Saturday 15/08/2020

Willow Warbler at Galloways this morning

Galloways this morning still held 4-5 Pied Flycatchers, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Wheatears many Common Whitethroats and Stonechats, though the highlight for me was high flying flock of 10 Grey Plover which flew NE calling as they went.

Pied Flycatchers at Galloways this morning

Wheatear at Galloways this morning

A quick lunchtime visit to the ARC  found the Glossy Ibis still present, fortunately it doesn't seem to be too bothered by people standing, walking and shouting on the bank. At the Pines 2 more Pied Flycatchers and several Willow Warblers, as several feral kids were running around screaming I left wnd went home for lunch.

Arctic Skuas off the fishing boats this afternoon

13.45-15.45 from the fishing boats with AJG who collated the numbers:

Common Scoter: 2E

Fulmar: 4W

Gannet: 12W

Cormorant: 2 around

Oystercatcher: 2W

Arctic Skua: 6W

Kittiwake: 3W

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 juv/1w

Sandwich Tern: 46W

Common Tern: 213W

Little Tern: 1W

Wheatear: 4 on beach

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 15+

Fulmar off the fishing boats this afternoon

 1 of c15 at least of Harbour Porpoises off the fishing boats this afternoon

Late afternoon at the top of the Long Pits 3 Pied Flycatchers, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Common Redstart, also the usual warblers.

Friday 14/08/2020 Wood Warbler & Pied Flycatchers

The 5 Cattle Egrets flying into roost last night & still present today

Glossy Ibis in the setting sun last night & still present today

AJG again did the early sea watch and kindly sent me the details.

06.15-07.45 from the fishing boats:

Common Scoter: 2W

Gannet: 37W

Cormorant: 6 present

Oystercatcher: 2W

Turnstone: 1W

Kittiwake: 1W

Sandwich Tern: 56W

Common Tern: 354W

Black Tern: 2W

Willow Warbler at Brett's marina this morning

Wheatears at the entrance to Galoways this morning

1 of at least 4 Pied Flycatchers at Galloways today

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher Denge Marsh Gully

1 of 20+ Wheatears at Galloways at least another 20 at Denge Marsh Gully

Yellow Wagtail Denge Marsh

Absolutely stunning Wood Warbler in the garden of David and Sheila Bunney who very kindly allowed me access to photograph it, also 2 Pied Flycatchers in the garden.

Juv/1w Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats

13.30-16.45 from the fishing boats with CP, Dw and AJG who kindly collated the numbers:

Shelduck: 1E

Common Scoter: 4W

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 54W

Cormorant: 3 present

Oystercatcher: 2E

Arctic Skua: 5W

Kittiwake: 3wW

Mediterranean Gull: 1 juv/1w around

Yellow-legged Gull: 2 juv/1w

Little Tern: 4W

Common Tern: 470W

Sandwich tern: 65W

Black Tern: 9W   3 o/s

Guillemot: 1 present

Swallow: 4S

Harbour Porpoise: 12+

Grey Seal: 2

Painted Lady in Davids garden

Golden Twin Spots from last nights catch

 

 

Wednesday 12/08/2020

Glossy Ibis in the early morning gloom

A grey early morning at the ARC and there were surprisingly few new birds around, the Ruff, Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers were all still present but nothing new, the few Reed, Sedge, Common and Lesser Whitethroats that were showing were probably all local birds.

Great White Egret

This Stoat was having a funny 5 minutes running, leaping, cartwheeling and chasing its tail

Common Buzzard

One of the hottest days of the year and I decide to spend the morning cycling and walking locally. Aound Bretts Marina I got the feeling that the majority of birds here were all local breeders, further down  Galloways 4 young Wheatears and several juvenile Yellow Wagtails could be seen on the ranges, even these could all have been locally bred. I flushed a Common Buzzard off its road side perch and it flew too close too the local Hobbys nest, it got repeatedly dive bombed for its trouble. Apart from Linnets, Great Tits and another Wheatear Denge Marsh Gully was bird less, no sign of any of the hoped for Flycatchers and Chats.

This afternoon at the fishing boats was still very hot but at least there was a cool breeze. Offshore the visibility was appalling, all I saw were a handful of Common and Sandwich Terns. Luckily for me the stale bread attracted a juvenile Caspian Gull and juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull.

When flushed the Buzzard got too near the Hobbys nest and was dive bombed and escorted away

Linnet enjoying a fresh puddle

Juvenile Caspian Gull already starting to moult to 1w plumage

Juvenile Caspian Gull above  Juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull below

 Size comparison of juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull & 1s Great Black-backed Gull

Tuesday 11/08/2020

AJG has persevered with the early morning sea watches from the fishing boats every day during this hot spell, unfortunately his efforts haven't as yet been rewarded. The paucity of Terns, Gannets and Cormorants feeding off shore leads me to believe that there is very little food in the bay.

I have spent the afternoons swimming in the sea on either Galloways Beach, Denge Marsh Beach or Dungeness Beach just keeping cool.  

Glossy Ibis when it first flew into the ARC Sunday evening

Juvenile I think?

Glossy Ibis at the ARC taken this morning

Juvenile Kittiwake at bottom of Dengemarsh Gully yesterday afternoon 

Lydd Church at sunset Sunday

Pied Flycatcher in Dave Bunneys garden this evening

Wheatear at Galloways yesterday, still only the odd Whinchat there

Southern Migrant Hawker by Lydd airport found by John Young

The normally rare Golden Twin Spots have been turning up in large numbers, I have recorded 11 so far.

Oak Processionary has also been abundant this year 

The lovely Jersey Tiger, there must be a breeding colony near me as I catch good numbers every year.

 I caught my first Tree Lichen Beauty the other day and have been catching them every day since.