Monday 21 November 2016

1 of 4 Sooty Shearwaters past today
07.45-09.45 from the fishing boats joined by OL.
All down channel unless otherwise stated:

Shelduck:  3
Common Scoter: 3
Red-throated Diver: 8
Great-crested Grebe: 27 around
Fulmar: 2
Sooty Shearwater: 3
Gannet:  236
Cormorant:  c300 around
Oystercatcher: 1
Turnstone: 2 around
Black-headed Gull: present n/c  c3,500 at The Patch per OL
Mediterranean Gull: 8
Common Gull: c30
Herring Gull: c500 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around
Lesser Black Backed Gull:  10+ around
Great Black Backed Gull:  150+ around
Kittiwake: 31
Pied Wagtail: 2 around

Ring-necked Duck on Cook's Pool in the pouring rain
A soggy visit to the reserve where the Ring-necked Duck was  showing well in the rain, at the back of the pool an Egret trio of Great White, Cattle and Little Egret. On Burrowes an adult Caspian Gull, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 2 Goosander including a superb drake, the Long-eared Owl was still showing behind the Dipping Pool despite the rain.
Mediterranean Gull gleaming in the afternoon sunshine
All down channel unless otherwise stated
13.10-15.00 from the fishing boats with OL

Red-throated Diver: 4        1 up
Sooty Shearwater: 1
Gannet: c250
Great Skua: 2
Arctic Skua: 1
Pomarine Skua: 2
Mediterranean Gull: 56
Kittiwake: 960

1 of 1,000+ Kittiwakes past today

Sunday 20 November 2016

08.00-10.30 from the fishing boats: joined by OL & SO

                               Up Channel           Down Channel
Wigeon:                                                        6
Common Scoter:                                       383 
Velvet Scoter:                                               2
Great-crested Grebe:                                  16
Gannet:                              3                       78
Cormorant :                                               878
Grey Plover:                                                  1
Sanderling:                                                    1
Turnstone:                                                     3
Great Skua:                                                   2
Black-headed Gull:           n/c
Common Gull:                  n/c
Herring Gull:                     n/c
Caspian Gull:                                               1  1w
Lesser Black Backed Gull: n/c
Great Black backed Gull:   n/c
Kittiwake:                                                   14
Guillemot:                                                     1
Pied Wagtail:                       3 around
A quick look at Boulderwall saw the Ring-necked Duck, Cattle Egret and a Great White Egret. The Long-eared  Owl was apparently still on its chosen perch. 4 Bewick Swans were in the field between the airport and Cockles Bridge with some Mute Swans.
 Great Northern Divers this afternoon

13.30-15.00 from the fishing boats:
                                                          Down Channel
Red-throated Diver:                                     2
Great Northern Diver:                                  3
Great-crested Grebe:                                  27
Gannet:                                                       24
Black-headed Gull:                                   174
Common Gull:                                            16
Herring Gull:                       c300 around
Lesser Black Backed Gull:  8+ around
Great Black Backed Gull:  c150 around
Kittiwake:                                                   56
Late afternoon at the airport Harrier roost 6 Marsh Harriers roosted, a Sparrowhawk flew over as did a Great White Egret.

Saturday 19 November 2016

Another Day at Dungeness!

07.55-08.55 from the fishing boats:
                                              Up Channel                Down Channel
Red-breasted Merganser:                                                  1
Red-throated Diver:                                                         11
Great Northern Diver:                                                       1
Great-crested Grebe:                            24 around   
Gannet:                                  37          62 feeding         138  
Cormorant:                                          Present n/c
Oystercatcher:                         2
Turnstone:                               2
Great Skua:                                                                       1
Black-headed Gull:                        Many Present
Mediterranean Gull:                             4 around
Herring Gull:                                  Many Present
Great Black Backed Gull:              Many Present
Lesser Black Backed Gull:             Few Present
Kittiwake:                                                                       27
Auk Sp:                                                                            2
Stonechat:                                            2 by boats
Common Stonechat & Dartford Warbler(at least 2 present) Kerton Road triangle
The Grey Stonechat Kerton Road Triangle
This afternoon on the reserve Ring-necked Duck,Great White Egrets, Cattle Egret, Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers, Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls, more North Thames colour ringed Herring Gulls, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, 2 Kingfishers and Long-eared Owl all seen despite the at times torrential rain.
As I arrived home late afternoon 2 Bewick Swans flew over my house towards the lakes presumably to roost.

Friday 18 November 2016

First thing this morning at Boulderwall the Ring-necked Duck, also Cattle, Great White and Little Egret and 2 Marsh Harriers.
At the Dipping Pool the Long-eared Owl still on its chosen perch. A quick look from Firth revealed very few Gulls so down to the fishing boats and come back later.
Fairly quiet at the fishing boats a scan of the horizon saw 87 Gannets slowly moving down channel. 3 Mediterranean Gulls and c20 Kittiwakes were offshore, a single Brent goose flew into Lade bay, a single Turnstone on the beach and 17 Great-crested Grebes were off shore.
Great White Egret from Firth
Back at Firth I located 4 Caspian Gulls (Ad,1w,2w,3w) also and adult and a 3w Yellow-legged Gull.
A kingfisher was back and forth in front the hide  and a Great White egret dropped in.
An afternoon visit to Firth and DW had located another Caspian Gull sporting a green ring 76P0. 
Green ringed Caspian Gull 76PO taken in awful light conditions
A second adult Caspian Gull

Thursday 17 November 2016

Gulls in the Rain & Gales!

Ring-necked Duck early this morning
First thing this morning I went to the reserve where the Ring-necked duck was showing well on Cooks Pool also there a Great White Egret, a Little Egret, a Bittern the Cattle Egret flew over the field disappearing in a ditch, also a Marsh Harrier quartering the top end of the reed bed and a Common Buzzard motionless on a post.
Long-eared Owl behind the Dipping Pool this morning
As I walked to Firth after viewing the Long-eared Owl all the Gulls flushed probably by a Heron or Great White Egret and disappeared towards the Open Pits, so I decided to go to the fishing boats and come back to the reserve later.
09.00-09.30 from the fishing boats lots of birds but nothing moving:
                                     Up Channel                 Down Channel
Red-throated Diver:                                                    2
Great-crested Grebe:                          16 o/s      
Gannet:                                              c120 o/s
Cormorant:                                       Present n/c
Common Scoter:                3
Turnstone:                                        4 on beach
Black-headed Gull:                          Present n/c
Mediterranean Gull:           2
Herring Gull:                                   Present n/c
Lesser Black Backed Gull:              Present n/c
Great Black Backed Gull:                Present n/c
Kittiwake:                                          c150 o/s
Razorbill:                                                                      1
Goldfinch:                                           8 over
Grey Seal:     2
After my usual late breakfast I went back to the reserve, where in the rain and wind made my way to the shelter of Firth Hide with PB. Within a few minutes we located 3 Caspian Gulls and several colour ringed Gulls which were duly read and noted, DW arrived and spotted another Caspian Gull. Also there an adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Goldeneye. 2 more Caspian Gulls dropped after I left to look at the sea again.
Adult + 3w Caspian Gull
Adult Caspian Gull
3w Caspian Gull
2w Caspian Gull
1w Caspian Gull
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
Grey Heron in front of Firth
Late afternoon the sea was very Quiet apart from the c150 Kittiwakes and usual Gulls.

Wednesday 16 November 2016

A Quieter Day

An uninspiring sea watch this morning:
08.00-09.00 from the fishing boats with NF, DW & BC.
                                 Up Channel       Down Channel
Brent Goose:                 5
Shelduck:                                                       1
Common Scoter:                                          10
Red-throated Diver:                   2 on             4
Great-crested Grebe:               15 Around
Gannet:                                  c30 Around
Turnstone:                                4 on beach
Mediterranean Gull:    2
Kittiwake:                    5
Guillemot:                                3 around
Razorbill:                     2           1 around
Goldfinch:                                2 over

Ring-necked Duck
At Boulderwall the Ring-necked Duck was still present on Cook's Pool also a Great white Egret there, the Cattle Egret was still in the fields with Cattle. With the number of cars in the car park I opted to go some where quieter. At Scotney all the usual feral Geese and wildfowl but nothing out of the ordinary. Denge Marsh Gully was unsurprisingly very quiet. 
The Grey Stonechat
Early afternoon at the Kerton Road triangle the pale Stonechat was  still insitu along with 3 Dartford Warblers and 2 Common Stonechats.
14.10-15.00 from the fishing boats was very slow, though a Great Northern Diver flew down channel and 5 Red-throated divers flew up channel, while on the c a flock of c150 Kittiwakes.
Little Egrets from Firth at sunset
Late afternoon from Firth Hide an adult Caspian Gull and 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, the 3 Black-tailed Godwits still present and a Redshank.


Tuesday 15 November 2016

Dotterel!

 Ring-necked Duck in the early morning gloom
Still without a car this morning MH kindly picked me up. Our first stop was at Cooks Pool Boulderwall where the Ring-necked Duck was  showing nicely despite the gloomy weather. Further along the track the Cattle Egret was in its chosen field.
From the viewing ramp 5+ Bearded Tits were using the gritter, Denge Marsh was very quiet this morning, though 2 Common Snipe, a Common Buzzard and a Marsh harrier were noted.
Cattle Egret
 Bearded Tits on the gritter from the viewing ramp
From Dennis's Hide 2 Great White Egrets and a Goldeneye among the the usual wildfowl. Among the Gulls was an adult Yellow-legged Gull.
Walking up to Firth we stopped at the dipping pool where as usual I scanned the Sallows and there was the Long-eared Owl hopefully back for the rest of the winter. From Firth the 3 Black-tailed Godwits still but nothing unusual among the many Gulls.

Dotterel on the beach in the late afternoon gloom
Late this afternoon Owen Leyshon called to tell me had found a Dotterel on the shingle opposite Jarmans, the only problem I was car less, a quick call to Mark H who kindly came and picked me up, taking me to see the Dotterel of which we enjoyed great views in the late afternoon gloom. Soon after the garage called to say my car was ready. I was only without a car for 4 days but it felt as though my legs had been chopped off. I take my hat off to people who voluntarily give up the cars.

Monday 14 November 2016

Great White Egret!

Great White Egret at Denge Marsh this morning
As my car is in the garage until tomorrow afternoon, MH picked me up this morning. Our first stop was at Cooks Pool, Boulderwall where the Ring-necked Duck was still present but distant.
Next stop Denge Marsh hide as the rain became more persistent, there we saw Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, 4 Great White Egrets 1 of which landed right in front of us, 17 Great Crested Grebes were present plus the usual wildfowl, while in the bushes a Cetti's Warbler was making it's self heard.
From Firth hide 100s of Gulls, I had just found an adult Caspian Gull when all the Gulls and 100s of Lapwings took flight for apparently no reason, the 3 Black-tailed Godwits were still there as was a female Goosander. The rest of my day was taken up with domestic stuff.

Sunday 13 November 2016

 1w Caspian Gull by the fishing boats this morning
07.55-09.30 from the fishing boats with DW.

                             Up Channel    Down Channel
Brent Goose:                  9
Mallard:                                                      2
Wigeon:                     250                           1
Teal:                             18                           7
Common Scoter:            6                         14
Velvet Scoter:                                              2
Red-throated Diver:       4    + 1on
Great-crested Grebe:      7+ around
Gannet:                        present n/c
Cormorant:                  present n/c
Merlin:                           1 in
Sanderling:                   12
Turnstone:                      5 around
Great Skua:                    1 around
Mediterranean Gull:     20+ around
Herring Gull:                many around
Caspian Gull:                 1w around
Lesser Black Backed Gull:   several present
Great Black Backed Gull:  many present
Kittiwake:                   150+ around
Guillemot:                      4+ around
Skylark:                          5 in
Rock Pipit:                     1 in
Meadow Pipit:                2 in
Goldfinch:                      1+ in
Grey Seal:                       2

X6LT North Thames Herring Gull at this afternoons offerings
While no Caspian Gulls were attracted by Mick and Richards Gull Banquet, there was however c150 each of Mediterranean Gulls and Kittiwakes off shore, also many distant Gannets and a juvenile Pomarine Skua marauding off shore. 
News from the reserve that the Ring-necked Duck is still present along with the Cattle Egret and the usual Great White Egrets, a Dartford Warbler was seen in front of Firth per BB. The grey Stonechat is still present in the Kerton Road Triangle along with the Dartford Warblers and a couple of Common Stonechats.  

Saturday 12 November 2016

Gulls!

1w Iceland Gull
07.40-10.20  from the fishing boats with MB, DW & GH.
                                  Up Channel        Down Channel

Brent Goose:                                                 78
Shelduck:                                                      41
Mallard:                                                          3
Teal:                                                                1
Tufted Duck:                                                 5
Common Scoter:           14                              8
R.B. Merganser:                                            12
Red-throated Diver:                                      10
Great Northern Diver:                                 1
Gannet:                                                     c350
Cormorant:                   c250 around
Oystercatcher:                                                1
Dunlin:                                                           5
Sanderling:                                                     3
Turnstone:                      3 around
Curlew:                                                           3
Great Skua:                    1 around
Black-headed Gull:     Many present
Common Gull:           present N/C
Mediterranean Gull:    c35 Around
Herring Gull:               Many present
Caspian Gull:                 3+ around
Great-black-backed Gull: many present
Little Gull:                                                      7
Kittiwake:                  c45 around          +     33
1w Iceland Gull:              1 out to sea
Guillemot:                        7 on sea                62
Razorbill:                          2 on sea               47
Auk sp:                             9                          19
Skylark:                             1 in
Starling:                        470 in
Shortly after MB joined me at the fishing boats he spotted a white winged some distance out to sea which we both thought was a 1w Glaucous Gull, we both took some images of it, though I got all my settings wrong as you can see from the above image and most of my images were out of focus. This afternoon when I looked at the images on my computer the bill and structure looked all wrong for 1w Glaucous but right for 1w Iceland Gull. I called MB who checked his images and realised that it was a 1w Iceland Gull. The bird was a fair way out and the light conditions were awful, that's my excuse for getting it wrong. 
Great Northern Diver
 1w Caspian Gull
 1w Caspian Gull
 Adult Caspian Gull
1w Caspian Gull
2w Mediterranean Gull