Dunge then Rye

From the sea watching hide 08.00-08.40:

Red-throated Diver: 2E
Gannet: 108E
Sandwich Tern 4E 3W
Merlin in off.
With very little of note in the way of migrants to be seen at Dungeness today, I made the short drive to Rye to see the improvements that have been made to the reserve.
The walk along the bank towards the Ternery Pool once a dry partially arable field is now a mass of channels and pools that will soon be alive with birds. Already today Avocet, Redshank, Lapwing and Ringed Plover were busy feeding and soon probably nesting.
The Ternery Pool with its newly built up islands and extra islands already hold c200 Sandwich Terns, several hundred Black-headed Gulls,  c50 Mediterranean Gulls(probably alot more), c200 Oystercatcher, 4+ Little Grebes, 6 + Tufted Duck, 2 Ringed Plover and the nesting season has not even started yet.
The Quarry has also had more islands put in and looks excellent for nesting Terns and Gulls. Now that the water levels can be regulated by the new sluice, I am sure the reserve will just get and better and is a credit to the wardens and all those who have contributed to the improvements to it.
I know I will be regular visitor in the future.

Sandwich Terns, 2nd year Mediterranean Gull and Oystercatchers

Fog and Sun

Very slow sea watch 08.00 till the fog rolled in at 08.35 from the sea watch hide:
Red-throated Diver: 9E
Gannet: 8E
Common Scoter: 4W
Kittiwake: 3E 2W
Sandwich Tern: 9E 6W
Harbour Porpoise 2
Due to the fog I moved to the ARC Pit which was also very quiet with 1 Little Egret, 12 Goldeneye, 3 Cetti's Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Water Rail, 1 Marsh Harrier.
On the reserve also quiet but very warm with huge swarms of midges round Burrowes Pit, where a Ruff was on one of the islands, the seemingly ever present Long-tailed Duck and a Common Buzzard stirring up the Gulls. A pleasant hour at Hookers viewing ramp enjoying the warm sunshine listening to the Bittern booming and another fly through, Bearded Tits pinging, Water Rails squealing, a pair of Great-crested Grebes in front the mound, Cetti's Warblers in full voice, up to 4 Marsh Harriers displaying, a Sparrowhawk dash through, 4 Curlews over and 7 feral Snow Geese that flew into Dengemarsh fields.
Having problems uploading images today.

Bits and Pieces

Slim pickings at The Point this morning where I could only find 2 Northern Wheatears, 1 Black Redstart, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Stonechats and 2 Sparrowhawks.
Moving on to the ARC Pit 5 Dunlin, a Curlew and 4 Avocets over at the south end. 2 Bearded Tits by the path to Hanson Hide, 2 Marsh Harriers over and 3 Goldeneye from the hide. 2 Chiffchaffs in the Willow Trail also 2 Cetti's Warblers, a squealing Water Rail and a Common Lizard cloud bathing on the boardwalk.

 On the reserve on Burrowes Pit 4 had become 5, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Marsh Harriers , 5 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover and the Long-tailed Duck.

A lazy day in the sun

On arrival at The Point I was advised not to waste time looking at the sea as that is all I would see.
A plod around the research station and both lighthouses found just 1 female Northern Wheatear, 1 Black Redstart, the Rubicola Stonechat and its mate and 2 Chiffchaffs. In the Gorse behind the railway station another Chiffchaff and photogenic Firecrest. Moving out across The Desert to the trapping area found another Firecrest and a Sparrowhawk displaying overhead.
At the southern end of the ARC Pit 2 White Wagtails with a couple of Pied and little else of note.
From the track to Hanson hide 5 Common Buzzards, 3 Marsh Harriers displaying and 2+Cetti's Warblers singing. From the hide still 4 Goldeneye but nothing else of note.
With most of the winter birds gone and summer ones not yet arrived I spent several hours plodding around the reserve enjoying the beautiful spring weather. From the picnic site the Long-tailed Duck, 22 Bar-tailed Godwits and 3 Goldeneye. From Makepiece 6 Ringed Plovers and a Sandwich Tern. The 3 fields inside the predator proof electrified fence (I can vouch for that) have now been partially flooded and look excellent for migrant waders, dabblers and wagtails. They should also provide a relatively safe nesting area for Lapwing and Redshank a pair of the latter were already displaying there today. An hour at the viewpoint raced by watching up to 4 Marsh Harriers displaying, a pair of Great-crested Grebes displaying, 2 Bearded Tits, a Bittern booming occasionally and several Cetti's Warblers singing.

Sunny Dunge!

Still a few migrants around The Point today, 7 Wheatears and 2 Black Redstarts between the new lighthouse and research station. In the Old Lighthouse Garden 2+ Chiffchaffs and 1+ Black Redstart.

In The Moat 4 Firecrests, 1 Chiffchaff and a Woodcock flew over. In the nearby Gorse another 2+ Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs. At the fishing boats 2 more Wheatears and another Black Redstart.

 At the southern end of the ARC 5 Dunlin and a Marsh Harrier. From Hanson Hide 4 Goldeneye, 16 Curlew and a fly past Bittern.

 In Dengemarsh Gully 3+ Wheatears, 4+Chiffchaffs, 2+ Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest, 3 Meadow Pipits, 3 Linnets and a Black Redstart.

Playing catch up!

Being otherwise occupied yesterday, I missed all the migrants at Dungeness, so I was delighted when I pulled up at The Point this morning to see 2 Wheatears feeding by the car park. On the way out to the sea watch hide 2 more Wheatears and a "Rubicola Stonechat".
08.30-09.30 Sea Watch
Red-throated Diver: 3W
Fulmar: 1E
Brent Geese: 478E
Common Scoter:   4E
Red-breasted Merganser: 7E
Sandwich Tern:  12E   3W
Also a few Gannets and Kittiwakes tooing and froing.

 On shore around The Point 8+ Wheatears, 6+ Firecrests, 3+ Black Redstarts, 6+ Chiffchaffs and then the rain came. At the southern end of the ARC Pit at least 1 White Wagtail in a party of c25 Pied Wagtails and a very bedraggled Rock Pipit probably Scandinavian flushed by a Marsh Harrier.

Time to pave the garden!

Doing chores today cost me an excellent sea watch this morning and an Iceland Gull this afternoon.
09.00-10.00 from the sea watch hide the highlights were 545 Brent Geese and 3 Sandwich Terns east (TG had already had the best part of 4,000 and 60+ before I arrived).
In the Lighthouse Garden 2 Chiffchaffs newly arrived with sticky black pollen on there foreheads and bill, 2 Song Thrushes and 2 Black Redstarts with at least 2 more around the Research Station.
At Boulderwall plenty of Tree Sparrows around the feeders, the drake Garganey was still on the first pool and 2 red head Smew were on the adjacent pool. With the spring arrival of BP the next couple of hours or so was spent by the pools chatting and watching Marsh Harriers and more chatting. As I had promised to mow the lawn this afternoon  I came home early, in doing so I missed an adult Iceland Gull at the fishing boats see    http://ploversblog.blogspot.com/

Plastic Geese

This morning 07.50-08.30 from the fishing boats there was no sea passage of note: just a few Gannets, Kittiwakes and Red-throated Divers tooing and froing and 2+ Harbour Porpoises.

The New Diggings held 1red head Smew, 3 Godeneye and the Great White Egret.

At the south end of the ARC Pit 2 summer plumaged Black-necked Grebes but always distant, while watching them a Bittern flew across the pit and 15 Avocet flew over towards Burrowes Pit  but ended up swimming in the middle of the ARC.

On the reserve the Long-tailed Duck was in its usual corner from Deniss's Hide. As I missed the Taiga Bean Goose yesterday I made my way to the viewing ramp to hopefully locate it. On arrival Owen was there and pointed out an Egyptian Goose in among the Greylags and Canada Geese but no Bean. Several Marsh Harriers were displaying and couple of Bearded Tits called. A plod around the back of Hookers and along the path towards Lydd found many more Greylags and Canada's but still no Bean. A lunch stop followed by stop at Boulderwall Farm pools produced the drake Garganey distantly. Back on viewing ramp now in the sun a Bittern was booming and the Harriers still performing but no Bean Goose. A late afternoon visit to Scotney found a party of 6 Snow Geese, quite probably the group that had been seen at Beachy Head earlier in the day, also a single Snow Goose with some Greylags. 

Cold and Gloomy Dungeness

In a cold easterly wind a short sea watch from The Point this morning, 09.00-09.30 produced: 71 Gannets E, 6 Kittiwakes E, 2 Guillemots E, 2 Great Crested Grebes E, 1 Red-throated Diver E.
On New Diggings 2 red head Smew, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Great White Egret and 2 Little Egrets.
On the ARC Pit  6 Goldeneye,  all the common dabblers, 2 Marsh Harriers displaying over the tower, 1 Chiffchaff in the Willow Trail and 4+ Cetti's Warblers singing.
On the reserve a fine drake Garganey on the first pool after Boulderwall Farm, the Long-tailed Duck still from Dennis's Hide, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits on Burrowes, it or another Great White Egret at the back of Hookers Pit with  4+ Marsh Harriers, also a Bittern booming there but no sign of yesterdays Taiga Bean Goose which was apparently associating with Canada Geese, but it reappeared this afternoon per CT.
At Scotney little of note but 1Snow Goose(unknown origin) and 2 more Marsh Harriers.
On Walland 20+ Tree Sparrows in the bushes adjacent to the feeders, 20+ Yellow Hammers and 10+ Corn Buntings by the rubbish pile in Tickers Lane.

   

A Plod In The Sun

In glorious spring weather very little of note today. Yestersdays Stonechat was still singing but had now moved to the power station perimeter fence. The sea was very quiet with nothing moving, even the Glaucous Gull eluded me today. On the New Diggings the Great White Egret with 2 Little Egrets and 1 red head Smew.
At the ARC still plenty of the common wildfowl, 2 singing Chiffchaffs, several Cetti's Warblers and 4 Marsh Harriers displaying high over the Tower Pits.
On the reserve a Snow Goose(unknown origin) flew over the car park and settled on Burrowes Pit for a few minutes before moving off east.
From Dennis's Hide the Long-tailed Duck and 48 Bar-tailed Godwits. A Great White Egret was at Christmas Dell, 5 Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard were high over Hookers Pit.