Summers over

At the ARC Pit this morning 2 Garganey, 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 10 LRPs, 10 Little Egrets, 18 Oystercatchers, 2 Redshank, 100+ Lapwing, 2 Marsh Harriers, large numbers of Swifts, Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins hawking high over the pit. On the way back to the car park a young Fox strolled across infront of me and disappeared over the bank.

On the sea at the point what appeared to be 100s of Swifts flying South, the only other birds of note were c.14 juvenile/1st winter Med Gulls feeding in the surf.

Late morning at Castle Water found 7 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 LRPs and 4 Marsh Harriers(2Ads + 2 Juvs) and again loads of Swifts. On the Ternery Pool still a few juvenile Med Gulls and a few Common Terns no eggs or with chicks. Sadly the water level has risen noticeably and washed out some tern nests since Saturday. Maybe just a coincidence but the new sluices have been opened to flood the land scaped part of the reserve which is made up entirely of beach.  Doh!!  

Sandpipers

This morning at the ARC from Hansen Hide 2 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 LRPs and the Goosander at the south end of the pit. In an hours sea watch from the fishing boats there was a steady trickle of Gannets, Sandwich and Common Terns with a few Kittiwakes and 1 Manx Shearwater at 09.50. At The Patch 14+ Med Gulls of all ages, a few Common and Sandwich Terns. On the power staion perimeter fence a few Linnets were posing. Back at the ARC the only addition was a Garganey.

Very Dodgy Duck

On my way to visiting mum in West Sussex gave me the excuse i needed to go and see the Marbled Duck at Arlington. It was easy to find asleep on the bank infront of the farm. In the hour i was there it barely moved its head even when someone from the farm sat on the bench above the bank about 20mts away. Wild and Timid i dont think so!

Walland and Waders

  A look around Walland this morning found a family of Green Woodpeckers, still plenty of Tree Sparrows, a few Corn Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Mistle Thrushes and Several Marsh Harrier Sightings. At the ARC Pit today a Cuckoo still, 6 Little Egrets, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, 13 LRPs, 2 Greenshank and Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk through.

ARC, Rye Harbour and back to the ARC.

On the pit this morning 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Blackwit, 6+ LRPs and a Cuckoo.
At Castle Water 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4+Green Sandpipers, 1 Wood Sandpiper 4 Blackwits, 1 Marsh Harrier and Whimbrel flew over. No sign of the Roseate Tern at High Tide in the Tern roost despite intense scrutiny from myself, Roger Haggar and Bob Smith but plenty of Sandwich Terns, Common Terns and a few Little Terns. At Denge Marsh the Great White dot is still present and on the pit this afternoon 3 Greenshank and another Common Sandpiper was new.

Roseate Tern

Oyk and chick.

At the ARC Pit this morning more of the same. The Goosander still at the south end with Pochard flock. From Hanson Hide Green Sandpiper, LRPs, Black-tailed Godwits, Hobby and Marsh Harrier.

Juv Redshank (Not Wood Sand)

Late morning at Rye Harbour on the Ternery Pool things are quieting down with only small numbers of Oystercatchers, Common Terns and Black-headed and Meditterranean Gulls left. From Denny hide I found a Roseate Tern (Scope views only), but the Terns on the Quarry are frequently disturbed by a marauding Kestrel so no sooner do you locate the Roseate it is disturbed. The Kestrel made four passes in the 90 mins i was and was chased off  unsuccessful each time. A Juv Redshank was feeding infront the hide.

Castle Water is looking excellent for wader migration with lots of islands viewable from the hide. This afternoon there was 5 Green Sandpipers, 5 Black-tailed godwits, 6 LRPs (4Juvs), 2 Dunlin and a Wood Sandpiper. From the viewpoint a pair of Marsh Harriers gave a fine display.

What the Hell has happened at Stodmarsh!!!

As you leave the car park walking to the Lampen Wall the stench of rotting fish hits you. The lake is lined with thousands of dead fish of all sorts and sizes including Eels that can tolerate poor conditions and hundreds of large Carp that were probably 20+ years old. In the 2 hours i was there i did not see a single Damselfly and only 1 Dragonfly, I hope this catastrophe does not spread to Grove Ferry. The Night Heron was showing distantly and appeared to be either catching small fish or cosuming the dead ones. 

At the ARC Pit late this afternoon from Hanson Hide there was 14 LRPs, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plovers, 6 Black-tailed Godwitsand a Greenshank. |At the southern end the Goosander was with masses of loafing Pochard and 2 more LRPs. On Burrowes Pit the 1st summer Little Gull, 2 more LRPs and a Knot. 

Elmley

Had a glorious day at Elmley. Along the entrance track Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Yellow Wagtails, Lapwings and Redshanks seemed positively abundant and the air was buzzing with bird song and calls. Round the Kingshill Farm bushes were 2 Hummingbird Hawk Moths, numerous Common Darters had emerged, many Meadow Browns, Large Skippers , Red Admirals and Large Whites . From the toilet block view point the Barn Owls could be seen in there box. Apparently there are 4 Owlets. Along the mile and quarter walk to the hides the sedges held plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers, while the ponds held Great crested and Little Grebes, with more Skylarks Pipits and Wagtails and waders in the fields and Marsh Harriers over them. At Wellmarsh Hide Lots of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets with plenty of young. As i came out of the hide 6 Spoonbills circled high overhead and disappeared over the Swale. At Counterwall Hide more Godwits and Avocets, also a Turnstone and Common Sandpiper and 10 super summer plumaged Spotted Redshanks. At one of the other hides 3 Spoonbills flew in and landed distantly(not sure if this was an extra 3 or some of the 6 seen earlier). The Avocets semm to have had a bumper breeding season on Elmley this year.

I spent an hour or so looking for the Dainty Damselflys under the bridge but was unsucessful along with few other people.    

A pleasant day at Dunge

From Hanson Hide this morning several Reed Warblers feeding young. Numbers of Lapwing and Pochard still seem to be increasing also 9 Little Egrets, a Cuckoo and a Whimbrel of note. With flying Ants on the wing large numbers of Gulls including at least 18 Med Gulls, Starlings and 3 Hobbys were having a feeding frenzy over the Tower Pools. At the southern end of the pit the Goosander still present despite the best efforts of the army appearing to try to land a Chinook there.

At the power station the only things of note were a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on the perimeter wall and another by the concrete road.

Common Blue Damselfly

On the reserve the Great White Egret still on Dengemarsh also many emerging Damselflys but little else in the thundery conditions this afternoon.

Hot morning lazy cool afternoon.

At the ARC Pit this morning there was very little change. A single Green Sandpiper from the Screen Hide and 2 LRPs, a Cuckoo and a Curlew, the 1st Summer Little Gull and Goosander at the South end with many Pochard and another 2 LRPs.

Leucistis Grey Heron

A walk from the ARC car park to Dengemarsh saw the usual Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall Farm also my first Painted Lady of the year and 2 Hobbys there. At Hookers a Bittern flew towards Christmas Dell at the same time as a the above leucistic Grey Heron. Several family parties of Bearded Tits were there and the Great White Egret was on Dengemarsh and 2 Yellow Wagtails flew over. 

At the fishing boats the Glacous Gull still present also several Juvenile Wheatears around the boats. At Jurys Gap this afternoon nothing of note but the sea was lovely after the first cold shock! Retirement you cant beat it!