PLODDINGBIRDER

Friday, 13 November 2026

11-13/11/2026

Wednesdays Highlight a superb Ring Ouzel trapped in The Moat early morning

The wonders of modern cameras, roosting Egrets taken in near darkness at 51200 ISO Yesterday

At The ARC the Starling murmuration is starting to get bigger, at the same time up to 27 Great White Egrets, 30 Cattle Egrets also roost, 5 Bitterns were seen Thursday evening and 3 tonight as well as a Barn Owl. The 3 Whooper Swans visited the ARC again today.

At Scotney the Ring-necked Duck is still on the Caravan Park Pit along with up to 3 Scaup. Another 3+ Scaup at the old Sandpit

Isabelline Wheatear in Dengemarsh Gully this morning

White Stork coasting past Dengemarsh Gully this morning attended by irate Gulls

Presumably the same White Stork an hour later over Dengemarsh, it seems to have ended up following a tractor in a New Romney field.

Both the Little Owls showing this morning

Meadow Pipit at Scotney

Monday, 9 November 2026

Isabelline Wheatear 09/11/2026

45 minutes sea watching this morning was more than enough to confirm that very little sea passage was happening.
A walk around The Desert and TA was also very quiet, the odd Thrush, Redpoll and Siskin over and a handful of Crests and Chiffchaffs in the bushes, made me to have opt for an early breakfast.

After a nice hot breakfast I made my way down the Dengemarsh Gully where I met some old friends and spent some quality time with excellent Isabelline Wheatear which was performing to all onlookers.

Isabelline Wheatear

A pair of Ravens were also visiting the Gully

Sunday, 8 November 2026

6-8/11/2026

On Friday a late evening visit to the observatory to see a Long-eared Owl that was trapped and ringed by the DBO ringing team. Images taken at 40,000 ISO😬

A long walk on Saturday along The Midrips and Wickes hoping to stumble across a Wheatear/Bunting was as usual a fools errand, the highlight being a Black Redstart. The pools look good but held no birds, only a few Oystercatchers on the beaches, at least it wasn't blowing a gale.

This Reed Bunting posed by the cycle track at Scotney

Late Saturday afternoon at Dengemarsh Gully the Isabelline Wheatear posed some what distantly for a snap .

As there was no wind this morning I gave the sea watch a miss and had a cool start at the ARC, with a wander up to the pines, very little overhead migration , no doubt due to the completely still conditions. In the bushes at least 10 Chiffchaffs, by the track a Cloude Yellow Butterfly which is certainly the latest I can recall seeing one.

Apart from a Rough-legged Buzzard that flew straight through the point, that was seen and photographed by Jim Dee there was little else down there.

With the sunny still conditions I called in to see the Little Owls

The Lydd Ring-necked Duck showing the ring on its neck today

Ring-necked Duck showing the ring on its neck

Ring-necked Duck

Female Scaup behind Lydd caravan park

At Scotney and the sand pit lots of birds but nothing new seems to have arrived.

Friday, 6 November 2026

06/11/2026

An enjoyable hour in the sea watch hide this morning, with a trickle of Auks and Gannets, the highlight was 14 White-fronted Geese that flew west.

9 Pink-footed Geese that flew down the peninsula then out to sea as I left the sea watch hide. Thanks are due to Jacob for the prompt radio message. When I got back to my car there was 4 Black Redstarts around the car park.

AS Galloways was open today I had a look there for the rare Wheatear that really should be there to no avail. 2 Firecrests, a Goldcrest and a party of Long-tailed Tits were all I found.