Still waiting for Summer

At The Patch bathed in sunshine this morning the 1st summer Little Gull still present along with 8 Meditteranean Gulls, c50 Common Terns, 1 Portlandica Type Tern and the usual Gulls. Off shore c300 Gannets per DW and several Harbour Porpoises.
At the south end of the ARC Pit the usual mix of ducks, 3 Ringed Plovers including 1 juvenile and a Hobby.
At the Water Tower a family party of 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Hobby's, 2 Marsh Harriers, 1 Cuckoo, 2 Green Woodpeckers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Lesser Whitethroat

 A very pleasant plod, in now cooler cloudier conditions, from Boulderwall farm to springfield bridge and back found 4+ Hobby's, 3+Marsh Harriers, 2 Cuckoo's, 1 Green Sandpiper, a flock of 19 Black-tailed Godwits flew over, a flight view of a Bittern and the usual Common Whitethroats, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, along with many Reed buntings. At Dengemarsh on the Common Tern rafts at least 2 abandonded clutches but still at least 18 sitting birds.


Common Terns (Note the abandoned clutch of 3eggs)

Dungeness

After a lay in waiting for the rain to ease a 2 hour watch (11.15-13.15 ) from The Point found a few Common and Sandwich Terns fishing, a steady stream of Gannets moving west and 12 Manx Shearwaters also west. In a quick look at The Patch where it was difficult to stand let alone keep the bins steady, c 50 Common Terns there and 100+ Gannets further out that must have found a large shoal of fish. 

 At the south end of the ARC Pit 130+ Pochard, 20+Tufted Duck, 8 Teal, 26 Gadwall, 1 Little Egret and a Hobby.
Round the Tower Pits 2+Marsh Harriers, 2+Hobby's, c50 Swifts and Reed, Sedge, Cetti's Warblers and Common Whitethroats still singing.

Between Boulderwall and Dengemarsh, much the same as the Tower Pits with the addition of several Tree Sparrows, and Common Terns 

Frog Orchids

I spent today in Sussex and stopped off on my home to look at some Frog Orchids.

Frog Orchid

Frog Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

More Gales

A couple of hours watching from The Point this morning returned 1 Arctic Skua, 3 Fulmars, 3 Common Scoter and a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns tooing and froing, also c50 Swifts. By the power station 2 Black Redstarts and masses of Vipers Bugloss.

Vipers Bugloss

At the south end of the ARC Pit my first returning Green Sandpiper of the year, 1 Little Egret and 6 Ringed Plovers. Most of the Pochard have relocated to the sheltered waters in front of Hanson Hide, where 100+ Swifts, 100+ House Martins and a few Swallows and Sand Martins were feeding. Also there 1 Hobby and 1 Marsh harrier.

Green Sandpiper

Mid Summer Day

At The Patch this morning the 1st summer Little Gull still present along with c50 Common Terns, c10 Sandwich Terns, 14 Common Scoter flew east  as did 6 Swallows and 3 Black Redstarts inside the power station compound.

1st Summer Little Gull

1st Summer Little Gull and Sandwich Tern

 Moving on from The Patch down to Dengemarsh Gully a family of Ringed Plovers, c20 Linnets, 2 Pied Wagtails, 6 Wheatears and 2 Peregrines.


Ringed Plover with bling

Common Lizard

 At the south end of ARC Pit c130 Pochard, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Hobby.
Round the boardwalk 12 Common Lizards, 1 Grass Snake and 1 Green Woodpecker. On the track from the car park to Hanson Hide several Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers still singing and a Marsh Harrier over. At Cockles Bridge an Oystercatcher finding something good to eat inside a rotten fence post.

Oystercatcher

Botany Master Class

I had a brilliant morning out with BB furthering my botanical education.

Monkey Orchids

Monkey Orchid

Fragrant Orchids

Musk Orchids



White Fragrant Orchid

Common Twayblade

Bird's-nest Orchid

Lady Orchid

 This afternoon I spent a couple of hours on the beach at the fishing boats, enjoying the sun and playing guess where the Porpoise will surface next.

Harbour Porpoise

Here Comes The Sun

A plod down to The Patch this morning found c40 Common Terns, 6 Sandwich Terns and the 1st summer Little Gull also 2 Black Redstarts behind the sea wall. A half hearted watch from by the seawatch hide with DW and PT found 6 Curlew W and c40 Gannets W and at least 7 Harbour Porpoises off shore. 

Common Tern

 At the fishing boats c20 Common Terns and c10 Sandwich Terns feeding close inshore allowing a few pictures. Whilst I was there A Hummingbird Hawk Moth came in off the sea and landed briefly on the shingle, 9 Common Scoter flew east and a Turnstone land on the beach.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth



Ruddy Turnstone

Mid Summer

At The Point this morning due to the fisherman, the Tern roost was pushed right along the beach to switching station. After plodding out there to check the roost I could not find any Roseate Terns, the best was a 1st summer Little Gull. I spent an hour by the roost watching the coming and goings of the Terns but still no Roseates. Another hour from the sea watch hide was unproductive with a few Gannets and Common Terns tooing and froing, 6 Common Scoter W and 2 Kittiwakes W.
At the ARC Pit Pochard numbers are building up, 50+Swifts hawking, 3+ Hobby's and tame Fox Cub behind the Screen hide were the only things of note.  

Another Botanical Lesson

A brilliant day with GH and DW having a botanical lesson.

Late Spider Orchid

Late Spider Orchid

Man Orchid

Man Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Fragrant Orchid with Late Spider Orchid

Heath Spotted Orchid

Heath Spotted Orchid

Another Rosy Day

 Arriving at The Point car park this morning I met Matt who had already been to The Patch and told me that there was a Roseate Tern there. Arriving at The Patch I quickly located it on the beach with c40 Common Terns and c10 Sandwich Terns and a few Gulls. I crawled to the edge of the sea wall so as not to flush everything and started photographing it. After about half an hour a second bird flew in to give more photographic opportunities. Later I made my way to the fishing boats and spent an hour sea watching. Little of note seen but 12 Swallows flew south. Then went back to The Patch where 1 Roseate was still on the beach as was a 1st Summer Little Gull also 2 Manx Shearwaters flew east and 7 Common Scoter. The Tern flew out to sea and was lost but later while watching from the sea watch hide I relocated the 2 Roseates feeding around the buoy

1st summer Little Gull with my first juv Black Headed gull at The Patch this year