There have been some spectacular sunrises the last few days, today though with a cold NE wind blowing across the peninsula I had a lay in, then did the weekly shopping.
First thing in the mornings I am greeted by this gorgeous Yellow Wagtail on its favourite perch.
As I cross the fields there seems to be good numbers of Yellow Wagtails and Skylarks, also plenty of the all 4 species of feral Geese. Sitting on the odd scrubby bush or footbridge there is usually a Common Buzzard usually pair of Stonechats chattering at them, in the ditches Reed Buntings abound, Mallard and Mute Swan are nesting, Wrens and even the odd Bearded Tit flick out as I walk by. In the sheep fields Oystercatchers and Lapwings noisily seem to spend their time chasing Corvids. Around Dengemarsh now there is a cacophony of birds song, abundant Cetti's Warblers, Sedge Warblers have been joined by Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, the odd Willow Warbler, Wrens, Dunnocks, Reed Buntings off course, Common Gulls Mewing, more Redshanks and Lapwing alarming if a Marsh Harrier dares to go near them, also the constant honking and squabbling of all the feral geese and the sometimes deafening Marsh frogs.
This Grey Heron swallowed the Marsh Frog whole effortlessly
Marsh Frog chorus and Sedge Warbler. Please turn the volume up!
This Bittern was the star performer on Maundy Thursday, no it also feasts on the many Marsh Frogs. I have heard some very half hearted booming, maybe with the imminent arrival of warmer weather they will really start to sing.
Bittern
There seems to an increase the number of Little Egrets with at least 8 around Dengemarsh.
There are still at least 3 Great White Egrets around, no doubt taking their share of the Marsh Frogs.
Early Good Friday morning at Dengemarsh I spotted a very familiar looking Hirundine coming towards me, having been seeing 1,000s of them in Egypt in March I new instantly it was a Red-rumped Swallow, the usual panic of getting my camera out and ready ensued as it flew over and around me for a very brief time, before it very frustratingly flew far out across the reserve in the company of 2 Sand Martins, I was able to watch it distantly for a few minutes as it gradually moved further away towards New Diggings/ARC area, where I lost it to view.
Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
The days excitement was not over, as about an hour later a raptor flushed a pair of Garganey I was watching, thinking it was just another Marsh Harrier I didn't really look at it properly, but something made me look again, the Marsh Harrier was a superb Black Kite, yet another panic to get the record images followed by more phone calls to locals. Fortunately this bird went on a few hour tour of the peninsula even perching on power lines at The Point see
DBO Web Site HERE, following a heads up in the afternoon from David Walker, I even managed to get the Black kite on my #BWKM0 list.
Black Kite
Black Kite
Black Kite
My first recorded Garganey of the year was on Good Friday when 3 were present, 5 were present yesterday, all as far away from the camera as possible.
Another Good Friday first was this Little Ringed Plover, also an Avocet flew over another year first for me.
There seems to be more pairs of gorgeous Bearded Tits around this year, as I seem to hear and see them in every ditch and reed bed. I just can't resist photographing them, especially when they sit up on top of the reed stems posing.
Female Bearded Tit
Male bearded Tit
Reed Warblers have arrived this weekend and are already adding to the cacophony of song emanating from the reed beds and ditches.
Sedge Warblers are always a delight, the way they sit out in the open singing their hearts out before launching themselves into the air, then parachuting back down to another perch, this year they are positively abundant around Dengemarsh.
This Peregrine is most days over Dengemarsh causing mayhem
I have only seen 2 Wheatears over this weekend
Whimbrels have started to appear, this one was over my house trilling the other evening
At least 40 Mediterranean Gulls flew over yesterday
Wren in full song on some Gorse
A pair of Long-tailed Tits were nest building at Dengemarsh yesterday
Oystercatchers and a redshank resting on floating weed
This Grass Snake was just to quick for me as it slithered across the path
Large numbers of Peacock butterflies at Dengemarsh now
