27/02/2023

In a bitingly cold NE wind there was till no change in the sea watching, plenty of birds but no variety.

07.45 - 10.15 from the hide: 

Common Scoter: 2E    

Great-crested Grebe: 227E round The Point,   148 on the sea 

Oystercatcher: 4E

Curlew: 2E 

Kittiwake: 67E

Common Gull: 56E    

Guillemot: 216E  

Auk sp:110E  

Fulmar: 1E   

Red-throated Diver: 36E   3 on the sea   

Gannet: 369E   

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 5+

Grey Seal: 2 

The Bewick and Whooper Swans were still at Midley and Horses Bones Farm, also c200 Fieldfare there.

The Glossy Ibises at Cooks Pool this afternoon, along with Curlews, Wigeon, Golden Plover, 4 Ruff and at least 2 Great White Egrets, a Bittern was also reported there.

Curlew at Cooks Pool this afternoon

1 of 4 Little Egret at Cockles Bridge with the 7 Cattle Egrets, the Common Buzzard was also there with Red-legged Partridges.

24/02/2023

As you can see below the sea watching hasn't improved this week.

08.00 - 09.30 from the hide joined by OL

Shelduck: 2W

Common Scoter: 4E

Great-crested Grebe:     c200 on

Dunlin: 12E

Kittiwake: 6E     

Guillemot: 16E       

Auk sp: 19E 

Red-throated Diver: 102E   3W    1 on

Gannet: 101E  

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 7

There are still a few Dartford Warblers scattered around the peninsula

The Cattle Egrets are still frequenting the Cockles Bridge area and the Ibises can be seen around the Horse Paddock most days. There were still 44 Bewick swans and 3 Whooper Swans on Walland Marsh today, but little else.

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV can usually be found around the fishing boats

The 1w drake Scaup was still at Camber yesterday

Yesterday I thought it might be a good idea to catch the bus to North Point GP then walk back to Lydd taking in the dunes and all the small pools and reed beds on the way. Well apart from the Scaup and a nice ice cream it was a waste of time as most the sites seemed to be avian free, it also rained quite hard when I was at the most exposed stretch of the trek home, it probably be a while before I do that walk again, maybe when the Orchids are out.

20/02/2023

 07.30 - 10.00 from the hide joined by OL.

Brent Goose: 43E 

Common Scoter: 11E   2W

Great-crested Grebe: 2E      2 on   

Redshank: 1W

Kittiwake: 67W      12E

Guillemot: 17W   2E

Razorbill: 16W     

Auk sp: 273W       41E

Red-throated Diver: 341E   14W     

Gannet: 861E     32W  

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 1

Grey Seal: 1

All the long staying birds were still present today, despite severals hours wandering around the reserve and ARC I found absolutely nothing new.

Both Glossy Ibis were in the horse paddock this morning

5 of the 7 Cattle Egrets at Cockles Bridge this morning

16/02/2023

 

Gannets passing the sea watch hide this morning

07.30-09.30 from the hide.

Brent Goose: 105E  (6 parties)

Common Scoter: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 7W      6 on

Oystercatcher: 13E     

Kittiwake: 27E 

Mediterranean Gull: 3E    

Guillemot: 217E       

Auk sp: 448E 

Red-throated Diver: 238E   5W    3 on

Fulmar: 3E    

Gannet: 387E  

Cormorant: present n/c

The 1w drake Scaup was showing very well in the bright sunshine yesterday on the roadside pool at Camber

At Cockle Bridge Triangle yesterday the Egrets and Common Buzzards were busy eating worms as they are most days.

Little Egret at Cockles Bridge 

Cattle Egrets and Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

The lone Greater-White-fronted Goose still consorting with the Greylags at Brickwall Farm, Dengemarsh.

14/02/2023

No sea watch today in the foggy conditions. At the ARC both Bewick and Whooper Swans could be heard calling in the fog, at one point some of the Bewick Swans flew out over my head but I still couldn't see them in the murky conditions, a short while later I heard them come back into the ARC. I don't know if they wanted to go out to feed or hop over the channel on their way back to Russia.

Adult and juvenile Bewick Swan in the murk at the ARC this morning

The 2 Glossy Ibis were in the field by the track to Hanson late morning, still foggy.

The very active Hume's Warbler at Enbrook Park Sandgate

Grey Wagtail at Enbrook Park today

13/02/2023

One of this mornings small parties of Brent Geese

An improvement with a small movement of Brent Geese and the my first 2 sea watch Pintail of the year. 

07.45-09.45 from the hide

Brent Goose: 449E  (14 parties)

Pintail: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 2 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 13E     

Guillemot: 45E       8 on

Razorbill: 1E

Auk sp: 17E 

Red-throated Diver: 41E   7W    4 on

Fulmar: 1W

Gannet: 41E  

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 2

2nd calendar year Marsh Harrier hunting the southern end of the ARC this morning

Male Dartford Warbler at hayfield 3 today

Bearded Tits were very vocal around the Dengemarsh today. The long staying White-fronted Goose was still present at Brickwall Farm. The 2 Glossy Ibis were again reported from the ARC,. I heard no news either way on the wild Swans.

Another male Dartford Warbler near Dengemarsh hide

Water Pipit hayfield 1-2 today

Water Pipits are an not unexpected bird on the hayfields this time of year

White Wagtail Hayfield 1 my first of the year

Ruff Hayfield 1 These birds have been seen at Pitt, Rye Scotney and Dungeness

11/02/2022

No improvement on the sea this morning, though I'm confident things will improve next week, I can but hope.

07.45-09.00 from the hide with RW,

Brent Goose: 13E

Common Scoter: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 47 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Turnstone: 1 on

Kittiwake: 6E      3W 

Guillemot: 22E    4W        5 on

Auk sp: 36E     14W

Red-throated Diver: 16E   3W    3 on

Gannet: 61E    11W 

Cormorant: 91E

Harbour Porpoise: 1

All the usual suspects are still around, though it would appear that the Ibis's are down to 2 birds, unless you know better. Bitterns, Bearded Tits and Crests seem to be slightly showier at the moment.

Common Buzzard at Cockles Bridge

Stoats seem to be appearing everywhere I wander, this one on the track to Hanson.

Great White Egret at Dengemarsh

Greater White-fronted Goose at Dengemarsh, the only wild goose on the peninsula.

One of the magnificent 7 at Cockles Bridge

Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV at the fishing boats this afternoon, its 3rd winter here.

Short-eared Owl at dusk

 

09/02/2023

No improvement on the sea watching yet.

07.45-08.45 from the sea watch hide

Brent Goose: 14E

Great-crested Grebe: 29 on

Oystercatcher: 1E

Kittiwake: 5E   

Guillemot: 11E

Razorbill: 2E

Auk sp: 92E  

Red-throated Diver: 47E   55W 

Gannet: 2E   

Cormorant: present n/c

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Grey Seal: 1

Around the marsh the 1w male Scaup still residing on the the pool at Camber, while out on Walland there are still 61 Bewick Swans and 5 Whoopers Swans now joined by 2 Black Swans. Nearby a flock of at least 300 Fieldfare with a few Redwing, but in in general Passerines are in short supply at the moment. 

1w drake Scaup at Camber

One of c300 Fieldfare at Middle

My first Firecrest of the year was in the ARC car park, joining a mixed Tit flock which included 2 each of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest all of which were being watched by the local Kestrel.

Long-tailed Tit

Firecrest

Kestrel

A few images of yesterdays WednesdayClub day out

Hume's Warbler at Dover yesterday

White Stork on Worth Marshes

One of seven Water Pipits seen on Worth Marshes

Several Short-eared Owls were seen at Sandwich