Saturday 28/08/2020

AJG once again did the early morning sea watch from the fishing boats and kindly sent me the numbers:

Common Scoter: 5W

Fulmar: 4W

Gannet: 53W

Cormorant: 9 o/s

Grey Plover: 3W

Ringed Plover: 11W

Dunlin: 75W

Turnstone: 1W

Arctic Skua 3 down

Sandwich Tern: 86W

Common Tern: 16W

At the ARC the Glossy Ibis is still present, as was the Little Stint, some Common Sandpipers, LRPs and Ringed Plovers also present. Viewed from the causeway many waders can be seen on the islands in front of Hanson Hide, but to distant to properly identify most of them, I'm sure lots of birds are going undetected because the hides are all still locked up.

Elsewhere on the peninsular several Great White Egrets and at least 1 Cattle Egret, a smattering of Wheatears could be seen and a single Whinchat at Galloways.

Osprey flying straight at me at Denge Marsh Gully this morning

It veers off at the last moment

As it flew along the shore towards Rye I could track its progress by the Gulls exploding off the beach 

I joined AJG for a sea watch at the fishing boats this afternoon, it can only be described as abysmal.

14.00-15.30 with AJG:

Great crested Grebe 6 on

Cormorant: 5 o/s

Dunlin: 1W

Arctic Skua: 1W

Sandwich Tern: 11W

Common Tern: 14W

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

At Galloways this morning I was quite surprised to find 2 Short-eared Owls as they don't usually appear until the end of September. This evening there were 3 Owls present and showing rather well. Please note Galloways is closed to the public for next 3 days at least between 08.00 and 16.30.

Short-eared Owl with its supper

Sparrowhawk at Galloways this morning

An abysmal record image of the Wryneck found by Dave Scott at Galloways this morning

This evenings image is not much better of this skulking Wryneck