Cap Gris Nez 31/08/2012

Sea watching from Cap Gris Nez

I picked TG and CP up at around 03.00 to get the 04.25 ferry to Callais, then a short drive to Cap Gris Nez get settled for a brilliant sea watch at 07.00. 

Long-tailed Skua

 07.00-12.00:
Red-throated Diver: 1
Manx Shearwater: 2
Sooty Shearwater:6
Fulmar: 43
Gannet: 2000+
Shelduck: 1
Wigeon: 8
Pintail: 1
Teal: 9
Common Scoter: 129
Bat-tailed Godwit: 174
Oystercatcher: 4
Ringed Plover: 27
Turnstone: 2
Pomarine Skua: 7
Arctic Skua: 126
Long-tailed Skua: 14
Great Skua: 209
Mediterranean Gull: 6
Little Gull: 3
Kittiwake: 64
Black Tern: 3
Little Tern: 2
Common Tern: 4000+
Sandwich Tern: N/C
Rock Pipit: 1

After the sea watch we looked at couple of other sites (Le Slack, Cap Blanc Nez, and Oye Plage)
Passerines were very thin on the ground. As we were approaching Oye Plage TG spotted 2 birds moving towards us across the field. He thought at first that they might be raptors, in a quick glance (I was driving) I thought they might be juvenile Gulls, as they approached it was obvious they Long-tailed Skuas and gave us the best views we have ever had as they came overhead and away across the field the other side of the road.
On the beach at Oye Plage 7 more Arctic Skuas were seen as well as a superb Pomarine Skua, but no Kentish Plovers could be found.
 Pity about P & O cancelling our ferry home, a great day out eventually arriving home at 01.45.

Cattle Egret

The Point this morning seemed fairly quiet with the Terns and Gannets seemingly tooing and froing feeding off shore.
A call from BP had me moving rapidly onto the reserve to see a Cattle Egret on Burrowes. The Egret was with 7 Little Egrets and they all promptly took off as I arrived and landed out of sight behind an Island. In the hour or so waiting in Dennis hide for the Egret to appear 30+ Knot flew through, 12+ Turnstone, 10+ Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Hobbys, 1 Peregrine, 1 Raven and 2 Marsh Harriers were also seen. Eventually the Cattle Egret took off with a Little Egret and flew to Dengemarsh.

After driving to Dengemarsh and walking round the hay field, the Great white Egret was seen along with several Yellow Wagtails while the Cattle Egret was vey mobile moving all over Dengemarsh.
The Little Owl was on the chicken sheds at Dengemarsh and a Black tern was on Bretts Marina.
At Scotney 200+ Golden Plover and common Sandpiper.

 

Osprey

A little Owl on the derelict buildings opposite Romney Farm on my way to Dungeness.
An hour at The Point this morning was relatively interesting with:
Balearic Shearwater: 1E
Fulmar: 3E
Gannet: 173W  36E
Common Scoter: 8E  2W
Kittiwake: 3W + 2 juvs off shore
Common Terns: 213W
Arctic Tern: 2W
Sand Martin: 5 out
Harbour Porpoise: 4+ off shore
At the obs DB told me that a Spotted flycatcher was in The Moat the first of the autumn for me. I had just located it when I got a call from BP about an Osprey heading my way over Burrowes. From the top of The Moat DB located it near the power station, we tracked as it disappeared on the seaward side of the power station by the explosion of Herring gulls. Also in The Moat 2 Willow Warblers and 3+ Common Whitethroats. DW had a Pied flycatcher in the trapping area.
At the ARC 3 Knot, 6+ Dunlin, 5+ Ringed Plover, 3+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 20+ Golden Plover, 2+ Garganey, a Hobby and a Peregrine.  
 

Bits and Pieces

At The Patch this morning 2 Little Gulls, 1 Arctic Tern and 1 Black Tern probably the same birds that have been there for while.

At the ARC in the company of MH a Cormorant on the small pool by the track to Hanson with something large in its throat that it was trying to disgorge. From Hanson 20+ Dunlin, 3+ Common Sandpipers, 6+ Ringed Plovers, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Wood Sandpiper which made the day for MH, also 2 Marsh harriers, 2+ Garganey, several Yellow Wagtails, a Hobby and a Ruff at the south end.

At Brett's marina a Black Tern and several Yellow Wagtails and Whinchat at Dengemarsh.
A Plod along Scotney GP found 100+ Yellow Wagtails 200+ Golden plover, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Marsh Harriers also 2 Bar headed Geese among the 100s of Greylags.
Late this afternoon at The Midrips the juvenile Monty's still present along with 2 Marsh Harriers lots of  Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, 1 Knot, 8 Wheatears, more Yellow Wagtails, a steady trickle of Sand Martins and Swallows moving west. On the shore 40+ each of Sandwich and Common Terns.
 

Long-tailed Skua's

Due to domestic duties this morning I missed most of probably the best sea watch so far this year.
When I finally arrived at the fishing boats I was given a some what sarcastic round of applause from some of my kind hearted friends, who informed me with some glee of 10 Long-tailed Skua's, 100+ Arctic Skua's, 300+ Black Terns, 10+ Balearic Shearwaters with a supporting cast of Pomarine and Great Skua's and much more. If this was not bad enough my arrival coincided with an almost complete cessation of the seabird passage and most observers leaving (always a bad sign).
I stuck it out for a couple of hours and ended up seeing:
Balearic Shearwater: 2W
Gannet: 53W
Common Scoter: 29W
Ringed Plover: 13W
Arctic Skua: 9W
Long-tailed Skua: 1W
Black Tern: 17W
Common Tern: 161W
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Harbour Porpoise: 4+ off shore
On a normal day a really good sea watch but not a patch on what I missed, I still feel cheated and I'm sure my good friends wont let me forget. (The B*******)

Plodding Around and Water Rail first for me

The Midrips

Thinking that Dungeness would be swamped with visitors this morning I decided to go to The Midrips for a quiet morning. The pools held a few waders 156 Dunlin, 72 Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpipers, 3 Curlew, 1 Knot, 1 Sanderling, 40+ Golden Plover over, 4 Wheatears and a steady westerly passage of Sand Martins. Last Thursday evening CT had rung me about a Ring Tail Harrier he had seen there, but as we had seen a Ring Tail Hen Harrier close by that afternoon left it at that.

Hen Harrier
 

 As I made my way along the sea wall I had to brief distant views of a Harrier which looked to me like Hen Harrier. Shortly after CT caught up with me and we sat on the sea wall by the third pool. After while a Harrier was seen distantly being chased by a Sparrowhawk towards Galloways where it disappeared. Shortly another Harrier was seen coming from that direction and eventually flew quite close and was definitely a Hen Harrier. As we watched it hunting round the back of the pools another very gingery Harrier came in a juvenile Montagu's Harrier. The bird appeared to be catching what we assume were Dragonflys and taking them back to the bank to consume them, which it did on at least a dozen occasions. While watching the Harrier we also saw a Hobby, Merlin, Kestrel and a Marsh Harrier. Nearby at Scotney GP 100+ Golden Plover and 60+ Yellow Wagtails.

A very poor distant record of Juvenile Montagu's Harrier

 A visit to the ARC Pit found 1 Ruff and 1 Common Sandpiper at the south end. From Hanson 26 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Black Tailed Godwit and 3+ Garganey.

Water Rail Chick

 A text from SB about some Water Rail chicks at Scott hide was irresistable as I have never seen the chicks before. Fortunately as soon as I arrived on site 2 chicks were showing through the reeds. A brilliant first for me.

Dunge

A very windy and sometimes damp Dungeness today. A couple of visits to the ARC found 41 Dunlin, 17 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Common Sandpipers, 4 Garganey, 43 Common Terns, 1 Black tern, 1 Little Gull, 2 Marsh Harriers and several hundred Sand Martins.
Sea watching from The Point and the fishing boats 1 Balearic Shearwater E, minimum of 5 Arctic Skua's tooing and froing, 1 Black Tern W, 1 Razorbill W(my first of the autumn), 2 Teal W, Many Gannets and Common Terns off shore feeding, at least 1 Juvenile Arctic Tern, 5+ of the ever present Harbour Porpoises, also the adult Yellow-legged Gull on the beach.

Yellow-legged Gull

 

Raptors



A late start this morning still suffering bravely and needing a hair cut. Had a look at the ARC from Hanson and found no real change from yesterday. The Willow Trail held 5+ Willow Warblers. I joined TG and BM at the obs on a raptor watch. The highlight being an Osprey all be it distant and straight out to see, also seen 13 Sparrowhawks and 3 Marsh Harriers, 2 Wheatears round the moat.

I spent the best part of 4hrs sea watching by the fishing boats and was later joined by TG in the hope that yesterdays Roseates might return. Unlike yesterday most the Terns were along way out as were 3+ Arctic Skua's and a few Gannets, 2 Little Terns were seen (not common here in Autumn). Although not alot was seen it was thoroughly enjoyable chatting, lounging in our chairs soaking up the sun(hard work but someones got to do it). Late afternoon I received a text from SB about a Ringtail Harrier at Galloways that might be interesting but was only seen distantly. On my arrival SB was still there and the Harrier soon showed distantly in the heat haze that's my excuse, we were still none the wiser until a little later when we joined by CT, it then flew straight past us out on to the ranges confirming that it was a Hen Harrier also 4+ Whinchats there. 

 



Hen Harrier Pity about the heat haze

Weevers and Roseate's

Jersey Tiger

 A quick look at The Patch this morning revealed no change to yesterday, with a Little Gull, a juvenile Arctic Tern among the usual Terns and Gulls.
A plod around The Desert found 7 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Common Whitethroat, 3 Yellow wagtails, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Whinchat, 3 Sparrowhawks and 3 Green Woodpeckers. At the obs a Jersey tiger (first for the obs) was released. The ARC was very disappointing with just 2 common Sandpipers and 2 Dunlin, I could not even find any Garganey.

Jersey Tiger on release

 I went to the fishing boats where I was joined by CT and BH. Lots of Common and Sandwich Terns off shore along with a few Gannets and 4 Sanderling flew west.
The tide was exceptionally high and some small fish were being washed ashore. I picked up the first one and put back in the sea, a few minutes later another was washed ashore, I bent down to pick it up and yelped in excruciating pain the like of which I have never experienced before. Blood was literally fountaining from my thumb as I hopped around uttering expletives not knowing what to do, but slowly realising that the fish was a Weever. My thumb felt as if it would burst as did my finger tips. Even now 7 hours later my thumb is very painful.(I'm probably just a wimp)
While I was leaping around DW turned up and started to photograph the fish and its deadly stinging fin. As he was getting a close up there was a different call from the terns. DW immediately called Roseate Tern as an adult and juvenile were literally overhead then flew west fortunately they came back along the shoreline and made several passes allowing us to get some shots of them. Some compensation for the pain I was in.

Ad. breeding Roseate Tern

Juv. Roseate Tern

Juv. Roseate Tern

Ad breeding Roseate Tern

Ad. Breeding Roseate Tern

Juv. Roseate Tern

Juv. Roseate Tern

All at Sea

Quiet again at The Patch this morning with 1+ Arctic Tern, 1 Black Tern, c30 Common Terns, C15 Sandwich Terns, 1 Little Gull, 2 Black Redstarts on the power station and 2 Wheatears by the red and white gate.
After chat at the obs and another lesson in moth ID I went back to the ARC where I met MH and was joined by RK and TW from Sussex. The company was good but the birds were disappointing with just 1 Little Gull, 1+ Garganey, 2 Redshank, 3 common Sandpipers, c50 Golden Plover, 2 Marsh Harriers and c100 Sand Martins, also we only managed 2+ Tree Sparrows at Boulderwall but the feeders were empty.



Part of a flock of 28 Black Terns

 After parting company I went down to the sea from the concrete road where I spent c3hours. The stars of the afternoon were 2 flocks of Black Terns 28 and 24 respectively.
Gannets: off shore the whole time.
Common Scoter: 7E 12W
Turnstone: 3 on beach
Arctic Skua: c4 off shore
Little Gull: 1W
Yellow-Legged Gull: 1 on beach
Kittiwake: 3W
Black Tern: 55W  (28+24+1+1+1)
Sandwich Tern: c25 off shore
Common Tern: c50 off shore
Arctic Tern: 2 juveniles W
Swift: 1 out
Sand Martin: 8 out
Harbour Porpoise: 6+ off shore
Grey Seal: 1

Black Tern



Common Tern

Sandwich Tern

Arctic Skua



Juvenile Turnstone

Yellow-legged Gull