First Goldeneye

Highlights of a plod around The Point this morning with TG were 3 Ring Ouzels, 2 Bramblings, c20 Siskins, c15 Redpolls, c100 Goldfinches, c20 Stock doves, c80 Woodpigeons, 4 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Sparrowhawks, 12 Chiffchaffs, 15 Long-tailed Tits and a flock of 61 Blue Tits.   

 At the south end of the ARC a Little Stint with 30 Lapwing, a singing Cetti's Warbler and a Marsh Harrier over. On the track to and around the pines 2 Jays, a Black Redstart, a Ring Ouzel, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Cetti's Warblers, c 100 Golden Plovers over, a Snipe and 2 Marsh Harriers. Across the road at Boulderwall farm 16 Tree sparrows round the feeder.

 On the reserve little of note on Burrowes and New Excavations. At Christmas Dell 4 Blackcaps and a Stonechat. Dengemarsh still hosts the Great white Egret and 2 more Marsh Harriers. At Hookers 2 Blackcaps 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, a photogenic Kestrel and a Ring Ouzel flushed from opposite the ramp.

In a late afternoon look at the ARC from Hanson 2 Little Stints, a Common Snipe and PT spotted my first Goldeneye of the Autumn among the usual wildfowl.  

Harrier Roost

Noticeably less migrants today in a stroll around all the areas on The Point a Common Redstart was the highlight, also seen 6 Stonechats, 1 Wheatear, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Brambling over, a few each of Siskin and Redpoll over, 140+ Goldfinches, 40+ Swallows, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3+ Sparrowhawks and 13 Jays.

A scarce bird this autumn at Dungeness

 Arriving back at the observatory a Jay was being processed, a ringing tick for young David.

At the ARC 3 Black Redstarts at The Pines and 6 Chiffchaffs. From Hanson 300+ Golden Plover, 2 Little Stints and 2 Marsh Harriers were the highlights. At the south end another Little Stint.
The Harrier roost count on Walland this evening was some what disappointing with only 3 Marsh Harriers being seen and none roosting in the reed bed I was watching. However 2 Merlins, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Common buzzard and 2 Stonechats were seen with Water Rails squealing in the reeds.

A few migrants

A later start today staring out to sea in the rain for the best part of an hour. Very little moving the highlights being a Bonxie and Red-throated Diver west and 2 Arctic Skuas off shore.

 A plod around The Point found a fair scattering of birds including 2 fly over Ring Ouzels, 14 Song Thrushes, 1 Wheatear, 6 Black Redstarts, 48 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, 12 Goldcrests one of which performed well for the camera, 3 Firecrests, c60 Siskins, c35 Redpolls, c90 Goldfinches. Much fewer Hirundines today only 86 Swallows.

Spiders legs still  protruding from beak

Not so obliging Firecrest

The track from the ARC car park to The Pines and along the railway found another 22 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 12 Long-tailed Tits, the stunning male Black Redstart still present, 2 Red-legged Partridges, c30 Blackbirds, c10 Song Thrushes and 2 Marsh Harriers. From Hanson 2 Little Stints still, c250 Golden Plover and a female Red-crested Pochard.

At Dengemarsh Gully this afternoon most of this mornings migrants had moved on leaving just a Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaffs and Peregrine over. 

More of the same

Another 2 hrs watching from The Point this morning with TG and DW :

Red-throated Diver: 10w

Black-throated Diver: 2w

Gannet: c50 off shore

Wigeon: 8w

Common Scoter: 8w  16E

Red-breasted Merganser: 1w

Sanderling: 1w

Dunlin: 6w

Bonxie: 1E

Arctic Skua: c5 off shore

Little Gull: 5w

Mediterranean Gull: 3 off shore

Kittiwake: 3w

Yellow-Legged Gull 2 on beach ad + 1w

Sandwich Tern: c40 off shore

Skylark: 2 in

Rock Pipit: 1w 

Yellow Wagtail: 1w

Swallow: 585

House Martin: 367

Redpoll: 3

Harbour Porpoise: 3+ off shore

 A wander around The Desert, Trapping Area, The Moat, Lloyds and West beach found a single  very photogenic Wheatear, 2 Stonechats, 6 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Black Redstarts, 2+ Sparrowhawks, 3 Skylarks over and several each of Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch over.

A walk up the track to The Pines found 8+ Chiffchaffs, 4+ Cetti's Warblers, 2 Marsh Harriers but very little in The Pines. From Hanson 2 Little Stints, 5 Dunlin, c200 Golden Plover, c 150 Lapwing  and the usual wildfowl.

A wind swept Dengemarsh was very quiet with the Great White Egret making a couple of second flight over the reed bed and flock of c100 Linnets in the field.

Seawatching

Soggy Yellow-legged Gull

With a moderate SE wind blowing this morning hopes were high for a good sea watch. But once again the flocks of hoped for Shearwaters, Petrels and Skuas failed to materialise. At midday and the rain lashing down, it was almost a relief when the fisherman turned up to take the boat we were sheltering by out.
Red-throated Diver:  2E 1w
Black-throated Diver: 1w
Fulmar: 1w
Gannet: c50 off shore
Brent Goose: 197w    21E
Common Scoter: 47w
Wigeon: 12w
Teal: 2w
Sparrowhawk: 1 over beach
Mediterranean Gull: 3+ off shore
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 on beach
Kittiwake: 39w
Bonxie: 6w
Arctic Skua: 3+ off shore
Sandwich Tern: c40 off shore
Common Tern: 8w
Arctic Tern: 1w
Razorbill: 1w
Auk sp: 19w
Swallow: c1000+ out
House Martin: c150+ out
Pied wagtail: 22 out
Rock Pipit: 1 on beach
Goldfinch: c300+ over
Linnet: 40+ over
Harbour Porpoise: 2+ off shore

Redpoll Problems

This mornings watch from the fishing boats was again disappointing. c350 Brent Geese , c100 Wigeon , a few Teal and 32 Common Scoter moving west. 3 Red-throated divers were off shore as were c50 Gannets and few Sandwich Terns. c250 Goldfinches flew over as did 29 Carrion Crows and 190 Starlings came in.

Round the lighthouse this morning 1 Wheatear, 1 Black Redstart, 2 Stonechat and a Whinchat. In a lunchtime visit there were 2 Winchat, 3 Black Redstart, 2 Firecrests and 2 Ravens.

At the observatory 5 Firecrests were trapped and some Redpolls, a couple of which were Common Redpolls or not, depending on which learned scholar wrote the book or paper you read. They  don't look like Cabaret's to me, but I screw Little Stints up.  

A stroll around The Desert and trapping area with TG was also somewhat disappointing, seeing just a handful of Chiffchaffs, a few Tits, a Firecrest and 2 distant Ravens.
An afternoon visit to The Pines at the ARC found a Spotted Flycatcher, a Common Redstart and superb male Black Redstart presumably yesterdays birds also several Chiffchaffs and another Firecrest in the car park.
In Dengemarsh Gully 2 more Firecrests, a Stonechat and Common Buzzard over.

A few migrants

Just a half an hour sea watch this overcast morning as it was still very quiet:

Red-throated Diver: 2 off shore

Gannet: c30 off shore

Brent Geese: 25w  9E

Arctic Skua: 1 off shore

Guillemot: 2 on sea

Auk sp: 6w

Swallow: c80w

Goldfinch: c120w

The Lighthouse garden held just 2 Goldcrests.

A plod around The Desert and the trapping area found 1 Wheatear, 6 Skylark over, 5 Jays flew north, 7 Reed Buntings, c150 Goldfinches, c50 Linnets, also a few Siskins and Redpolls, c150 Hirundines over, 6 Chiffchaffs 3 of which were part of a mobile Tit flock, 14 Jackdaws flew north and a Raven over the power station.

 A visit to Dengemarsh Gully with MH found a Black Redstart, 2+Firecrests, 1 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5+ Chiffchaffs, 3+Continental Song Thrushes and 4+ Blackbirds. In another visit later on a Wheatear and a Peregrine. On Dengemarsh wandering down to Hayfield 3, I flushed the Great White Egret which flew to one of its usual feeding spots, also 2 Marsh Harriers there.

At the ARC a Little Stint, 8 Dunlin, c200 Golden Plover, 2 Marsh Harriers and the usual wildfowl.
By the track to Hanson Chiffchaffs and 2+ Cetti's Warblers, 2 more round the Willow Trail with 4 Chiffchaffs + a Goldcrest. The Pines late afternoon held c10 Chiffchaffs, a Common Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Gloomy Morning

With Cap Gris Nez clocking up 10,000 Brent Geese, 200+ Bonxies and more yesterday in a Northerly wind. A forecast of south easterly winds and overcast for this morning at Dungeness my hopes for good sea watch were very high. Arriving just after 07.00 it was very gloomy and stayed liked that, TG was already on site and DW arrived shortly after. It soon became apparent that we would not rival Cap Gris Nez and at 10.00 in  rapidly deteriorating weather we gave up.

 Our Totals:
Red-throated Diver: 3 on sea                                      Little Gull: 2w
Gannet: 80+ off shore                                                Kittiwake: 193w
Brent Geese: 446w                                                    Sandwich Tern: 50+ off shore
Common Scoter:                                                       Common Tern: 16w
Wigeon: 77w                                                             Arctic Tern: 4w
Gadwall: 8w                                                              Razorbill: 1w
Teal: 3w                                                                   Guillemot: 2+ off shore
Shoveler: 5w                                                             Auk sp: 47w
Pintail: 1w                                                                Swallow: 91 out
Grey Plover: 1w                                                        Rock Pipit: 3w                                              
Arctic Skua: 2+ off shore                                           Meadow Pipit: 3 in
Mediterranean Gull: 2w                                             Goldfinch: 24w

Probably a Sand Martin (Very heavily cropped)

At the ARC c150 Hirundines among them an almost white one, which was probably a Sand Martin unfortunately it never came close in the hour I was watching it. Also seen of note a single Hobby, 2 Marsh Harriers, 8+ Chiffchaffs and 12 Tree sparrows in the car park.

The Pines

With a light north wind I gave the sea a miss this morning and went for a tramp around The Point ,The Desert and trapping area. Plenty of finches moving overhead, mainly Goldfinches, Linnets and Siskins with a few Redpolls, Meadow Pipits, Hirundines 2 Bramblings. I probably missed a lot more because of my poor hearing. In the bushes c20 Chiffchaffs and I flushed a Snipe from a newly formed pool. 

At The Patch just 2 Common Terns among the Black Headed and Herring Gulls and a Black Redstart behind the shelter. 

At the ARC by the track to the pines c10 Chiffchaffs with another 10 in the pines also a Common Redstart and a Pied Flycatcher courtesy of CT. Back by the car park c10 Tree sparrows.
On Dengemarsh from Springfield Bridge the Great White Egret strutting around with 5 Little Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers and a flock of c150 Linnets.
At Scotney the Barnacle Geese still present with c200 Golden Plover and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits.  

On the Marsh

A short and disappointing sea watch this morning, 2 Arctic Skuas and a few Terns and Gannets off shore, 10 Brent Geese flew west and 4 Common Scoter east.

 At the ARC a stroll around the Tower Pits found  of note 2 Common Whitethroat, 24 Chiffchaffs, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Merlin chasing Goldfinches and c150 Golden Plover over. From Hanson most the islands have disappeared along with most of the birds, but still 1 Black-necked Grebe still present and a few Hirundines. At Scotney the Barnacle Geese still present, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and c 300 Golden Plover.

 Across Walland Marsh a Little Owl sunbathing on the chicken shed, 4 Mistle Thrushes at Hawthorn Corner, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Jays and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Midley, several Tree Sparrows in a mixed finch flock near the feeders.