Meagre Fayre!

A very meagre 50 minute sea watch from the concrete road 07.10-08.00. 

Fulmar: 1E

Gannet: 17E

Brent Goose: 14E

Common Scoter: 62E

Red Breasted Merganser: 2E

Sandwich Tern: 6E

Kittiwake: 1E

Harbour Porpoise: 1+ o/s

Next stop the sea watch hide where a Gannet, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, c20 Great Crested Grebes were off shore, the undoubted highlight was a Swallow that coasted east along the tide line, a Black Redstart was singing in the power station.

On the beach near the fishing boats the hybrid/aberrant Herring Gull still present but very camera shy, unlike the 1w Glaucous Gull which I resisted photographing again.

I was unable to locate the Black Throated Diver on the New Diggings. The south end ARC held 4 Little Egrets, a few each of Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Pochard, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler could be heard in the bushes there.

A walk around the reserve this afternoon was fairly quiet, but 2+ Sedge Warblers, several Cetti's Warblers, 6 Little Egrets, 4 Marsh Harriers and a Raven were noted.  

All at sea!

Another day where the main interest was the sea passage. It would appear that I should have stayed by the sea, instead of looking for non existent passerines around the area, as from Midday for a couple hours it seems off shore passage was heavy.

  

07.00-10.45                                        14.20-15.20

Red-throated Diver:     54E      8W             3E

Black-throated Diver:    2E

Black-necked Grebe:     2 drifted E

Fulmar:                        5E

Gannet:                      25E

Greylag Goose:                                         2 drifted E

Brent Goose:              767E                      21E

Shelduck:                       1E

Wigeon:                         1E

Shoveler:                      15E                       9E

Pintail: 19E

Teal: 9E

Eider: 11E

Common Scoter:       1,161E                      12E

Red-breasted Merganser: 32E                       2E       1W

Curlew:                           1E

Great Skua:                      1E

Sandwich Tern:              64E                      17E

Kittiwake:                        3E

Wheatear:                        2 around

Redpoll:                           2 in

Harbour Porpoise:         12+ off shore

The Black-throated Diver is still on the New Diggings, at Scotney the Long-tailed Duck still present along with 2 Avocet but little else of note. The Hume's Leaf Warbler and 1w Glaucous Gull still present per DW.

An evening wander around the Hayfields at Dengemarsh can best be described as disappointing.

Steady Sea Watch

07.40-10.40 from the end of the concrete road with The Joker and JC:

Red-throated Diver:            97E     7W

Black-throated Diver:            4E

Fulmar:                                5E    2W

Gannet:                              43E

Brent Goose:                     494E

Shelduck:                              2E

Teal:                                    21E

Garganey:                              5E

Red-breasted Merganser:       23E

Common Scoter:                816E

Velvet Scoter:                       5E

Merlin:                                 1+ hunting off shore giving a spectacular display.

Curlew:                              22E

Oystercatcher:                      7E

Ringed Plover:                      1E

Sandwich Tern:                  56E

Kittiwake:                            5E

Little Gull:                           1E

Mediterranean Gull:             5E

Glaucous Gull:               usual bird on beach

Auk sp:                              3E     2W

Harbour Porpoise:              2+ off shore

Long-tailed Duck, Scotney.

Early afternoon at Scotney 2 Little Ringed Plovers at the new pit, the Long Tailed Duck was on the first pit east of the main pit, 3 Black-necked Grebes, an Avocet, 7 Redshank, 8 Ringed Plovers and 3 Little Egrets on the main Pit.
Mid afternoon ½hr watch from the concrete road was slow with just 30 Common Scoter E, Red Throated Diver 4E 2W, 6 Sandwich Terns feeding off shore and 65 Brent Geese E as I finally left the beach. 

The 1W Glaucous Gull was once again performing impeccably this afternoon as I chatted with Mick and Richard. I now have 100s of images of this bird, I just cant resist taking more as it shows so well. Pity the Wheatears aren't so obliging.

Sea Watching

                                1w Glaucous Gull posing again at the fishing boats today!

Most of my time today was spent sea watching from the end of the concrete road: 07.00-10.00 & 15.00-17.00:

R T Diver:             41E    5W

Fulmar:                   4E

Gannet:               172E

Brent Goose:       253E

Teal:                     16E

Garganey:               4E

Shoveler:              35E

Pintail:                  12E

Common Scoter:  286E

Eider:                     2E

R B Merganser:     14E

Curlew:                  6E          

Barwit:                   1E

Oystercatcher:         1E

Sandwich Tern:     65E

Little Gull:             13E

Kittiwake:               2E

Med Gull:               2E

Common Gull:     274E a bit desperate counting these!

Glaucous Gull:     the usual 1w up and down the beach

Guillemot:              2E

Harbour Porpoise: 2+ off shore

The Hume's Leaf Warbler is still in the trapping area per O.L.   

Repairing the Sea Watch Hide

I spent all day yesterday in London and hopefully I will never have to go back there again, I once again realise how lucky I am to live down on the marsh. 

This morning the Black-throated diver was still on the New diggings as I made my way to the beach. On arrival DW and PT were were already on site. Before I arrived DW had seen 2 Garganey and 13 Avocet go through, but on my arrival things quietened down rapidly.

I spent the rest of the morning assisting DW to re felt the roof of the sea watch hide, so with any luck it should now be weatherproof. While we were working we noted 500+ Brent Geese, 400+ Common Scoter, 20+ Red-throated Divers a Black-throated Diver, a Greylag Goose and the 1w Glaucous Gull gave frequent fly bys, also 2+ Harbour Porpoises.

Late this afternoon I joined the Joker at the end of the concrete road for an hour where 10+ Sandwich Terns moved east, 14 Common Scoter, 75 Brent Geese, 5 Red-throated Divers and the Glaucous Gull again giving fly bys.

An uninspiring day!

07.00-08.00 a not very inspiring hour from the end of the concrete road.

Red-throated Diver: 5E       2W

Gannet:                 20E       3W

Merlin:                    1 in

Sandwich Tern:       8E

Mediterranean Gull: 9E

Guillemot:                         1W

Harbour Porpoise:      2 

Another watch early afternoon produced nothing of note, but 2 Wheatears were on the shingle.

Elsewhere 3 Little Gulls on the ARC were of note, 4 Goldeneye and a Great White Egret on Burrowes were the only birds of note here.
At Scotney late afternoon 2 Avocet, 7 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 6 Oystercatchers and a Little Egret of note.

Sea Watching

 With rain most the day and south easterlies predicted, I had 2 sea watches from the end of the concrete road in the comfort of my car. This morning I was joined by The Joker. Most the movement this afternoon was in a 20 minute period as the rain cleared about 15.00hrs. 

                     08.15-10.00                13.30-16.30

Red-throated Diver:         11E                                    8 E       2W

Great crested Grebe:        c50 offshore

Fulmar:                            1E       2W                                     2W

Gannet:                          58E       7W                       36E      3W

Brent Goose:                  22E

Shoveller:                       12E

Teal:                                                                         2E

Garganey:                         1E

Common Scoter:             44E                                    26E

Red Breasted Merganser:  3E

Oystercatcher:                 4E

Sandwich Tern:               8E                                      27E     3W

Kittiwake:                       1E                                        4E

Little Gull:                                                                 14E

Mediterranean Gull:         1E

1w Glaucous Gull:           1 around

Guillemot:                       2E                                       1E

Mid morning at Scotney found 36 Dunlin, 32, Ringed Plover, 12 Redshank and 2 Brent Geese of note. Late afternoon from the causeway 2 Goldeneye and 45 Curlew over the ARC.

Another Day Another Gull.(but what is it)

At The Patch this morning I was joined by PT and Barney looking for white winged gulls, of which there were none. Also there was absolutely no movement offshore.

 Stoat by the Old Lighthouse

A wander around the bushes yielded 6 Chiffchaffs ( at least 6 more were recorded in the trapping area) and relatively showy Stoat.

Early afternoon 2 Wheatears by Dengemarsh Road as I drove to Springfield Bridge where I parked and walked to Dengemarsh Hide. On the walk in a Little Egret and a Lapwing were on the Dengemarsh Flood and Hayfield 3 held 6 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler and a Marsh harrier flew over. Near Dengemarsh Hide a Pipit flushed from a wet section by the fence was probably a Water Pipit, I watched as it flew c600mts back the way I came and landed in a wet section of the sheep field, but by the time I'd walked back I could not relocate it.     

1 of 12 Wheatears opposite Beach Cottage this afternoon 

Mid afternoon I had a look at the beach opposite Beach Cottage where I saw 12 Wheatears, 2 Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits.

A ½ hour sea watch from the concrete road saw c50 Great Crested grebes off shore and little else.

I saw a pale Gull fly into a small roost, thinking it was the usual 1w Glaucous Gull I put my scope on it and realised that it was not. Unbeknown to me DW was already looking at it from the other end of the beach. We watch it on and off till dusk as it moved around the beach obtaining a few images, probably a Hybrid but I don't know for sure. 

 ??? Gull

 ??? Gull

 ??? Gull

??? Gull

Iceland Gull

This morning at The Patch in the company of DW, KP et al, we were scanning for yesterdays 1w Glaucous Gull when a 1w Iceland Gull drifted into view. Also seen the regular 1w Glaucous Gull, 2+ Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Eider west and a couple of Red-throated Divers and Guillemots off shore of note.

1w Iceland Gull

1w Iceland Gull

1w Iceland Gull

On the power station an array of Herring Gull deterrent's Plastic Owls, Hawk Kites, Gas Guns and Distress calls. 

Even the 1w Glaucous Gull isn't put off by the deterrent's

It really puts the Herring Gulls off, they can hardly sleep!

Another look at the sea this afternoon from The Point saw no change in the lack of offshore movement. On the shingle opposite Spion Kop 10+ Wheatears, 4 Linnets, 4 Skylarks and 2 Meadow Pipits. This morning a Black Kite came in off the sea per DB.   

More Gulls!

 At The Patch this morning  in the company of DW there was virtually no up channel  movement.
The usual 1w Glaucous Gull was in the roost on the  beach, also a new 1w pale individual  dropped in and was still present when we left at c10.00. A 2w Yellow-legged Gull was also present.

A new very pale 1w Glaucous Gull

 New bird above, usual bird below.

2w Yellow-legged Gull

Opposite Jarmans 6+ Wheatears on the shingle. The Black-throated Diver was still on The New Diggings. The Avocets appear to have left Scotney but may have been disturbed by the farmer along with all the other waders.

This afternoon I parked at Springfield Bridge and wandered around the Hayfields down to Makepiece. The Hayfields are still looking good for spring waders but none present as yet, several Meadow Pipits were feeding around the track and 2+ Marsh Harriers were around. From Makepiece 4 Sand Martins and a red head of Smew of note. It has now been several weeks since I last saw a Bittern which should be booming by now, have they gone or perished?

There will be no firing on the ranges for the whole of April so hopefully The Midrips and Galloways might be productive.