Back at Dunge!

As I wandered down to The Patch this morning I met PT and Barney on their way back. They reported that there was little of note to be seen but I was going there anyway. Over the boil no more than 10 Common Terns among c70 Black-headed Gulls, and 50 Herring and Lesser black Backed Gulls. A Curlew flew west and a handful of Gannets moved up channel, also an adult Mediterranean Gull flew through The Patch. On the walk back a juvenile Black Redstart was feeding on the perimeter fence and the Pied Wagtails were mating ready for a second brood.

 Mediterranean Gull The Patch

A short stop at the south end of the ARC found 3 drake Garganey, among the Gadwall and Pochard. Also a Marsh Harrier came over from New Diggings flushing everything temporarily. 

 2 of the 3 Garganey at the south end of the ARC this A.M.

Met The Joker at the reserve where we spent a little time in Dennis's hide, the highlight being a Ringed Plover on one of the little bits of island that are beginning to reappear.

From the ramp up to 7 Hobby's could be seen, a couple of Bearded Tits and 2 Marsh Harriers. 

Late this afternoon/early evening several Bearded Tits could be seen by Springfield Bridge, Hayfield 3 had 7 each of Grey Heron and Little Egret and a Curlew, but it and the other hay fields are now drying out rapidly. Plenty of Common Terns could be seen on Dengemarsh also the Marsh Harriers. As I wandered past the entrance path to the hide an Oddie and film crew got out there car to do some filming (I didn't see a disabled sticker on their car) While they were in the hide  a 1st summer Hobby put on terrific display over Hookers with Cuckoo calling in the background. 

 1st summer Hobby

Short-toed Eagle!

 I had a brilliant day in the company of AJG at Ashdown Forest seeing the Short-toed Eagle that has been present there for a few days. While waiting for it to leave its roost a couple of Woodlarks were singing, also some Tree Pipits, Willow Warblers were constantly singing and seemed numerous, there were a few flyover Redpolls and some Coal Tits the first I have seen this year(I must get off the marsh more often). The bird eventually left its roost site near Long car park soon after 10.00 A.M. flying around for a few minutes before disappearing over the horizon towards Gills Lap, where it was relocated and put on a fine display for the best part of a couple hours, hovering high over the valley, sometimes dropping towards the ground and on at least one occasion catching what appeared to be a small snake. A Buzzard drifted in and harried and tussled with the eagle showing the obvious size difference.
It was great to see so many familiar faces and catch up with some of my old Sussex birding friends.
This afternoon we dropped into Old Lodge where we found a couple of Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 7+ Woodlarks, Blackcaps and more Willow Warblers.

 Tussling with a Common Buzzard!

The Short-toed Eagle was most of the time fairly distant and the light was awful!

Half hour sheltering in front the sea watch hide from the NE wind this morning yielded little of note. A few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns feeding off shore and party of c45 Common Scoter. A Black Redstart was singing from inside the compound. As I walked back to the car a flock of 11 Grey Herons came in off the sea by the old lighthouse and flew in over the observatory towards the reserve.(This evening 13 Grey Herons were feeding on Hayfield 3). By the fishing boats a pair of Wheatears with 2 fledged young also a leucistic Starling with a flock of c50 Starlings.

juvenile Wheatear

No sign of any Garganey at the south end of the ARC, but a very young Little Egret there presumably from the Lydd heronry.
Cycling past Scotney this afternoon there was no sign of any Avocets at the Kent end, so I fear the worst for the 3 non flying chicks. At the western end 3 fully fledged young with 2 adults that were giving a Grey Heron a serious hard time.
Approaching  Jurys Gap an adult male Marsh Harrier flew across the road in front of me also a stunning male Yellow Wagtail on a fence post just a few feet from me.
Along the Midrips 21 Avocets and at least 2 chicks, 7 Redshanks, 8 Oystercatchers, 20+ Shelduck but no ducklings, probably all taken by Foxes and Badgers, another male Marsh Harrier and a Grey Partridge flushed from the side of the track just before Galloways, while offshore 4 Little Terns and 6 Sandwich Terns. Cycling up the bridleway through the Gorse at Galloways I spotted another Grey Partridge on the track c50mts ahead of me, I pulled up to watch it and just kept walking towards me picking up insects, it eventually got to around 5 metres away where it looked at me then carried on feeding for another few minutes before wandering off into the Gorse. Because I was on my bike I had no camera, as after a few minutes of cycling with it on my shoulder I am in agony, if I had it in the camera bag on my back I can last a little longer, but by the time I have taken the bag off and unpacked the camera anything I wanted to photograph would be gone. I need to come up with some way of fixing the camera to the handlebars with a quick release system so the frame takes the weight hmmm!
This evening at Dengemarsh in a strong NE wind and grey overcast skies apart from the Herons on Hayfield 3 there were 3 Hobby's, 2 Marsh Harriers and 8 Swifts over the lake.

A Grey Day!

A thoroughly grey and cool wander down to The Patch this morning a 3rd summer Yellow-legged Gull, also the first juvenile Black-headed Gull. Over the boil again just a handful of Common Terns with the Black-headed Gulls. Off shore just 2 Gannets and 15 Common Scoter.

A short stop at the south end of the ARC produced 2 eclipse drake Garganey hiding in the Crassula with a handful of Shoveler and Gadwall. I missed the 2 Red-crested Pochard that were there.

I cycled out to Scotney and out along the back of the farm where Corn Bunting, Skylark and Yellow Wagtail seem quite plentiful and couple of Hobby's entertained. At least 4 pairs of Avocets still sitting on the Island. Once I was past the lake the sheep fields were birdless apart from an overflying Marsh Harrier. At the Sussex end of the main pit the the 3 pairs of of Avocets appear to have lost all there chicks. At the Kent end 2 chicks have fledged and the other 3 are well on the way.
This evenings wander around Dengemarsh found the now usual eclipse ducks, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Redshanks on the Hay fields. The Common Terns were particularly noisy this evening  when the sun finally broke through.   

Summer Doldrums

At The Patch this morning in the company of BH a 2s Mediterranean Gull among the Black Headed, Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. Over the boil a few Common Terns and a couple of Gannets off shore.
In a stroll around The Desert I barely lifted my bins it was that quiet.
This evening around Dengemarsh the usual Greylag families, Little Egrets, Grey herons joined by juveniles, plenty of eclipse Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveller and Teal but no sign of the Glossy Ibis. The ditches still hold Reed and Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings and the odd Cetti's Warbler.   

RIP Pete Neatherway!

 Wandering down to The Patch this morning there were 2 Hummingbird Hawk moths on the perimeter wall, 1 still present when I came back. At The Patch there were plenty of gulls but I could find nothing interesting among them. 30 Common Scoter flew up channel and handful of Gannets were off shore. A dental appointment and other domestic stuff my ploddings were seriously curtailed today.

I have just heard the sad news that my friend and lovely guy Pete Neatherway has passed away today. Pete and his wife Mim were Beachy Head stalwarts for many years right up until Pete's untimely death. My thoughts are with Mim who is still recovering from serious illness.

Saved by a Gent!

This morning I stepped out of the front door to the sight and smell of sewage flowing out of the manhole in my drive. Fortunately I know Chris, a lovely guy who came straight away with his drain rods and quickly established that the blockage was in my neighbours man hole. He then quickly and efficiently cleared the blockage. Very many thanks Chris, me and Sally can't thank you enough.  

Eventually I made down to Dengemarsh where the Glossy Ibis was in Hay Field 3 and up to 6 Hobby's were catching Dragonflies. At the Dengemarsh hide I met the Joker and we spent some time chewing the fat, seeing a Black-tailed Godwit over a couple of Marsh Harriers and the raft nesting Common Terns.

Some of yesterdays Orchid images 

Lizard Orchid

Bee Orchid

Pyramid Orchid

Colour Ringed Gulls!

This morning at The Patch it was all about colour ringed gulls. The tide was nearly up and all the gulls were right in front the hide, with no fishermen or dog walkers to disturb them. I spent the best part of 2 hours there trying to read and photograph the North Thames colour ringed birds. Over the boil c50 Common Terns of note.

 FZ7.T a Dungeness regular

 K5FT

 P1BT a Dungeness regular

 P4FT

 R2HT

 R3FT

 R4GT

 T2HT

T9DT

This afternoon I cycled to Camber to see the  Lizard Orchids. On the way I stopped at Scotney where the 5 Avocet young at the Kent end are doing well. At the East Sussex end the 3 pairs of Avocets now have at least 4 young. Over the lake a Hobby was  catching Dragonflies. I will hope to post images of the Orchids tomorrow as my card reader is playing up.

This evening the Glossy Ibis was on Hayfield 3 with 8 Little Egrets, a Cuckoo flew over and 2 Bearded Tits were by the gate.

The Sky Is On Fire!

First thing this morning I wandered down Culver Lane opposite Plodland. There were a minimum of 3 pairs of Yellow Wagtails in the cereal fields, several each of Reed Warblers and Reed Bunting singing in the ditches, the usual splendid male Marsh Harrier being harried by the countless Corvids.

A visit to the observatory was uninspiring bird wise but the Moths were interesting, I dare say before long I will be converted and invest in a Moth trap.

I then spent a few hours cycling around Walland Marsh where I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Lesser Whitethroats singing, they seemed almost numerous, Common Whitethroats were plentiful and 3 Blackcaps were heard. I came across 6 Turtle Doves in 4 different locations, Tree Sparrows in the usual spots, 6 singing Yellowhammers, 2 Corn Buntings, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Common Buzzards and 2 Marsh Harriers.

Arriving back at Plodland early afternoon all I was fit for was relaxing in a sun chair sky watching for raptors and snapping some unwelcome and welcome guests on one of my feeders. The only raptors seen, were the usual Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard while I was awake.    

 No wonder my feeder empties so quickly!!!

 Waiting for the Rooks to spill the Sun flower seeds!

 A more welcome visitor!

This evening I went back out onto Walland Marsh looking for Owls but took the car this time. A Barn Owl showed well and I found 5 different Little sites, I like to think the images of the Little Owls have an aesthetic quality rather than record shots! The hoped for LEOs didn't materialise in the areas I had thought likely but I will try again. 

A fiery sunset over Walland Marsh tonight!

Hobby's

This mornings look around the point and the sea found no new migrants and nothing passing offshore, it would seem that spring migration is over for another year. hopefully June will throw up one or two more overshoots.

At Dengemarsh all of yesterdays Swifts were gone but the sky seemed full of Hobby's, the ditches seemed full of young Bearded Tits and Reed Buntings, the Glossy Ibis was on Hay Field 1 with 6+ Little Egrets, a curlew in Hayfield 3 and a Greenshank flying around unseen.  

I spent the afternoon cycling around Walland Marsh, lots of Common Whitethroats and Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Little Owls, a family of Mistle Thrushes, 5+ Turtle Doves, 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Marsh harriers, 2 Hobby's and several Tree Sparrows of note.