PLODDINGBIRDER

Monday 17 August 2020

Monday 17/08/2020

06.00-07.30 from the fishing boats the numbers were kindly supplied by AJG:

Gannet: 191W

Dunlin: 2W

Arctic Skua: 1W

Kittiwake: 11 down

Common Tern: 81W

Sandwich Tern: 8W

Little Tern: 2W

Sand Martin c30S

While AJG was having an uninspiring sea watch at the fishing boats, I had an equally uninspiring wander down to The Patch and Converter Station. Apart from 6 Wheatears and a couple of Hummingbird Hawkmoths around the perimeter wall, the only other highlight was Belgian Lesser Black-backed Gull K.TOH on roofs behind the hide.

Belgian Herring Gull K.TOH on the portacabin roof behind The Patch hide

Common Redstarts in The Desert

A walk around The Desert found 2 Common Redstarts, a Pied Flycatcher and good numbers of Stonechats, also numerous Common Whitethroats and a few Lesser Whitethroats.

Glossy Ibis on the Tern raft seen from the car in a quick stop on the causeway late morning

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Mid afternoon at the fishing boats a Juvenile Caspian gull that is moulting into 1w plumage put in a brief appearance. Also there a juvenile Herring Gull that had swallowed hooks and line left on the beach by careless anglers, consigning it to a lingering painful death. c12 Harbour Porpoises were off shore.

Juvenile Caspian Gull moulting to 1w

Harbour Porpoises from the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile Herring Gull that has swallowed hooks and line discarded or accidentally left by anglers

Whinchat at Galloways this evening was the highlight of my walk around there this evening.

The ranges opening times this week show that Galloways and The Midrips are open all week

Sunday 16 August 2020

Sunday 16/08/2020

Ringed Plovers. The birds in the image below headed off high towards France

Early this morning CP picked me up and we drove the couple of miles to Jury's Gap where we spent a couple of hours on the Green Wall of The Midrips and Wicks. The pools are drying out rapidly and look perfect for waders. Unfortunately the only waders were 20 Avocet, a few Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Oystercatchers, a Greenshank, a Redshank and a Common Sandpiper. A Pied Flycatcher flew along the Green Wall and 2 Wheatears were present, a Hobby was also noted. A party of 19 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin flew out high towards France and 15 Ringed Plovers were feeding on the beach.

Avocets

Wheatear

Common Redstart

When we left The Midrips we walked the track from Jury's gap to the working pits where we found 4 of each of Common and Green Sandpiper. In the small group of bushes we found a Common Redstart, Pied flycatchers, Willow Warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Whinchat and Wheatear, It was an excellent and very relaxing stroll, the only other person we saw was a lady out on her horse.

Pied Flycatcher near Jury's Gap. I will never tire of seeing these delightful birds.

Pied Flycatcher near Jury's Gap

Pied Flycatcher photo bombing a Common Redstart

Lesser Whitethroat

This afternoon at the fishing boats with AJG and RW the sea watch was grim, singles of Black Tern, Fulmar and Arctic Skua, 2 Oystercatchers and 10 Common Scoter were note. The few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns were just feeding off shore, thank goodness we had the Gulls to entertain us. We watched the lifeboat go out to another rib full of immigrants about a mile out, whom they took on board as it looked like the rib was sinking. They then headed off towards Dover .

The juvenile Great Black-backed Gull robs the Cormorant of its catch of a Mackerel

Can it hold on to its prize

Struggling to align the Mackerel

Just the tail left to swallow

Z9 Lesser Black-backed Gull ringed in Holland. I am awaiting details.

K.TOH Lesser black-backed Gull ringed in Belgium. I am awaiting details.

A couple of moths from last nights catch

The very beautiful Palpita vitrealis first of the year for me

A Scarce Bordered Straw that like myself has seen better days

Saturday 15 August 2020

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 August 2020

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 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.