Long-billed Dowitcher and a Chiffchaff???

The early morning sea watch from the hide was very quiet with nothing notable. Another watch this afternoon produced of note 3 Arctic Skuas, 1 Great Skua, a Fulmar, 30 Common Scoter and the usual comings and goings of Commic and Sandwich Terns with a few Gannets.

An 18.00-18.45 watch failed to produce a single bird of note.

A call this morning from SB about a possible Dowitcher sighting at Hayfield 3, was fortuitous in the fact that I was at the top of Dengemarsh Road and able to be on site in minutes. The bird had flown to the bottom of the field and landed out of sight, its identity not yet established. I was at the top of the field with BP scanning the bottom flood for the bird, but could only see a Greenshank that had flown there with the possible Dowitcher. A couple of Ravens flew over but did not flush it.

A few minutes later it flew back towards us landing c50mts away in the terrible light. As soon as I got my scope on the bird it was obviously a Dowitcher. I took some record images and made some phone calls, while BP chased after SB who was using a noisy mower near Springfield Bridge.

Unfortunately before anyone arrived the 2 local Peregrines flashed across the flood spooking it and the Greenshank and the both disappeared high west calling. Not being familiar with the calls of either Dowitcher species its identity was still not known to me. While waiting for BP to return a Bearded Tit entertained me. BP returned having listened to Dowitcher calls on SB phone, confirming it as Long-billed Dowitcher. As soon as I got home I listened to the calls on Xeno Canto which confirmed it for me.      

A poor image of the Long-billed Dowitcher

Iberian Chiffchaff ???

At the observatory this morning DW caught a couple of Chiffchaffs in the Heligoland trap. One of which had the characteristics of Iberian Chiffchaff but unfortunately no song was heard. Other land migrants were non existent, though my first 4 Swifts of the year were over the causeway.

            Common Chiffchaff                                                Iberian Chiffchaff???

Iberian Chiffchaff???

Fog Bound!

A desperate day at The Point, in 3 separate watches including a fog free one this evening all I could manage was 10 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 60+ Common Scoter the now usual Sandwich and Commic terns tooing and froing in the gloom. The only notable bird was the superb male Black Redstart on the power station fence. With the reserve fog bound I went home and sulked. 

Another Pom and Yellow Browed Warbler!

Most of the day was spent sea watching with AJG and DW. Thanks to AJG for collating the totals:

05.30-09.00 + 10.05-11.10 + 14.45-16.45

Red-throated Diver: 3E

Black-throated Diver: 5E

Gannet 35E 

Fulmar 3E

Brent Goose 15E

Scoter 114E  50W

Shovellor 8E

Shelduck 4E

Whimbrel 13E

Curlew 1E

Bar-tailed Godwit 148 E

Oystercatcher 13W

Bonxie 4E

Arctic Skua 4E 

Pom Skua 1E at 0840

Kittiwake 7E

Mediterranean Gull: 14E 

Sandwich Tern 260E

Common Tern 2542E 

Arctic Tern 2E

Black tern 5E

Little Tern 3E

A wander around the hayfields lunch time did not produce much, even though they look excellent for waders. 3 Whimbrel dropped in, 2 Ravens flew over as did a Peregrine, several Bearded Tits were calling from the reeds along with Reed and Sedge Warblers but sadly no sign of the Black-winged Stilts.

Yellow Browed Warbler Lighthouse garden

 As I stretched my legs this afternoon after spending a couple of hours sitting in front the sea watch hide, I noticed DW waving to me from beside the lighthouse garden. I quickly made my way there and heard then saw a Yellow Browed Warbler. A strange occurrence as The Point was more or less bereft of migrants, though a Chiffchaff was keeping it company.

Yellow Browed Warbler Lighthouse garden

Mating Stilts!

Another reasonable sea watch this morning. A few each of Great and Arctic Skuas, 280 Gannets, c 400 Common Scoter, c2,000 Commic Terns and a few Divers. 

Another watch this afternoon with AJG saw 400+ Commic Terns, c50 Gannets and handful of Common Scoter.

A quick look at the ARC saw that 2 Black Terns, a Little Tern and several Arctic and Common Terns still present.

A quick look around Galloways saw little of note.

This evening on the reserve the 2 Black Winged Stilts were showing well and even mating, a Marsh Harrier spooked them briefly but they soon settled down. A Hobby was hawking over Dengemarsh, Sedge, Reed, Cetti's Warblers, Common Whitethroats and a Cuckoo were all singing. A Whinchat was showing well by Christmas Dell until 10 seconds before I arrived and party of 8 Swallows were around the pits. 

A stunning sea watch!

Arriving at the beach at c07.00 I realised I was to late get in the sea watch hide comfortably, so I opted for The Patch Hide where I spent the morning with Paul W. in comfort and more importantly dry. The 2 of us did not see quite as much those in the sea watch hide but we were comfortable and dry.

07.15-11.00

Red-throated Diver: 23E

Black-throated Diver: 4E

Great northern Diver: 1E

Fulmar: 58E

Gannet: c200E

Brent Goose: 104E

Common Scoter: c250E

Red Breasted Merganser: 4E

Peregrine: 1 terrorising the Terns over The Patch

Whimbrel: 15E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 270E

Arctic Skua: 18E

Great Skua: 34E

Black Tern: 35E

Little Tern: 6E

Common /Arctic Tern: c3,000E a complete guestimate as they were passing so quickly in flocks of numbering 100s.

Sandwich Tern: c50E

Kittiwake: 6E

Doubtless the days totals will at least double ours.

A stop off at the ARC on the way home for breakfast saw 8 Black Terns (40 + seen there earlier) and c50 Arctic Terns.

Before I could have breakfast news of 2 Black Winged Stilts on the reserve saw me go to the hayfields where the 2 birds performed admirably. Also there a Little Ringed Plover, a superb White Wagtail and the bonus of a Wood Sandpiper.

A good late afternoon movement!

An OK watch sea watch this morning 05.30-09.30 with BB,DW and AJG who collated the numbers. This evening 16.00-18.30 with DW a good movement when the fog cleared.

    05.30-09.30                     16.00-18.30
Gannet                   68E          149E

Fulmar 3E                                 1E

Brent Goose             6E

Common Scoter       4E            19E

Merganser               3E

Whimbrel              48E

Bar-tailed Godwit 136E

Oystercatcher          3E             1E

Dunlin                    1E

Knot                      2E

Great Skua:             1E            2E

Arctic Skua             8E           10E

Pomarine Skua:                       1E

Sandwich Tern     176E         48E

Common Tern    245E       2355E

Kittiwake:                              7E

Auk sp:                                  6E

Swallow              9 in             1 in

Sand Martin        1 in

The land was very quiet and apparently nothing new in today.

Black-winged Stilt

05.30-08.40 from the sea watch hide, thanks to AJG for collating the totals.

Red throated Diver 2E 1 W

Black throated Diver: 1E

Fulmar 12E

Gannet 35

Scoter 151E

Shelduck 2E

Sparrow Hawk 1 coasting up

Whimbrel 11E

B t Godwit 8E

Dunlin 4E

Razorbill 5 on sea

Auk sp 4W

Bonxie 16E

Arctic Skua 11E

Kittiwake 7E

Little Gull 2E

Sandwich Tern 235E

Commic Tern 1391E

Little Tern 8E

Carrion Crow 14 coasting down

Swallow 17 in

Wheatear 3 in

As things seemed very quiet around the peninsular I thought I would take the opportunity to paint the garden fence. I had just started painting when a call from DB about Black-Winged Stilts on the flood behind Christmas Dell. 10 minutes later I was on sight but no sign of the Stilts, I was then told that had been 10 of them, well done to Doug and Wendy for finding them. Unfortunately they were all flushed by a Marsh Harrier, but one was re-found on New Excavations where it spent the afternoon distantly on the reedy causeway.

 A evening stroll around the reserve could find no sign of the Stilt at 19.00hrs, but there was an obliging Wheatear that obviously likes the anti predator fence, a Greenshank, several Whimbrel, 4 Bearded Tits, 3 Marsh Harriers, a booming Bittern and several each of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers singing.

Skuas, Geese and a pair of Partridges.

Another good sea watch this morning with 16 Arctic and 10 Great Skuas, plus a sprinkling of Terns waders and Scoter  also 1 Pomarine Skua which went through before I arrived. Once again the Pomarine Skuas that went past Splash Point and Beachy head failed to cross the border into Kent.

Bean Geese at Scotney showing the injured wing.

Late morning wandering around the trapping area 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcaps were seen. A message from PT that 2 Bean Geese were at Scotney gave me the excuse to leave the trapping area. On arrival it was obvious that one of the Bean Geese had an injured wing, the reason that they have not gone.

 On the way to The Midrips a Yellow wagtail posed at Jurys Gap, At The Midrips a Little Ringed Plover, 3 Redshank, 2 Avocet, 2 Whimbrel, 10 Dunlin, a Greenshank, 36 Shelduck, 2 Wheatears and 2 Grey Partridges a real rarity on the marsh these days.

Little Ringed Plover at The Midrips

The highlights of another sea watch this evening 16.55-18.30 saw 7 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Skuas, 5 Red Throated Divers, 76 Common Scoter and 464 Common Terns.

Purple Heron and Skuas

Most of the day was spent sea watching except for the Purple Heron twitch.

Totals for watches: 05.30-10.00, 14.35-15-45, 16.50-19.00 Thanks to AJG for collating the totals. 

Red throated Diver 10E 

Fulmar 9E 

Gannet 107E 

Brent Goose 125E

Scoter 1,082E     40W

Velvet Scoter: 2E

Eider 7 females E

Garganey 1E

Knot 15E

Oystercatcher 137E

Whimbrel 13E

Bar-tailed Godwit: 14E

Razorbill 1W

Guillemot 2 on

Auk sp 22 E

Arctic skua 25E 

Bonxie 16E 

Med Gull 2

Kittiwake 3E    6W

Little Gull 21E

Common Tern 1,247E

Arctic Tern 2 E

Little Tern 17 E

Black Tern 10E

Sandwich Tern 235E

Swallow 13 in

Harbour Porpoise: 8+ 

Grey Seal: 1

Purple heron

 A call from the joker at c10.40 alerted me to a Purple Heron he had seen drop into the Hookers reed bed viewed from the ramp. The Heron was not showing when I arrived but a Sedge Warbler giving regular song flights helped to pass the time, along with 2 Marsh Harriers, a Greenshank and a couple of Swallows. The Heron eventually gave good flight views before landing partially obscured in the reeds where it caught a huge fish.  A Cuckoo showed quite well on the way back to the car as did a Dunlin and a Greenshank in the Dengemarsh Flood. My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year was singing in a traditional spot near the Dengemarsh hide.

Purple Heron

Sedge Warbler in song flight

The calm before the storm! Hopefully.

Very little sea passage this morning. In the hour I was there just a few Scoter, Gannets, Common Terns, Sandwich Terns and 4 Little Terns.

A wander around the bushes was also very poor, the highlight being 2 Red-legged Partridges.

At the ARC still 2 Little Gulls hawking of note.

Another visit to the point this afternoon was aborted before I arrived due to the volume of tourists.

So I spent another short while with the Badger snuffling around at 15.30!

This evening I walked from Springfield Bridge to Hookers viewing ramp via the hay fields. In hayfield 3 a Greenshank, 8 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 2 Lapwing and worryingly 39 Carrion Crows mainly perched on the posts of the anti predator electrified fence. Even the appearance of 2 Peregrines did not seem to bother them to much so I don't expect to see any Lapwing chicks this year.
At the viewing ramp a Bittern was booming, Reed, Sedge and Cetti,s Warblers were all singing, 2 Marsh Harriers were quartering the reed bed, a Whimbrel flew over and my first Cuckoo of the year was calling from the Sallows.