Smew at Last!

08.15- 10.15 from The Point Dungeness:

Wigeon: 1 down

Red-throated Diver: 9 down.     4 up

Great-crested Grebe: c100 off shore

Fulmar: 26 down    2 up

Gannet: 131 down

Cormorant: many present n/c

Caspian Gull: the regular 1w bird

Kittiwake:  184 down

Guillemot c200 around

A late morning visit to The Patch saw little of note avian wise though the hide is now in a very precarious position.

I'd like to say that the above image was the view I had today of the Lade drake Smew, unfortunately the image below was the view I had as the local farmer flushed it as he walked along the far bank. The above image was taken from Scott hide in 2015. While I was at Lade the Slavonian Grebe showed well on the north lake but I missed the Long-tailed Duck that was still present. 

 Drake Smew at Lade today

Slavonian Grebe on a windswept Lade North

1w Little Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

This afternoon at the fishing boats many Gulls were present but nothing unusual among them except the 1w Caspian Gull and 1w Little Gull. Offshore the sea was littered with Guillemots Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants.

Late afternoon on the reserve one of the Long-eared Owls was showing very poorly as was the 1w Glaucous Gull which hid behind it's roosting island.

Eleanor blows in an Icy Beauty!

09.00-10.00 from the fishing boats in clear skies & Westerly 7-8:

Red-throated Diver: 53 down.  32 up

Great-crested Grebe: present n/c

Fulmar: 19 down

Gannet: 74 down

Cormorant: present n/c

Caspian Gull: regular 1w bird

Kittiwake: 243 down

Guillemot: 306 down

I had just left the fishing boats when DW called me to say a white winger was feeding off the fishing boats, a couple of minutes later I was watching a superb 2w Iceland Gull feeding among the huge waves and in terrible light conditions. We watched it for a couple of hours before retiring for a cup of tea, on our return it made one pass before moving off towards The Patch. The regular 1w Caspian Gull was feeding around our feet, Gannets and Kittiwakes were skimming the shore line, just offshore many Guillemots, Great-crested Grebes and a few Red-throated Divers were feeding.

 Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

  Superb 2w Iceland Gull

 Kittiwakes along the shore line

 1w Caspian Gull

 1w Caspian Gull with a Sea Mouse

 Gannets were coming in close at the fishing boats

 Black-throated Diver on the ARC viewed from the causeway

Late afternoon on my way to the Gull roost on Burrowes I made a brief stop on the causeway to see the Black-throated Diver on the ARC which was found today by a visiting birder. It was rather distant so hopefully better views will be obtained in the next few days.

On the reserve the Long-eared Owl was showing reasonably well behind the Dipping Pool, viewed from Makepiece the 1w Glaucous Gull and another 1w Caspian Gull came into roost. 

1 of the Long-eared Owls showing comparatively well this afternoon behind the Dipping Pool

The Perils of Overhead Cables!

 1w Caspian Gull

As soon as I arrived at the fishing boats this morning I was joined by the regular 1w Caspian Gull looking for its breakfast. A short sea watch saw c100 Gannets feeding offshore, Auks and Kittiwakes  tooing and froing, a few Red-throated Divers moving west with a couple of Fulmars. 100s of Gulls were feeding along the shore but I couldn't find anything interesting among them.

 Slavonian Grebe on Lade south lake

Mid morning I made my first visit of the year to Lade, seeing the long staying Long-tailed Duck out in the middle of the lake, the Slavonian Grebe was a little more obliging. In the willows Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs were flitting around while a couple of Cetti's Warblers were calling deep in, a Dartford Warbler was showing and calling occasionally just south of the aerial.

I found the young Black-headed Gull pictured below on the shingle below overhead wires at lade, it was apparent that it was very badly injured, so I felt I had to take the tough decision to euthanize it.

As the weather closed in I made my way to the reserve where 2 Long-eared Owls could just about be seen, also 3 Caspian Gulls (2 x 1w + 1 x 2w) were on the islands, the weather conditions made it impossible to see much this afternoon though the 1w Glaucous Gull also came into roost.

A Poor Start!

A New Year sea watch from the fishing boats with AJG today was prematurely curtailed due to the thoroughly miserable conditions:
08.20-09.10

Wigeon: 2 down
Common Scoter: 4 down
Velvet Scoter: 1 down
Red-throated Diver: 83 down
Great-crested Grebe: 6 down
Fulmar: 15 down
Gannet: 74 down
Cormorant: c300 around
Caspian Gull: regular 1w bird
Kittiwake: 202 down
Guillemot: 358 down
Razorbill: 4 down

Around Walland I managed to locate 10+ distant Bewick Swans ( apparently there was16 per NB), apart from a flock of c50 Fieldfare and anther of c50 Linnets very little else was seen there.
After lunch when I had dried out, a visit to the reserve saw the 1w Glaucous Gull come in to bathe and roost twice, also the regular 1w Caspian Gull came in for a while before heading off towards Dengemarsh. There was no sign of the 3w Iceland gull this afternoon, though the Gulls were still coming in to roost when I left  in the near darkness. 2 Ravens and a Peregrine were seen from Makepiece, but once again the Long-eared Owl wasn't seen probably due to the poor weather.
Still no Smew at Dungeness nor any wild Geese, so my chances of bettering my 2017 total of 229 species on the peninsula already looks in doubt. 

Wind, Rain and loads of Sea Birds

Gannet past the fishing boats

08.50-11.00  from The Point in heavy rain, wind WSW 6
Brent Goose: 2 up
Red-throated Diver: 243 down.     6 up
Great-crested Grebe: 9 down
Fulmar: 18 down
Gannet: 379 down
Cormorant: c500 around
Caspian Gull: regular 1w bird
Kittiwake: 283 down
Guillemot: 1,463 down  not a single Razorbill noted!

1w Kittiwake

1 of the many Guillemots

1w Caspian Gull joining me at the fishing boats

 1w Glaucous Gull from Makepiece

After lunch the wind was still blowing and the rain still falling, but I made my way to the reserve anyway. From the entrance track several 100s of Golden Plover were flushed by a Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret looked very dejected at Cook's Pool.

Only small numbers of wildfowl were on Burrowes and very few Gulls when I arrived. A very quick look for the Long-eared Owl unsurprisingly drew a blank. From Firth there were a few Gulls but nothing unusual. From Makepiece more or less the first Gull I saw was a 1w Glaucous Gull presumably the same bird that spent a few days around The Point, the regular 1w Caspian Gull was the next to be found, as the Gulls began to come into roost in the near dark the gleaming white 3w Iceland Gull came in, after a quick bathe it buried itself among the Great Black Backed Gulls.

3w Iceland Gull from Makepiece (16,000 iso)

3w Iceland Gull!

 1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this morning

This morning from the fishing boats 1,000s of Guillemots, 100s each of Gannet, Kittiwake, Cormorant and Red-throated Diver, 10+ Fulmar a few Great-crested Grebes offshore and of course the regular 1w Caspian Gull, I couldn't resist taking more images of it. 

 along the entrance track to the reserve c300 Golden Plover, c40 Curlew, a Ruff, a Great White Egret, 2 Little Egrets, 100s of Wigeon, and a few feral Geese.
At least 1 Long-eared Owl was behind the Dipping Pool and still as difficult to spot. Wildfowl was once again virtually absent on Burrowes making Gulls the only birds to look at, a 2w & 3w Caspian Gull was noted, best of all a 3w Iceland Gull that came into roost after sunset.

3w Iceland Gull that came into Burrowes late afternoon

Avocet Surprise!

A thoroughly miserable morning with strong winds and heavy rain made me decide to wimp out and stay warm indoors, however Mark is made of tougher stuff and braved the wind and rain at the fishing boats below are his sightings.

08.00-09.30

Brent Goose: 11 up

Red-breasted Merganser: 2 down

Red-throated Diver: 4 down

Great-crested Grebe: 5+ around

Fulmar: 3 down

Kittiwake: 18 down

Guillemot: 2265 down

 1w Caspian Gull by the Fishing Boats

I eventually made it to the fishing boats at lunch time where the regular 1w Caspian Gull immediately appeared as soon as I through some bread but no sign of the 1w Glaucous Gull.

 1w Caspian Gull by the Fishing Boats

 1w Caspian Gull by the Fishing Boats

1w Caspian Gull by the Fishing Boats

The reserve was very quiet, in 2 visits a few Tree Sparrows were around the Boulderwall feeders, from the entrance track 20+ Curlew, 100+ Golden Plover, a Ruff, Great White Egret, many Wigeon, plenty of feral Geese, Common Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harriers.

On Burrowes100s of Shoveler with smaller numbers of Teal, Pochard and Tufted Duck but no Goosander and still no Smew. Grebes were represented by Great-crested and Little Grebes. The 2 Long-eared Owls were just about visible behind the Dipping Pool if you knew exactly where to look.

a 3w & 2w Caspian Gull came into the roost late afternoon in front of Firth. The biggest surprise was an Avocet that dropped in for a couple of minutes.

 2w Caspian Gull late afternoon from Firth taken at iso 6400!

 3w Caspian Gull from Firth late afternoon taken at iso 6400!

2 LEO's!

First thing this morning out in very frosty trapping area apart from a flushed Woodcock and Great Spotted Woodpecker very little of note was seen. Around the feeders Blue and Great Tits, a couple of Chaffinches and a Blackbird.
On The Point including The Patch no sign of the Glaucous Gull nor the 1w Caspian Gull (the latter turned up on the reserve ), on the sea c1,000 Great-crested Grebes, 200+ Guillemots and smaller numbers of Red-throated Divers, Gannets and Kittiwakes. Another Woodcock was seen coming in off the sea per MW.
On the reserve a Bittern was in the reeds alongside the entrance track per GP, 2 Caspian Gulls a 3w & 1w were seen from Makepiece and Firth, 2 Long-eared Owls could just about be seen behind the Dipping Pool, late afternoon an adult Yellow-legged Gull came into roost on Burrowes.
Once again still no Smew or wild Geese.

Xmas Morning Sea Watch!

The Glaucous Gull joined us in the early morning gloom.

07.45-09.30 from the fishing boats with MH & CP:

Brent Goose: 6 up
Common Scoter: 2 down
Red-throated Diver: 12 up.    4 on     10 down
Great-crested Grebe: 380 around
Fulmar: 17 down
Gannet: 322 down
Cormorant: 300+ around
Turnstone: 3 around
Dunlin: 11 down
Great Skua: 2 up.      3 down
Caspian Gull: regular 1w bird around
Glaucous Gull: regular 1w bird around
Kittiwake: 42 down
Guillemot: 439 down/around

1w Caspian Gull in front of the boats

Bring Bread!

This morning near the fishing boats I threw out a couple of slices of bread and within seconds the Glaucous Gull and Caspian Gull arrived giving super views, both birds literally walking right up to me more or less begging for bread, let's hope they stay for a while. If you want to see them bring some bread!

On the sea the usual Gannets, Great-crested Grebes, Guillemots and Red-throated Divers.

 1w Glaucous Gull (if you want to be pedantic a juvenile)

 1w Caspian Gull on the beach

 1w Caspian Gull from Firth

2 visits to the reserve today found 5 Caspian Gulls and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost, wildfowl numbers seem to be well down, though c300 Greylag Geese came into Burrowes just after sunset as did c100 Golden Plover with c500 Lapwings. There was no sign of yesterdays Goosanders or any scarce Grebes and still no Smew. 2 Great White Egrets could be seen on the ARC from the causeway and 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting the railway bank  Nearby also no sign of the Bewick Swans today and most the Mute Swans were missing, probably flushed by the farmer.

Scotney was also very quiet, no wild geese and very few duck, a Green Sandpiper being the highlight. 

The Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe were still present on Lade Pits per PT.