29/04/2022

Some of the 1,000s of Bar-tailed Godwits that have been passing the sea watch hide

I have been a little lax at posting this week, as I have been out in the field to dusk most days. Large numbers of Waders, Terns, Skuas, Gannets, Divers, Auks and Duck have been passing the sea watch hide this week, giving the watchers a superb spectacle.(I'm afraid my images do not do justice to that spectacle). 

Highlights as always this time of year are the Skuas, in particular the Pomarine Skuas with good numbers of Great and Arctic. A Red-necked Grebe was a first of the year, a Great Northern and several Black-throated Divers along with many Red-throated Divers have been seen. The large number of Bar-tailed Godwits have been a wonderful spectacle, especially the brick red summer plumaged adults.

Other highlights this week have been several Ring Ouzels, a Wood Warbler in the trapping area today found by Jacob and my first Swift of the year today.

Spring passerine migrants still appear to be in very low numbers, though a few more Swallows arrived today. Reports from the reserve are that there is very little new there, occasion Bittern sightings, Bearded Tits, Marsh Harriers, a couple of cold, hungry looking Hobbys, even Reed and Sedge Warblers seem to be very low numbers. Hopefully warmer weather next week will improve things.

100s of Whimbrel past this week

Bar-tailed Godwits

Party of 3 distant Pomarine Skuas

Party of 5 distant Pomarine Skuas

Party of 3 Arctic Skuas passing the bouy

Pod of 6 White-beaked Dolphins, though distant for the camera, they gave great scope views during the 30 minutes they took to pass. often leaping clear of the sea

Arctic Skuas

Typical Dungeness view of a Great Northern Diver

1,000s of Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns have been passing, also small numbers of Little and Black Terns.

Black Tern

Resident Great-crested Grebes