25/05/2022

AJG has kept up the early morning sea watching, but has had little rerun for his time and effort. The highlights have been a few Fulmars, Gannets, Sandwich terns, Oystercatchers and Common Scoter, so I feel vindicated in my laziness.

The current unsettled weather has at least produced a few Swifts, Swallows and Sand Martins over the lakes. The Ring-necked Duck that is currently favouring the ARC seems to spend much time asleep on the small island to the left of Hanson Hide, where excellent views can also be obtained of Great-crested Grebes catching Sticklebacks, also of Pochard and Tufted Ducks. Marsh Harriers are usually seen and invariably I manage to see a Kingfisher flashing across the lake. Another Kingfisher is often seen from Dennis's hide carrying fish for its young.

As I wandered across the shingle early morning 2 Hobby's were out swooping into the lee of bushes catching Damselflys, from Dennis's Hide 22 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Ringed Plover, by Christmas Dell 2 Lesser Whitethroats still singing also Common Whitethroats, Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers. Walking towards hay field 3 a Bittern boomed and several young Bearded Tits were feeding along the ditch, at the hay field the Glossy Ibis was busy feeding, I couldn't see only young Lapwings but they were probably sheltering from the gale if they are still alive. At Hookers a Bittern flew over the track and dropped in but little else was seen.

At the Egret roost last night 4 Cattle Egrets which were presumably the same four seen by JY at Boulderwall this morning, when I finally arrived I could only find 2, but the vegetation is quite tall there.

2 Hobby's were out early looking for a meal in the cold and gale force wind this morning

The Glossy Ibis was still frequenting Hay Field 3 this morning

Ring-necked Duck on its island roost by Hanson Hide

It gave very close views after it and the other roosting ducks were unceremoniously pushed off by a pair of Greylag Geese with 6 Goslings in tow.

Little Egret from Hanson this morning

Common Sandpiper, Great-crested Grebe and friends in yesterdays downpour

The Striped Hawkmoth that graced my MV being released onto Red Valerian

21/05/2022

One of many patches of Broome on the shingle

A long walk this morning out to and around the Open Pits where the Broome was dazzlingly spectacular. Avian wise a few Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were singing, Reed Buntings were plentiful, the highlight for me was a singing Willow Warbler that must have been new arrival. The noisy young Cormorants are growing fast with constantly being fed regurgitated fish. Hairy Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chasers were in good numbers there as were the Marsh Frogs. On the reserve the usual Marsh Harriers, Bearded Tits, Bitterns and Hobby's, also a Cattle Egret was seen on Tanners Pool. Burrowes held a couple of Curlew and very little else. A report that the Ring-necked Duck had reappeared on the ARC, on making my way to Hanson Hide the first bird I saw there was the Ring-necked Duck which was still present at 20.00 this evening.

Cormorant Colony

A

Hairy Dragonfly

Four Spotted Chaser

Marsh Frog

Ring-necked Duck from Hanson Hide

Ring-necked Duck from Hanson Hide

Brown Silver-line a first for the Plodland MV last night

19/05/2022

Yellow Wagtail at the hay fields

Spring migration seems to be just about done at Dungeness. In todays rain in the past I would have expected the lakes to to be carpeted in Swifts, Swallows, Martins and Black Terns with the odd scarcity among them, today not a single one of those 4 species was seen, indeed only a maximum of 5 Common Terns were noted around the reserve, the only wader of note was a Wood Sandpiper the hay fields, all of yesterdays Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Whimbrel and Spotted Redshank had departed. 

At Hookers viewing ramp Bitterns were busy towing and froing feeding young, Bearded Tits were much in evidence, Hobby's appeared when the sun came out. A kingfisher was seen there and from Dennis's taking fish to the nest, even Reed and Sedge Warblers seem to be in low numbers this spring.

Spotted Redshank at the Hayfields

Common Gulls from Dennis's Hide in todays rain

Peregrine on the power station this afternoon

Oak Hook-tip 

 

17/05/2022

A very nice Purple Heron flyby this morning

One of the Bitterns was quite showy flying to and from its nest at Dengemarsh

 

Several Bearded Tits were seen from the Dengemarsh viewing ramp today 

Spotted Redshank on the hay fields today

A Southern Marsh Orchid just coming out at the ARC

It's unusual for this many (29) Black-tailed Godwits to be seen on Burrowes

Common Tern from Hanson

Common Tern Displaying from Hanson

This Fox has been around The Point for some time, looks as if it has cataracts.

15/05/2022

One of several Spotted Flycatchers around the peninsular yesterday

An early start to the sea watch this morning, full of optimism in anticipation of flocks of Skuas and Terns very quickly replaced with reality.

05.00-09.05 & 13.35-14.35

Shoveler: 8E (2 +4 + 2) 5 drakes

Garganey: 2E pair at 06.13

Common Scoter: 86E     3W

Great-crested Grebe: 9 on

Fulmar: 6E

Gannet: 80E 12W

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 7E

Grey Plover: 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 2E

Knot: 8E

Dunlin: 1E

Sanderling: 34E

Kittiwake: 12E

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2E        1 present 1st summer

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 4 on beach

Sandwich Tern: 17E

Common Tern: 5E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Auk sp: 2E 3W

Peregrine: 1 in

Swallow: 5 in

Harbour Porpoise: 3

Grey Seal: 1

Common Sandpiper on ARC from Hanson

Also at the ARC 2 Whimbrel and the usual Hobby's and Marsh Harriers. On Burrowes 3 Greenshanks, a Grey Plover and a Sanderling of note. A Spotted Redshank on the hay fields this morning. At Springfield Bridge around 17.30 RW found a Purple Heron, when I arrived at the viewing ramp a few minutes later it had disappeared into the reed beds and not seen again in the next hour. Though around 19.15 Fiona saw it and again twice more by dusk. So an early visit tomorrow.

Bittern from the ramp late afternoon while waiting for the Purple Heron NOT to show

The same Bittern at the top Of Cooks Pool viewed from the entrance track

13/05/2022

The watch started well with a party of 3 Arctic Skuas passing as soon as I arrived, but that was as good as it got.

06.45-08.00

Common Scoter: 3E

Great-crested Grebe: 2 on

Gannet: 23W

Cormorant: present n/c

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1 present

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 2E

Commic: 27E

Arctic Skua: 3E (single party on the first sweep of the scope)

Auk sp: 21E 

Swift: 9 in

Swallow: 18 in

Harbour Porpoise: 2

One of several Grizzled Skippers seen around the trapping area

Around the trapping area most birds were heard rather than seen, though my first Garden Warbler of the year was nice to hear and eventually see, also 2+ Spotted Flycatchers, a single Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcaps and a Sparrowhawk with a trickle of Swallows over.

Male Sparrowhawk over the trapping area

Avocet in front of Hanson

At Hanson Hide resting on the small island a single Avocet that was flushed by a Sparrowhawk giving nice flight views before settling back down to sleep, also Marsh Harrier and small numbers of the resident wildfowl.

A visit to Old Romney failed to find the 2 Dotterel seen there earlier.

A couple of visits to Dennis's saw just 6 Dunlin of any note, another visit to Firth viewpoint was hopeless, even with the shelter, the wind just howled through the slats rendering using a scope virtually impossible, the only benefit is that you nearly always have it to your self, as all the public who said they'd prefer viewpoints don't seem to visit the reserve anymore.

A look around a very windswept hay fields found very little, though most probably anything there was sheltering in the thicker vegetation. There was a Cattle Egret at Cooks Pool today, 

12/05/2022

A very sparse sea watch this morning:

07.00-08.00

Common Scoter: 2W

Great-crested Grebe: 2 on

Gannet: 7E 19W

Cormorant: present n/c

Sanderling: 10W

Kittiwake: 9W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 1W

Commic: 15E

Auk sp: 3E 1W

Swift: 7 in

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Oystercatchers in the Common Gull box at Dennis's hide this morning

3 Visits to Dennis's today, Kingfisher seen on 2 occasions, up to 12 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover and 8 Sanderling, just a handful of Swallows over the lake but still no Terns. I did visit the Firth and Makepiece viewpoint, strangely I had them all to myself, probably something to do with the wind howling through them.

Marsh Harrier adding to its nest at the ARC today

At the ARC apart from Marsh Harriers, squealing Water Rails and another Kingfisher, I saw little of note

and once again no Terns.

The local Common Buzzard over the garden while I was having a coffee break

Yellow Wagtail

A long walk around Scotney toady found just 8 Yellow Wagtails, hopefully more to arrive, 24 Avocets, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 56 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, a few Corn Buntings, lots of Skylarks, 4 Tree Sparrows, a few Common Buzzards and Little Egrets, along withe usual feral Geese and their offspring. The strong WSW wind was probably to blame for the paucity of birds.

female Yellow Wagtail at Scotney

A smart male Linnet at Scotney

A Maple Prominent in the Plodland trap this morning, a scarce moth down here