An interesting watch this morning with a good range of species:

06.45-09.45 from the sea watch hide in the company of BB,BC,LG,DW and AJG.

Brent Goose: 64 up

Gadwall: 2 up

Pintail: 11 up

Shoveler: 8 up

Common Scoter: 264 up

Velvet Scoter: 2 up

Red-breasted Merganser: 4 up

Red-throated Diver: 98 up

Great Northern Diver: 1 up

Great-crested Grebe: present n/c

Fulmar: 4 up      1 down

Gannet: 39 up     4 down

Cormorant: present n/c

Osprey: 1 up

Merlin: 1 out

Great Skua: 1 up

Arctic Skua: 2 up

Mediterranean Gull: 4 up

Iceland Gull: 1 1w over The Patch

Little Gull: 9 up

Kittiwake: 7 up   5 down

Sandwich Tern: 144 up

Guillemot: 1 up

Auk sp: 11 up

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

The White-fronted Goose was still at Denge Marsh this morning. A Water Pipit was seen on hay field 1, a bird that I have not managed to see at Dungeness before, so I was very happy when it was still present when I arrived albeit but very elusive in the long grass. Another visit this evening found 3 Water Pipits there, but they were all still very elusive. I only managed to get a terrible record image.

 The smudge is a Water Pipit

Another sea watch from the fishing boats this afternoon was very pleasant in the warm sunshine, although not much was passing:

4.15-16.00 from the fishing boats with AJG & MH
Shoveler: 2 up
Common Scoter: 9 up
Red-throated Diver: 6 up
Great-crested Grebe: 6 around
Gannet: 1 up  3 down
Turnstone: 3 on beach
Sandwich Tern: 113 up
Skylark: 1 singing behind beach
Late afternoon on the New Diggings 2 Black-necked Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe. On Tanners Pool the Ring-necked Duck still and a Sedge Warbler there. At Cook's Pool a Water Rail present along with usual wildfowl.

Sunset at Dengemarsh

This evening's walk around Denge Marsh found the Whitefront still and the 3 Water Pipits, also 2 Common Buzzards over  and the usual Little Egrets and Marsh Harriers.

2 Little Owls were showing at Lydd Camp.

This morning from the sea watch hide with LG, BB, JHRC and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

06.40-09.00

Brent Goose: 71 up

Pintail: 1 up

Teal: 1 up

Common Scoter: 76 up    17 down

Velvet Scoter: 2 down

Red-Throated Diver 63 up

Great-crested Grebe: 12 around

Fulmar: 1 up

Gannet 43 up

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 1 up

Mediterranean Gull: 1 up

Sandwich Tern: 24 around

Auk: 1 up

At least 1 Black-necked Grebe still on the New Diggings. The Ring-necked Duck was still showing at the far end of Tanners Pool. One of the Long-eared Owls was showing very well behind the Dipping Pool. On Burrowes 5 Goldeneye were the highlights but the islands are starting to look good for migrant waders, there is even mud in front of Firth Hide.

 Long-eared Owl showing well at the Dipping Pool

A pleasant but slow afternoon  sea watch from the fishing boats with MH & AJG,
14.30-16.00
Brent Goose: 1 down
Mallard: 2 up
Common Scoter: 8 up    4 down
Red-throated Diver: 25 up
Great-crested Grebe: 14 around
Gannet: 3 up     1 down
Cormorant: present n/c
Turnstone: 2 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 1 up
Sandwich Tern: 18 up
Sand Martin: 1 in
Meadow Pipit: 1 in
Grey Seal: 1

Russian White-fronted Goose at Springfield Bridge this evening

A stroll around the hay fields this evening which appear to be drying out very quickly, saw a White-fronted Goose of note at Springfield Bridge, a Raven over, the usual Marsh Harriers and Little Egrets, 10 Lapwings on No.3 and 4 on No.2. At least 3 pairs of Great-crested Grebes were displaying on Denge Marsh.

9 moths of 5 species in the MV last night, 2 Powdered Quakers, 2 Common Quakers, a Small Quaker, 2 Double Striped Pugs and 2 Hebrew Characters.

Another excellent Sea Watch!

Most of the Brent came through at this height and distance

The worst of the mist lifted around 08.15 leaving a murky sea for most of the rest of the morning. 

08.30-12.00 from the sea watch hide with AJG,LG,BB,DW,

Brent Goose: 1,923 up            3 down
Shelduck: 1 up
Shoveler: 3 up
Pintail: 9 up
Eider: 1 on
Common Scoter: 1,060 up
Velvet Scoter: 32 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 9
Red-throated Diver: 178 up
Black-throated Diver: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 5 up
Fulmar: 5 up
Gannet: 55 up
Oystercatcher: 5 up
Avocet: 1 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 1 up
Great Skua: 1
Mediterranean Gull: 14 up
Iceland Gull: 2 x 1wat The Patch
Little Gull: 31 up
Kittiwake: 7 up  3 down
Sandwich Tern: 162 up        18 down
Guillemot: 1 up
Auk sp: 17 up
Grey Wagtail: heard over hide
Harbour Porpoise: 7+
Last nights catch in the MV comprised 3 Hebrew Character's, a Common Quaker and a Powdered Quaker.
A serious accident closed the causeway for most of the day making the reserve difficult to get to so I took the opportunity get some domestic stuff done, hoping that I'll be out all day tomorrow.

06.50-08.10 from the sea watch hide with BB:
Brent Goose: 330 up
Teal: 19 up
Pintail: 26 up
Shoveler: 23 up
Tufted Duck: 5 up
Common Scoter: 22 up
Red-throated Diver: 11 up
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Gannet: 23 up
Cormorant: Present n/c
Curlew: 1 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 2 up
Iceland Gull: 1w flew towards The Patch
Kittiwake: 4 up
Sandwich Tern: 17 up         3 down
Harbour Porpoise: 7+

3 Red-crested Pochard at Scotney

Today the builders finished putting in 2 bathrooms for me and a superb job they have done. Since early January the house has been a mess and my time seemed not to be own, from tomorrow I can get out and about without thinking about the house.

Spoonbill over Cook's Pool

A first for me was a superb drake Smew, a drake Garganey and a Spoonbill all in the same scope view on Tanners Pool.

A good day despite the wind!

1w Iceland Gull with a colour ringed 1w Mediterranean Gull H9V7 (probably Hungarian)

A reasonable sea watch from The Patch this morning despite the howling NE wind:
Myself and DW, joined by PH & LH.
08.40-10.10
Pintail: 10 up
Shoveler:  44 up
Wigeon: 1 up
Teal: 9 up
Common Scoter: 12 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 1 up
Red-throated Diver: 14 up
Black-throated Diver: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 5 up   1 down
Gannet: 302 up      4 down
Cormorant: Present n/c
Oystercatcher: 3 up
Ringed Plover: 1 up
Grey Plover: 1 up
Dunlin: 1 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 4 up
Great Skua: 3 up
Mediterranean Gull: 2+ around
Little Gull: 2 up
Kittiwake: 16 up   3 on beach
Iceland Gull: 2 x 2nd cal yr
Sandwich Tern: 32 up    24 down    1 on beach
Guillemot: 2 up   4 on sea
Auk sp: 9 up
Meadow Pipit: 2 in
Carrion Crow: 3 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

1w Iceland Gull at The Patch

Chiffchaff in the Lighthouse Garden

In the Lighthouse Garden a Chiffchaff and at least 1 Firecrest, with 3+ more in the surrounding Gorse though very uncooperative photographically.

New Diggings still holds at least 2 Black-necked Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe and the Ring-necked Duck was still on Cook's Pool.

Some of the 16 Avocets at Scotney

An afternoon walk around the back of Scotney saw my first Little-ringed Plover of the year, also there 16 Avocets, 6 Oystercathers, 2 Redshank, a Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers. On the sward the feral Barnacle Goose flock has returned.

2 Red-legged Partridges and 2 Stonechats were the highlights of a late afternoon visit to Galloways.

Swallows and Martins!

A howling cold easterly wind which veered North Easterly by 09.00 greeted me this morning at The Point.

07.15-08.15 from the relative comfort of my car:

Brent Goose: 14 up

Common Scoter: 28 up   2 down

Red-throated diver: 3 up

Fulmar: 2 down

Gannet: 44 up  7 down

Ringed Plover: 1 up

Little Gull: 1 up adult

Kittiwake: 12 up

Sandwich Tern: 27 up

Auk sp: 4 up

Wheatear: 1 on beach

Harbour Porpoise: 3+ 

The Ring-necked Duck was showing well and still cosying up to a female Tufted Duck on Cook's Pool this morning, a few Wigeon, 2 Little Egrets and a Curlew also there.

 Ring-necked Duck on Cook's Pool

 Look forward to some interesting Ducklings!

 First Swallow of the year

From Dennis's Hide I spotted my first Swallow of the year, followed quickly by a House Martin. In the comfort of the visitor centre I counted 6 Swallows and 4 House Martins. After I had done a circuit of the reserve 2 Sand Martins had joined them. No sign of Long-eared Owl this morning but I didn't try to hard as it was impossible to keep the scope still in the wind. A drake Smew landed in front of Makepiece, also 4 Goldeneye there of note. The rest of the walk round the reserve was uneventful, a couple of Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers singing, I was also unable to find the Hooded Merganser.

Wheatear at West Beach

At West Beach this afternoon 2 Firecrests in the Gorse, also a smart male Wheatear there.

On the sea from the turning circle c6 each of Sandwich Tern and Gannet tooing and froing.

I joined AJG, LG, PT, BC and BB in the sea watch hide with a strong SSE blowing 06.10-08.15:
Brent Goose: 447 up
Pintail:  31 up
Shoveler: 9 up
Common Scoter: 322 up
Red-throated Diver: 15 up      1 down
Great-crested Grebe: c20 around
Slavonian Grebe: 3 on sea
Fulmar: 9 up  34 down
Gannet: 151 up       19 down
Cormorant: many present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1 up
Great Skua: 1 around
Mediterranean Gull: 2 up
Kittiwake: 34 up  14 down
Sandwich Tern:  187 up
Guillemot: 4 up
Razorbill: 2 up
Auk sp: 18 up  7 down

With my house full of builders not much else done today, but managed an hour at the turning circle this afternoon.

15.10-16.10
Brent Goose: 6 up
Common Scoter: 14 up
Red-throated Diver: 5 up
Great-crested Grebe: present n/c
Gannet: 8 up       22 down
Cormorant: present n/c
Kittiwake: 1 up    11 down
Sandwich Tern: 7 up  16 down
Razorbill: 2 down
Auk sp: 7 down

Horrible morning with a strong SW wind and drizzle which lasted most of the day. I did at least manage to get out for a couple of hours before spending the rest of my time on domestic stuff:
06.20-08.00 with LG.
Brent Goose: 220 up
Teal: 2 up
Common Scoter: 7 up
Red-throated Diver: 5 up     2 down
Great-crested Grebe: 9+ around
Fulmar: 3 up    19 down
Gannet: 19 up   37 down
Cormorant: present N/C
Mediterranean Gull: 1 up
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 flew towards The Patch
Caspian Gull: 2 flew  towards The Patch
Kittiwake: 1 up   7 down
Sandwich Tern: 2 around
Auk sp: 4 down
Meadow Pipit: 12 down
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

The Ring-necked Duck was on Cook's Pool cosying up to a female Tufted Duck. One of the Long-eared Owls was sitting out in the open at the Dipping Pool, a Black-necked Grebe was in front of the visitor centre, also 3+ Goldeneye.

Gulls!

1w Glaucous Gull

08.30-10.00 from The Patch:

Brent Goose: 417 up      8 down
Common Scoter: 6 up
Great-crested Grebe: 23 around
Fulmar: 5 down
Gannet: 8 up   4 down
Great Skua: 1 around
Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w around
Glaucous Gull: 1 x 1w briefly
Sandwich Tern: 1 on beach
Harbour Porpoise: 4+

 1w Iceland Gull

1.45-17.00 from the turning circle
Brent Goose: 212 up
Common Scoter: 3 up
Gannet:  14 up   2 down
Dunlin: 9 on beach
Sanderling: 17 on beach
Turnstone: 4 around
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 x 2w
Caspian Gull: 2 x 1w
Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w
Kittiwake: 5 down

 1w Iceland Gull

 Distinctive 1w Caspian Gull

 Strikingly pale Herring Gull

 Kittiwake

Colour ringed A + C Herring Gull (possibly rung in Bristol)

Chiffchaffs!

06.15-08.15 from the sea watch hide with BB & AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Brent Goose: 171 up

Common Scoter: 47 up

Red-throated Duver: 19 up

Great-cressted Grebe: 12 around

Fulmar: 2 around

Gannet: 46 up

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher :2 up

Meiterranean Gull: 1 at The Patch

Iceland Gull: 1 x 1w at The Patch

Kittiwake: 1 down

Oystercatcher 2up

Guillemot: 1 on

Carrion Crow: 3 in

Harbour Porpoise: 5+

A walk around the area with AJG saw an arrival of Chiffchaffs with 50+ being seen, also an old dog Fox. On the beach 3 Wheatears and 20+ Meadow Pipits.

 Chiffchaff at the Old Lighthouse

Northern Wheatear near the lifeboat Station

On Tanners Pool the Ring-necked Duck and 2+ Smew still in residence were joined by a drake and duck Garganey.

By midday Scotney was fairly windswept, consequently there was little to be seen.

This afternoons sea watch from the turning circle:

13.45-15.00 joined by AJG who woke me up! It was rather slow.

Red-throated Diver: 7 up

Great-crested Grebe: 8 around

Gannet: 27 up

Great Skua: 1 around

Guillemot: 1 on sea

Auk sp: 1 up

The mv still attracting moths. This morning Clouded Drab, Small Quaker and early Grey all new for the year. 

 Clouded Drab

Small Quaker