28/11/2021

A bitterly cold morning, so I had a drive around Walland Marsh looking for wild geese and swans and failed on both accounts. There were a couple of small flocks of Fieldfare around the Cheyenne Triangle,  also few Redwing and Song Thrushes feeding in various hedgerows that the have so far escaped the ravages of the local guardians of the countryside efforts to rip them all out.

At Scotney despite much scrutiny I was unable to find any wild geese among the 100s of feral geese, a Black-necked Grebe was the best I could find.

In the Boulderwall Fields both the Ibis were still present along with 3 Cattle Egrets, 2 Great Egrets flew over towards the ARC. On Burrowes most the Gulls were at the southern of the lake which meant they could only be viewed properly from the Firth Viewpoint, I wasn't prepared to stand there being blown about by the freezing wind, nor was any one else from what I could see.

1 of 3 late Sandwich Terns drifting into Lade Bay

13.00-14.30 from the fishing boats, joined by CT.

Common Scoter: 4W

Red-throated Diver: 16W   5E       4 on

Great Northern Diver: 1W   

Great-crested Grebe: 4E       4 on

Gannet: 28W     15E

Cormorant: c350 around

Kittiwake: 4E        7W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 2E

Common Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1E

Sandwich Tern: 3E

Great Skua: 1E

Razorbill: 12W       4E

Guillemot: 16W      27E

Auk sp: 108E     44W

Gret Seal: 1

A very distant Great Northern Diver, surprisingly scarce at Dungeness

A regular at the fishing boats

 

27/11/2021

Juvenile Merlin at the fishing boats

Sea watching the last few days has been a little repetitive, with mainly smallish numbers of Gannets, Cormorants Red-throated Divers, Kittiwakes and Auks making up the bulk of the numbers, hope fully after storm Arwen has moved through the sea may liven up a bit.

Dartford Warbler near the fish shack

Russian White-fronted Geese at Scotney

Bar-tailed Godwit on Lade Sands

1w Caspian Gull

Adult Yellow-legged Gull with an adult Caspian Gull

I have spent a good deal of time in Dennis's Hide looking at Gulls, where double figure numbers of Caspian Gulls have been seen, along with Yellow-legged Gulls and number of colour ringed Gulls have been seen. Most the rings have been Norwegian Great Black-backed Gulls, but we have seen at least 4 Polish a German and a Lithuanian ringed Caspian Gull. 

2w Caspian Gull

1w Caspian Gull

Adult Caspian Gull

 

23/11/2021

This adult male Long-tailed Duck was the standout highlight of this mornings sea watch, giving super scope views as it flew past. 

A Red-necked Grebe drifted west past us, but was quite distant, I thought I'd found it in the view finder but reviewing the images all I could see was sea.😂 There was nice selection of birds passing  and 2 Merlins hunting off shore.

Shelduck and Guillemots

Cattle Egrets by the entrance track to the reserve

There were at least 9 Caspian and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls present this afternoon, also 5 Goldeneye.

German ringed X812 Caspian Gull which we also saw on 03/11/2018

The known life history of Caspian Gull X812

Polish ringed P.7A6 Caspian Gull  managed to keep itself mainly hidden until it disappeared completely

Lithuanian yellow ringed Caspian Gull 7LC5 was still present today

Caspian Gull

Goldeneye from Dennis's Hide

 

22/11/2021

Todays excellent sea watch, nothing unusual, just good variety and numbers. Thanks to Sam & Tony for collating all the numbers. CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO SEE A FULL SIZE VERSION OF IT.

An excellent afternoon in the company of David Walker in Dennis's Hide, where at least 12 Caspian Gulls including a Lithuanian yellow ringed 2w and a Green ringed Polish adult, also 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls all came into Burrowes, also an Avocet, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Dunlin and a Goldeneye there. 

There may well have been more further up the pit, but I was not prepared to stand on a cold bleak viewpoint freezing, getting a soaking while staring through a scope that is shaking in the wind that howls through the viewpoints, especially on a day like today of which there will be many over the next few months. I don't suppose the RSPB will be welcoming back all people that purportedly said viewpoints were better than hides, until at least next summer.😡

Lithuaanian yellow ringed 2w Caspian Gull (7LC5) and an adult

Polish green ringed adult Caspian Gull (76P0)

2w Caspian Gull

Adult Caspian Gull

Retarded 2w Caspian Gull

4th cal year Caspian Gull

Adult Caspian Gull

4th Cal year Caspian Gull

4th cal year Caspian Gull and Avocet

4th Cal year Caspian Gull

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Avocet

As I left the reserve this afternoon 6 Cattle Egrets were feeding in the Boulderwall Fields

 

20/11/2021

First year Red-breasted Flycatcher trapped at Dungeness Observatory today

After release it was still showing on/off in the Sallows around The Moat but very difficult to photograph in the poor light and drizzle.

The 2 Glossy Ibis and at least 5 Cattle and 2 Great Egrets were in the Boulderwall Fields. The other hi light was a Puffin that flew west past the fishing boats this afternoon, unfortunately I was to busy failing to get good images of the Flycatcher.

Yesterday at least 8 Black Redstarts around The Point, most in front the power station

Black Redstart

Who's a pretty boy

A couple of Merlins from yesterday around the power station

There seems to be good numbers of Pied Wagtails around The Point lately

Last night was the last throw of the dice this year as far as my nothing is concerned, so this Palpita vitrealis was nice finale.

17/11/2021

 A cool NW wind was never going to make a good sea watch, though it was busier than I expected.07.55 - 08.55  from the sea watch hide:

Common Scoter: 7E

Red-throated Diver: 1E    2W  

Great-crested Grebe: 4 on

Gannet: 475W      43E

Cormorant: present n/c

Peregrine: 1 in off

Kittiwake: 166W

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 1W

Common Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Lesser Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Guillemot: 12W       6 on

Razorbill: 97W    

Auk sp: 886W     27E

Starling: 3,840 in off

Grey seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 1

A wander around The Point and Desert found little of note, a flock of 11 Skylarks behind the fishing boats, a Black Redstart among the containers with another at Southview were the highlights. 

This Marsh Harrier was hunting the field in front my house late morning

Early afternoon saw the 2 Glossy Ibis showing well at Cooks Pool, the young female below is now starting to get her glossy feathers.

On Burrowes Pit this afternoon at least 3 Caspian Gulls, (1w + 3W + adult) also 3w Yellow-legged Gull.