28/11/2022

A Pallas's Warbler in the garden of Southview yesterday afternoon,  looking gorgeous despite the gloomy conditions and constant rain. Many thanks to Dave and Sheila Bunney for letting us look in there garden.

Yesterdays sea watch was one of the best I have ever experienced at Dungeness. The night before the weather forecast looked perfect for a good sea watch, though plenty of rain was forecast of which there duly was, quite often torrential. I was joined at the boats by BW, AL & RW shortly after they arrived BW spotted a Leach's Petrel, followed by AL spotting a Puffin among the steady flow of Razorbills, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Little Gulls. Late morning at the reserve the Green Winged Teal was showing albeit distantly. At lunchtime the Pallas's Warbler turned up, while watching that the news came through that an adult Sabine's Gull was lingering at the fishing boats, a couple of minutes later I was watching it when the Long-tailed Skua appeared along the beach. The light was quickly fading but as I drove across the causeway I could just about make out through the rain the Great Northern Diver on the New Diggings.

Fantastic views of an intermediate phase juvenile Long-tailed Skua that made a brief but very memorable visit to the fishing boats this afternoon.

Long-tailed skua feeding just off the beach

A superb adult Sabine's Gull at the fishing boats yesterday

Little Gulls at the fishing boats yesterday

1w Caspian Gull on the beach yesterday

Alas no sign of the Pallas's Warbler today nor the Sabine's or Long-tailed Skua. The Great Northern Diver was still present as was the Green Winged Teal. On Scotney a minimum of 33 Little Gulls could be viewed from the double bends, still no wild grey geese there.

Great Northern Diver on the New Diggings today