24/03/2022

North East breeze with clear skies does not bode well for a good sea watch at Dungeness as to todays watch proved.

 06.30-09.00 from the hide joined by DW

Brent Goose: 130E      

Common Scoter: 8E    2W    

Red-breasted Merganser: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 12E     2W

Great-crested Grebe:  7 on 

Gannet: 14E

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 4E    

Kittiwake: 2E   

Black-headed Gull: present n/c

Mediterranean Gull: 5E

Common Gull: present n/c

Great Black-backed Gull: present n/c

Herring Gull: present n/c

Sandwich Tern: 17E

Guillemot: 2 on

Jackdaw: 9 in

Carrion Crow: 4 in

Harbour Porpoise: 19

Firth viewpoint now that Firth Hide has been removed

Apparently a screen is going to erected, as to whether it will protect visitors from the elements time will tell but I have my doubts. It was a beautiful calm sunny afternoon, yet when I ventured onto Scott Viewpoint it was very cold and uncomfortable there as the North East wind blew straight from across the lake, I now feel justified in not bothering to venture any further than Dennis's Hide this winter, as the viewpoints are totally unusable for anyone actually wanting to look at birds, even in todays calm conditions.

Where Makepiece Hide stood

A new hide is planned to replace the old Makepiece hide when funds are available. On the plus side you can now view the islands if you can keep your optics steady enough and avoid frostbite.

Black-tailed Godwit at Dengemarsh

A beautiful Lapwing on the hay fields

Walking in to Dengemarsh from Springfield Bridge this afternoon a Bittern quite vocal, as were several Water Rails, Cetti's Warblers but no Bearded Tit today. Several Lapwings look as if they are trying to hod territory on the hay fields, lets hope they are more successful than last year though the same problems for them still exist. A single restless Black-tailed Godwit was flying around. On Dengemarsh there were at least 5 drake Garganey and a duck, with reports from Boulderwall and the ARC it seems there were a minimum of 10 birds present. There were still 4 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge but I heard no reports of the Glossy ibis.  

Garganey at Dengemarsh