26/07/2021

My first Arctic Skua of the autumn going east at The point

A wander around at The Point saw my first Arctic Skua of the Autumn, 6, Mediterranean Gulls, c20 each of Sandwich and Common Terns, a Grey Seal and a Black Redstart, also of note 4 Clouded Yellows.  There were 145 Mediterranean gulls at The Varne early morning per AJG) 

Sandwich Tern at The Point

Wood Pigeon on the shore line 

The ARC was again full of eclipse wildfowl, c200 Coot, 300+ Pochard per JY, 200+ Gadwall with Shoveler, Teal, Mallard and Tufted duck, 56 Mute Swans, 2 Great White Egrets, 30+ Common Terns, plus the usual Cormorants and Gulls but no quality. A small pulses of Sand Martins went through also 6 Swifts. A search of the bushes found no returning Willow Warblers or indeed any other returning migrants, though there were some Common and Lesser Whitethroats , Sedge and Reed Warblers all local breeders.

Corn Bunting Dengemarsh

Dengemarsh this evening saw the usual Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagtails, several pulses of Sand Martins went through west. On hay field 1 the first Wigeon I've seen since May, a single Ruff, 4 Common Snipe and 2 Great White Egrets flew over. Burrowes was predictably disappointing with such high water levels and no where for waders to feed. There is a small patch in front of Firth hide, but even if you walk carefully onto the view point everything in front flushes, let alone an excited child running up to the rope, so no chance of seeing anything there, making the viewpoint a White Elephant.  

Wigeon, Hay field 1

Ruff, Hay field 1

Toad by Scott look out

Small Purple-barred

The moth trap yielded a Small Purple-barred, which is a scarce moth on the peninsular, this one was only the 9th Dungeness record, the 8th also in my trap on the same date in 2019.

A tatty Sussex Emerald that made into my trap yesterday