Dartford Warblers!

The sea was very quiet this morning, with a few Gannets, Sandwich Terns and Auks, 3 Red-throated Divers and a Black-throated Diver per AJG.

The highlight of a wander around the trapping area and Desert was a party of 5 Bullfinch (very scarce at Dungeness), around The Point 3 Dartford Warblers and a late Swallow.

I was lucky enough to be able to spend an hour photographing the Dartford Warblers in superb light and on my own. It seems that there are at least 6 Dartford Warblers on the peninsular per RW.

 Dartford Warbler in full song this morning

 Collecting Straw

Coming into land

Dartford Warblers

1w Caspian Gull

At the fishing boats this afternoon a 1w Caspian Gull made a brief and distant appearance, snubbing the Gull boys offerings.

Colour Ringed Birds!

 Red-throated Diver past the fishing boats

A very slow and short sea watch this morning, a single Red-throated Diver down channel and c150 Gannets feeding off shore were the highlights.

Colour ringed Bearded Tit from Hanson possibly part of Dorset project

 Colour ringed Bearded Tit from Hanson

 Colour ringed Bearded Tit from Hanson

No sign of the Dotterel at the ARC this morning, though there were not many Golden Plovers there. A pair of Bearded Tits one of which was colour ringed showed well in front of Hanson hide, as did a Kingfisher briefly though in appalling light and a Great White Egret. On the islands 2 Grey Plovers, 4 Dunlin & 6 Common Snipe, while around the lake a Bittern gave a couple of brief flight views, several Marsh Harriers, more Egrets, a Black-necked Grebe and the usual wildfowl. 

 Great white Egret from Hanson

Kingfisher from Hanson taken in dark dreary conditions

Juvenile Gannet over the beach

13.00-14.45 from the fishing boats thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:

Tufted Duck: 1 up

Common Scoter: 2 up

Red-throated Diver: 2 up

Gannet: 359 down

Kittiwake: 311 down

Sandwich Tern: 8 down

Razorbill: 15 down, 4 up

Guillemot: 10 down

Auk sp: 13 down   12 up

Sub adult Slovakian ringed Caspian Gull

As I drove onto the the beach the Gull boys had already pinned down this lovely sub adult Caspian Gull which brightened up an otherwise dull afternoon, another 1w Caspian Gull was on the beach. 

 Sub adult Slovakian ringed Caspian Gull

 Sub adult Slovakian ringed Caspian Gull

 Sub adult Slovakian ringed Caspian Gull

Sub adult Slovakian ringed Caspian Gull 

07.00-08.00 from the sea watch hide many thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:
Brent Goose: 58 down
Shelduck: 6 down
Red-throated Diver: 2 up
Common Scoter: 3 up
Gannet: 153 down
Peregrine: 1 in with prey
Great Skua: 4 up   1 down
Mediterranean gull: 1 down
Razorbill 4 up
Auk sp: 51 up   2 down
Starling: c750 in
The rest of the morning was spent around The Point seeing very little, a few each of Redpoll, Siskin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting and Skylarks over, a few Goldcrests in the bushes, also there are still at least 2 Dartford Warblers around.

 Dotterel at the ARC from Hanson

From Hanson the Dotterel still present with c400 Golden Plover, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Ruff, a Grey Plover, 2 Dunlin, 6 Common Snipe, a Black-necked Grebe and the usual Egrets, Marsh Harriers and wildfowl.

On the reserve 2 Continental Coal Tits in the scrub at Denge Marsh per LH & PH.

Dotterel at the ARC from Hanson

14.05-16.15 from the fishing boats with AJG,LH, PH, MH, CP et al

Brent Goose 1 down

Mallard: 1 down

Common Scoter: 6 up

Red throated Diver 3 down

Great-crested Grebe: 5 around

Gannet 267down

Oystercatcher: 1 down

Turnstone: 1 around

Great Skua: 3 down

Arctic Skua: 1 down

Mediterranean Gull: 19 down

Little Gull: 2 down

Kittiwake: 653 down

Sandwich Tern: 14 down

Guillemot 3 on

Razorbill 9 on

Auk sp up 4 

Starling: 15 in

Harbour Porpoise: 4 

Dotterel!

 1 of several Small Coppers seen around The Point today

A beautiful morning at The Point, unfortunately very few birds to be seen. The highlights of today's walk around was undoubtedly the Short-eared Owl that came in off the sea to a warm welcome from the Gulls, thanks are due to Dave Bunney for the call. Also seen a handful each of Lesser Redpolls and Siskins over and a few Small Copper butterflys. The Dartford Warblers were still present this afternoon but eluded me this morning. Very few birds made it into the nets but a smart Firecrest was nice. 

 Firecrest at the observatory

A late morning visit to Scotney saw an Avocet, 7 Ruff, 6 Redshank, a Marsh Harrier a Little Owl, a distant Barn Owl and the usual feral Geese and wildfowl.

 Distant image of todays Dotterel with Golden Plover

A message about a Dotterel at the ARC cut short my visit to Scotney, the Dotterel showed well among c200 Golden Plover giving excellent scope views but poor photographic opportunities, also there 30+ Black-tailed Godwits, the usual wildfowl, squealing Water Rail and calling Cetti's Warblers. The warm weather encouraged several Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers to fly. 

 Black-tailed Godwits over the ARC

 1 of several Common Darters at the ARC

 4 of a party of 6 Goosander that flew west this afternoon

14.35-15.35 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 1 down
Shoveler: 1 down
Goosander: 6 down
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Gannet: c40 around
Oystercatcher: 32 down
Turnstone: 1 around
Great Skua: 2 up
Arctic Skua: 1 down
Mediterranean Gull: 1 around
Kittiwake: c300 around
Guillemot: 9 on sea
Razorbill: 3 on sea
Auk sp: 6 up
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

This evening 16 Great White Egrets, 1 Cattle Egret and 18 Little Egrets came into the ARC roost, also c5,000 Starlings roosting there attracting the attention of a Peregrine.

Lyonetia prunifoliella not quite as rare as first thought but a first for Dungeness.

End of season feeling!

 Sooty Shearwater  seen at Folkstone shortly after

07.00-08.30 thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:
Brent Goose: 11 down
Shelduck: 12 down
Wigeon: 4 down
Teal: 10 down
Goldeneye: 1 down
Eider: 3 up
Common Scoter: 51 down  5 on
Velvet Scoter: 1 down
G C Grebe 7 down
Great-crested Grebe: 7 down
Red-throated Diver: 2 down
Great Northern Diver: 1 down
Sooty Shearwater: 1up
Gannet 556 down
Merlin: 1 around
Great Skua: 1 down
Arctic Skua: 1 down
Common Gull: 256 down
Mediterranean Gull: 2 down
Kittiwake: 1020 down
Guillemot 11 up, 3 down
Razorbill 4 up, 5 down
Auk sp 104 up, 36 down
Starling 10,300 down        80 in
A few each of Redpoll and Siskin over
A walk around the area with AJG found it to be very quiet, apart from 2 Dartford Warblers, 3 Stonechats and 2 Goldcrests very little was seen.
The usual Great White Egrets could be seen on the ARC and New Diggings from the causeway, but the Cattle Egret was not seen today though is probably still around.

 1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

  1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

  1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

 1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

A very slow watch this afternoon enlivened by the brief appearance of a 1w Caspian Gull:

14.00-15.45 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 6 in
Common Scoter: 16 up    2 down
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Gannet: c40 around
Turnstone: 2 around
Mediterranean Gull: 2 around
Caspian Gull:  1  1w around
Kittiwake: 25 on sea
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Auk sp:  13 up      4 down
Harbour Porpoise: 2

Dartford Warblers!

 Brent Geese over the turning circle

07.10-09.00 from the turning circle:
Brent Goose: 22 up       51 down
Shelduck; 6 down
Common Scoter: 14 up
Great-crested Grebe: 2 around
Gannet: c40 around
Cormorant: 343 flew into Lade Bay
Sparrowhawk: 1 large female in, 1 male hunting over beach.
Kittiwake: c20 around
Auk sp: 17 down
Pied Wagtail: 4 around    8 in
Skylark: 3 in    2 on beach
Meadow Pipit: 24 in
Fieldfare: 1 in
Starling: 3,300 in
Brambling: 2 in
Goldfinch: 120 in
Linnet: 30 around
Siskin: 4 in
Redpoll: 17 in
Tree Sparrow: 1 in

 Dartford Warbler

 Redwing

A long walk around The Point and The Desert and along the beach was fairly uneventful, though 3 Dartford Warblers were good, 5 Stonechats, 2 Goldcrests and 2 Redwings were the highlights.

 Dartford Warbler

 Stonechat gleaming in the afternoon sun

14.00-16.00 from the fishing boats with RW
Brent Goose: 36 up     84 down
Pale-bellied Brent Goose: 1 down
Shelduck: 15 down
Goldeneye: 1 down
Common Scoter: 12 up
Red-throated Diver: 2 up
Great-crested Grebe: 3 around
Gannet: c80 around
Turnstone: 7 around
Great Skua: 1 down
Mediterranean Gull: 2 around
Kittiwake: 25 around
Guillemot: 2 around
Auk sp: 37 up
Harbour Porpoise: 2
Grey Seal: 1

Heavily cropped over exposed image of Pale-bellied Brent Goose passing the fishing boats today

Young male Sparrowhawk trapped and ringed by Lee yesterday

08.30-10.00 from the turning circle:
Brent Goose: 26 down   7 up
Wigeon: 1 down
Common Scoter: 14 up   
Great-crested Grebe: 3 around
Gannet: c400 off shore
Curlew: 1 down
Mediterranean Gull: 14 off shore
Kittiwake: c500 off shore
Sandwich Tern: 2 around
Razorbill:  5 up
Guillemot: 8 up   4 on sea
Auk sp: 137 up      21 down
Swallow: 1 out
Starling: 270 in
Grey Seal: 1

 juvenile Arctic Skua

A walk around the area found nothing of note. On the reserve the usual Great White Egrets and Cattle Egret, also a Ring Ouzel still by the entrance track per PB.

 1 of the 200+ Mediterranean Gulls past the fishing boats today

13.50-16.20

Brent Goose: 18 up        38 down
Shelduck: 1 down
Common Scoter: 23 up 
Great-crested Grebe: 5 around
Gannet: 78 up   15 down
Little Egret: 1 up
Common Buzzard: 1 in
Turnstone: 16 around
Dunlin: 7 up
Arctic Skua: 1 up (the usual Juvenile)
Mediterranean Gull: 194 up
Kittiwake: 143 up
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around
Sandwich Tern: 27 up
Razorbill: 6 up        2 down
Guillemot: 18 up    3 down
Little Auk: 1 down
Auk sp: 279 up
Grey Seal: 1

Dutch ship Thalassa close inshore this morning

A Slow Days Birding!

Steve G photographing this mornings sunrise. An iphone image.

Clear skies, a light North wind, what could possibly go wrong? Myself, SG, AJG and MH waiting from before dawn at The Point for the avalanche of Finches, Pipits, Larks, Starlings etc, well only a handful of birds turned up so another failed attempt for a Dungeness Hawfinch, despite Owen having one fly over his garden heading our way early morning.  

Stonechat north end of The Desert

Several hours plodding around The Desert and bushes only came up with a Dartford Warbler, a Wheatear, a few Stonechats, Skylarks and Goldcrests. At the observatory a Swordgrass, Cosmopolitan and Red-headed Chestnut were all on display and all new moths for me.

Long-tailed Duck Pett Pools

A sea watch from the fishing boats 14.00-14.30 with AJG was so poor he suggested we go to Pett Pools  to see a Long-tailed Duck, needless to say I readily agreed and was very pleased to see the duck very well.

Kingfisher from Hanson late afternoon very high iso required

Very late afternoon from Hanson in very poor light, a Kingfisher came onto to it's perch, 10 Great White Egrets, were around the lake, 10 Black-tailed Godwits on an island, c150 Golden plovers present, 4 Pintail along with usual wildfowl.

Great White Egret from Hanson late afternoon

Starlings, Finches and 3 Ducks!

Early morning at The Point vis migging saw small numbers of Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinches, Redpolls, Siskins, Alba wagtails and Skylarks. The stars were c16,000 Starlings that came in from France including a flock of c6,000. A Great Northern Diver that appeared from the NW that presumably cut across the back of The Point and went south between the lighthouses was a surprise, all very nice but still no Hawfinch.  

While at The Point a couple of hundred Brent Geese went west as did 2 Great Skuas, an Arctic Skua, 3 Eider, a few Mediterranean Gulls, Kittiwakes and Sandwich Terns and the usual several 100s on Gannets.  

 Bullfinch 1 of 4 of this scarce at Dungeness species trapped today

Around the bushes many Goldcrests, at least 2 Firecrests, c20 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Ring Ouzels, 10+ Song Thrushes and a Redwing. 4 Bullfinches were trapped and processed the first I have seen on the peninsular. A late Hobby was seen early morning per LG.

1 of 2 Dartford Warblers near The Brittania

 Newly rung Goldcrest

 Chiffchaff lighthouse garden

 Cattle Egret doing what they do this afternoon

This afternoon a quick dash to Burrowes to see 3 distant Mandarin Ducks, quite pathetic really, but they are the first I have ever seen at Dungeness, also several Great White Egrets showing well on Burrowes. On the way out by the entrance track the Cattle Egret was showing well.

3 very distant Mandarin Ducks on Burrowes a drake and 2 ducks.