Shadoxhurst Waxwings

Part of a flock of 45 in the Willow behind the pub.

After picking the Chelsea Tractor up from the garage this morning, (New discs and pads all round ouch!!!!) The other half wanted us to play Father Christmas delivering presents and cards. Driving  up Woodchurch road I spotted the unmistakable silhouette of Waxwings, which were swaying in the near gale force wind at the top of the Willow Tree at the back of the Kings Head pub. After apologising to the driver behind me I counted them, then took a record shot and made a note to come back when the weather and light improves.    

At least its stopped raining

After yesterdays wash out, it was good to get out into today's gloom. Across the marsh 39 Bewick Swans and small numbers of winter thrushes. New Diggings held 6 red head Smew, 4 Goldeneye and a Great white Egret. On the ARC with water levels not surprisingly still rising, 100s each of Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon and Shoveller with smaller numbers of Pochard, Tufted Duck, 6 Goldeneye, a single red head Smew and a Great white Egret. A walk to The Pines found 2 Chiffchaffs and 3 Goldcrests in the Tit flock, 2 Marsh Harriers over and c100 Golden Plover flew over.  The RSPB have now kindly put 3 strategically placed perches in front of Hanson Hide (probably to stop me whinging), which I am sure will soon be giving great views of Kingfishers and more. 

Great White Egret ARC from the screen 

On Burrowes Pit 1 Goosander, 2 Smew (1 drake) and 6 Goldeneye of note among the 100s of common wild fowl. As I was leaving a party of 5 red head Smew flew over the car park.

Blue Sky

What a difference a day makes. Blue sky, mild and plenty of birds on the sea. 100+ Red-throated divers on the sea and up and down off shore, 100s of Guillemots and some Razorbills on the sea and moving mainly west, numerous Great Crested Grebes on the sea, c60 Gannets off shore, 200+ Common Scoter (Juvenile/females) west, 12 Brent Geese E 7W, and a mixed flock of c100 Sanderling and Dunlin. The Glaucous Gull was bullying the Herring Gulls on the wooden tower.

  

 On the New Diggings 2 Great White Egrets, 4 red head Smew, 4 Goldeneye and again I could not find the Black-throated Diver. On the ARC 15 Tree Sparrows in the car park, several hundred dabblers at the south end (Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Shovellor, Mallard and 4 Pintail.) also c100 each of Pochard and Tufted Duck, 6 Goldeneye and a red head Smew. From Hanson another red head Smew a fly by Great White Egret but little else of note. The Willow Trail still holds a Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrests in the Long-tailed Tit flock and 2+ Cetti's Warblers  by the trail.

A stroll along the sea wall at The Midrips was very disappointing avian wise, with just 14 Redshank, 21 Shelduck, 6 Mute Swans and a few Mallard on the pools, The only bop being a Kestrel, though on the sands Oystercatchers were in 3 figures probably due to the disturbance at Camber from the Kite surfers tearing up and down.
The Scotney complex still holds the c90 feral Barnacle Geese flock with its attendant dark bellied Brent Goose, c1000 Lapwing, c1000 Wigeon also 2 Marsh Harriers over the bunds.
On Walland at Tickners Lane the Yellowhammers had increased to 14 with 4 Reed Buntings and c 40 Chaffinches, also 2 Common Buzzards over.

What a miserable day

A thoroughly miserable morning at The Point with heavy rain and strong winds blowing plenty of Gannets inshore to join the Guillemots and Red-throated Divers and Great crested Grebes. Needless to say I did not stop long. Another casualty of a fisherman's carelessness was a 1st year Great Black Backed Gull with its leg tied up with line, but still managing to beat off rivals for the fish head.

Still 2 Great White Egrets and a red head Smew on a very rough New Diggings, but I was unable to locate the Black-throated Diver.
With rain still coming down I went to the reserve centre for a hot chocolate. Viewing from the centre was all but impossible through windows which being lashed by the rain.
Scotney held the feral Barnacle Flock with a dark bellied Brent Goose that has been tagging along with them for a few days now, several hundred Wigeon, a few Lapwing and Golden Plover.
On a rain and windswept Walland 50+ Bewick Swans could be seen but little else of note.   

Bits and pieces

Driving across Walland in the early morning gloom 52 Bewick Swans and the 2 Whooper swans could be seen at Midley but no sign of yesterday afternoons Waxwings.

The Black-throated Diver, 2 Great white Egrets, a red head Smew and 4 Goldeneye could be seen on the New Diggings from the causeway.

At sea from The Point the usual Auks, Red-throated Divers, Kittiwakes, Great Crested Grebes and Gannets tooing and froing. The Glaucous Gull was hunkered down on the beach by the fishing boats.

On the reserve a Great White Egret by the entrance track and 3+ Marsh harriers around. On Burrowes 5 Smew (1 drake), 2 Goosanders, 6 Goldeneye and 100s each of Gadwall, Teal, Shoveller, Wigeon, Pochard, Tufted Duck with 10+ Pintail. The highlight was 2 Herring Gulls trying to drown one another in front of Makepiece.
On Scotney 1000+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, 15 Dunlin, the feral Barnacle Geese and little else. 

Grebes, Egrets and Waxwings

At The Point from the fishing boats this morning very few birds were moving off shore, but there were many on the sea feeding close inshore. As PT managed to count 350 Great Crested Grebes before losing the will to live yesterday, I thought I'd count them today. Totals as follows:

Red-throated Diver: 9

Cormorant: 68

Common Scoter: 6

Great crested Grebe: 731

Guillemot: 182

Kittiwake: 3

On New Diggings from the causeway 2 Great White Egrets, the juvenile Black Throated Diver(Pity it is not as obliging as the Dover Docks bird, I live in hope!) 3 Goldeneye and a Marsh Harrier. The ARC from the causeway at the south end 200+ Gadwall still, 4 Goldeneye and another Great white Egret.

On the reserve on Burrowes Pit another G.W.Egret, 6 Goldeneye, 6 Smew(1 drake) an adult Caspian Gull and 3+Marsh Harriers. A walk to the pines and round the Tower Pits found 15 Tree Sparrows in the car park, 2 Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff, another G.W.Egret (No.5), 3 Common Snipe flushed and 2 more Marsh Harriers. 

Late afternoon driving back across Walland I came across a flock of 18 Waxwings in the hedge north of the drying barns at Midley. The light was failing so only a few pics taken but all were poor. 

Twitching Again

 DW, GH, TG, OM and myself went to Queen Mother Reservoir today to see the Buff-bellied Pipit. The bird showed very well indeed and optics were not required. In fact it was too close most of the time under the concrete rim of perimeter mostly in deep shade. It was still difficult to photograph well in the sun light as it never stayed still moving very jerkily but still close. The Long-tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver were on show distantly It was nice to see a Grey Wagtail which put in an appearance on the concrete as few are seen on the deck at Dungeness.

Harriers

On the sea this morning plenty of Guillemots, Red-throated Divers and Kittiwakes tooing and froing off shore, along with a few Gannets and Common Scoter.

On New Diggings from the causeway, The Black-throated Diver still present, also 3 Great White Egrets, 2 Little Egrets and 3 Goldeneye there.

On the ARC from the causeway 200+ each of Gadwall, Teal and Shoveller

On the reserve 4 Smew including 1 drake, 2 red head Goosander, 4 Goldeneye, the usual Marsh Harriers and what looks like a near adult Caspian Gull.
I spent most the afternoon on Walland Marsh wandering Knee deep in mud and puddles that swamped my wellies. A ring tail Hen Harrier flew through and disappeared into East Sussex, a Male Hen Harrier made several appearances hunting along the ditches and bunds. Sparrowhawk, Merlin,  Peregrine, 2 Common Buzzards and double figures of Marsh Harrier were seen. These were instrumental in flushing 1000s each of Lapwing, Golden Plover and Starlings which all put on a superb aerial displays for most of the afternoon. At the reed bed I was watching at dusk several Bearded Tits were pinging, Water Rails squealing and 2 Stonechats hunted insects, also 1 Marsh Harrier roosted the first here for along time. The long staying Common Crane made a dusk flight around the marsh.     

A lazy day

After a leisurely breakfast I made my way down to Walland Marsh. Driving past Johnson's Corner I didn't see any Waxwings but they can be mobile. (BB saw 3 there later). On the marsh a distinct lack of winter thrushes compared to this time last week. The Swans had moved to Cheyne Court where at least 64 Bewick and 2 Whoopers could be seen though they were being harassed by dogs. 6 Marsh harriers could be seen by the windmills.

A stroll along the sea wall at Littlestone golf course was bracing, 150+ each of Sanderling and Turnstone with a few Grey Plover were the highlights.

At Dungeness the 3w Glaucous Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were in the roost behind the fish sales shop, off shore plenty of Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Red-throated divers. The roadside gull roost had a colour ringed Herring Gull of note, about the only bird that allowed me to point the camera at it.  

TU3.T

From the causeway the Black-throated Diver could be seen on the New Diggings with 3 Great White Egrets, ( A Slavonian Grebe also there per PT).
Most the afternoon was spent in the warmth and comfort of the visitor centre looking at Gulls. 2 Caspian Gulls flew off as I arrived (DW) at least 4 Yellow-legged Gulls were seen along with 1 Goosander and a Peregrine also the ever present Marsh Harriers and a 4th Great White Egret. 

Bits and pieces

A gloomy morning at Dungeness saw very little change on the sea. A few each of Red-throated Diver, Guillemot, Great Crested Grebe and Kittiwakes tooing and froing with the tide off shore, also a few each of Common Scoter and Brent Geese past. The 3w Glaucous gull was on the beach by the fishing boats.

Red-throated Divers head shape is not always difinitive

 The Black-throated Diver was still on New Diggings as was 4 Goldeneye. At the south end of the ARC Pit 250+ each of Teal and Gadwall. From Hanson 3 Goldeneye and 2 Marsh harriers were the highlights. A Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest  in the Long-tailed Tit flock in the Willow Trail also 2 Cetti's Warblers and several Squealing Water Rails there.
On the reserve 4 Smew(1 drake), 1 red head Goosander brightened the gloom, along with large numbers of the common wildfowl.

58 of 60+ present

On Walland fewer winter thrushes than yesterday, 30 Bewick Swans at Midley and 2 Common Buzzards. Early afternoon at Johnson's Corner the sun came out for a couple of minutes, as 60+ Waxwings sat atop bushes beside the main road.