/c
Great Blck-backed Gull: present n/c
Sandwich Tern: 23W    2E
Guillemot: 8 around
Razorbill: 2 around
Auk: 15E    7W
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Common Seal: 1

Sprites!

 A bedraggled Sparrowhawk in the fog this morning

In the lighthouse garden first thing this morning a Firecrest popped up briefly then disappeared in the fog which even completely obscured the power station. As the fog started to lift I made my way to the observatory where another firecrest was in the Moat.

Firecrest 

I joined Steve G in a wander around The Desert and beach. We saw very few grounded birds and overhead migration was very thin with just a few Siskin, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches, Redpolls and Skylarks, however we did find a nice female Dartford Warbler which gave us great hope of other goodies to be found. A little further on 2 Firecrests and a Chiffchaff were flitting about in a small lone tree. The walk along the beach drew a blank on any Wheatears but we did find a Black Redstart by the Britannia.   

 Dartford Warbler

 As we arrived back at the observatory a Pallas's Warbler was trapped in The moat which unusually gave good views after release.

Pallas's Warbler

Another wander around the Desert and trapping area this afternoon with SG failed to live up to this mornings highs, though a Marsh Harrier hunting the trapping area was nice.
Late afternoon from the causeway 9 Great White Egrets and 7 Little Egrets were feeding on the New Diggings also a red head Goosander there. 

Maybe Tomorrow?

Maybe tomorrow seems to be the mantra on the Dungeness Peninsular lately.
This morning a dawn walk around The Desert saw 2 Common Snipe and 4 Swallows with single figures of Siskin, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting and Skylark over. The only grounded migrants were 2 Ring Ouzels that have been present for a few days. Even with all the nets open nothing of note was caught.
I joined SG in a stroll from the observatory along the front of the power station where we barely saw a bird until we reached the switching station where a flock of c80 Meadow Pipits were feeding, on the way back we did see a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and the local Peregrine a very poor return for our efforts.
This afternoon in an hour at the fishing boats;
Brent Goose: 67W
Wigeon: 10W
Eider: 2W
Gannet: c20 feeding
Turnstone: 3 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 2 feeding
Black-headed Gull: c500 feeding
Guillemot: 3 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 2+
Yet another walk around and through the sea containers not a single passerine.
Late afternoon I joined SG in another wander down to the The Patch, no passerines apart from a few Pied Wagtails.
Despite our best efforts down here on the shingle we just can't find any of those birds that have allegedly made this one of the best autumns ever!
12 Great White Egrets, 21 Little Egrets and a Merlin at the ARC roost this evening.
Maybe tomorrow!

A dull windy morning on the peninsular with little avian activity. As I drove across the causeway a Merlin dashed across the road, further down at the eastern end of the New Diggings 12 Great White Egrets and 13 Little Egrets. A walk along the front of the power station to the switching station found 2 Black Redstarts and few Linnets, among the rocks 3 Song Thrushes and a Goldcrest which were presumably newly arrived.
As I approached The moat 2 Ring Ouzels appeared and another Song Thrush.
I joined SG in a wander around the trapping area, along the Pilot path a large Tit flock contained 6+ Chiffchaffs of note, a Black Redstart was unusual in the area, a few Blackbirds and Song Thrushes dropped in, also a Marsh Harrier flew over and out to sea a little way before returning over the lighthouse.
Another Black Redstart opposite Jarmans.
This afternoon at the fishing boats 100s of feeding Gulls presumably feeding on the small fry that the Mackerel were chasing, the fisherman were pulling in the Mackerel 4 at a time. Among the commoner gulls were 25+ Mediterranean Gulls, 25+ Kittiwakes, 7+ Little Gulls, a Great Skua, small numbers of Guillemots and Razorbills, 3 Common Scoter flew east with a Tufted Duck for company. On the beach an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Caspian Gull seen before I arrived by DW.
Late afternoon on the reserve a Black-tailed Godwit, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and the usual wildfowl and Egrets. On the roof of the VC another Black Redstart.

Blasting Easterlies!

With an easterly wind blasting across the peninsula this morning I wasn't expecting big things today.

07.00-08.30 from The Point with AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Common Scoter: 5E

Gannet: 69E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Sandwich Tern: 16E

Razorbill: 28E

Guillemot: 7E

Auk sp: 96E

Swallow: 6 out

I joined AJG in a stroll around the trapping area, highlights were 15 Siskin, a Brambling, 2 Swallows and 6+ Chiffchaffs.

Late morning 8 Great White Egrets could be seen on the ARC from the causeway.

 Great White Egrets

This afternoon at the fishing boats a 1w Caspian Gull came into the gull scrum, also an adult Yellow-legged Gull was also present. Offshore c40 Gannets feeding, 3 Mediterranean Gulls and few Auks tooing and froing.

 1w Caspian Gull

Gull scrum at the fishing boats