Brilliant day around Dungeness.

The day started at the fishing boats where AJG and DW were already scanning the sea, more or less the first birds I saw were a party of 3 Balearic Shearwaters. 06.30-08.30 compiled by AJG below. All down channel unless stated.

 Fulmar: 4 up

Balearic S'water: 3 

Gannet: 138 

Scoter: 171 

Teal 147: 

Arctic Skua: 5 about

Common Tern: 68 

Little Tern: 14

Kittiwake: 4 

Oystercatcher: 4 up

Wheatear: 3 on beach

Yellow Wagtail: 16 over

My next stop was the Hanson Hide at the ARC Pit. As I opened the flap I could see that yesterdays deluge had raised the water level engulfing most of the islands. As I looked out to one of the few remaining islands I saw a juvenile Red-necked Phalarope spinning around by the island. I rattled a few a record shots, then started making phone calls and tweeting out the news. Unfortunately for me the bird never came close while I was there, leaving me with embarrassingly poor images to post. Also seen from Hanson a Marsh harrier trying to take a Coot, Garganey, 2 Avocets and a Black-necked Grebe.

 An embarrassingly poor record of the juvenile Red-necked Phalarope.

 Marsh Harrier, harrying a Coot.

After getting news from BB that there many Whinchats at Galloways I let AJG know. When he arrived at Galloways he found a Wryneck among the Whinchats. He let me know and I quickly made my way there, seeing the bird after a short wait. There were at least 12 Whinchats present, 4 Stonechats, 4+ Wheatears as well as Common Whitethroats, a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard.

 This afternoon following a message from Stephen Message of a Pied flycatcher(getting to be a rare bird at Dungeness) in Dengemarsh Gully, I joined him there. A Redstart darted into an Elder but we were unable to re-find the flycatcher. A bird caught our eyes and in unison we both said Melodious Warbler. Images below.

Also in the Gully several Common Whitethroats a Willow Warbler and a migrant Robin On the shingle 2 Ravens and 3 Wheatears. 

Torrential rain and a little passage.

A day of torrential rain with a brief respite early afternoon when most of the Tern and Skua passage took place.

07.40-09.40 + 10.40-11.30 + 12.35-16.50 from the fishing boats with AJG & DW.

All are down channel unless stated. 

Fulmar: 17

Gannet: 104

Great-crested Grebe: 6 off shore

Common Scoter: 240    6 up

Teal: 54

Mallard: 1

Whimbrel: 91 

Bar-tailed Godwit: 110 

Grey Plover: 70 

Ringed Plover: 3 

Redshank: 2 over

Turnstone: 6 around

Dunlin: 4 

Knot: 13 

Arctic Skua: 8     +5 around

Kittiwake: 12

Mediterranean Gull: 1 around

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around

Sandwich Tern: c100 around

Common Tern: 1,032 

Arctic Tern 2 

Black Tern: 11 

Little Tern: 62

Wheatear: 2

Yellow Wagtail: 26

Sand Martin: c1650 West

Swallow: c750 West

Swift: 38 West

Clouded Yellow: 1 in

Harbour Porpoise: 2+ off shore

Thanks to AJG for collating the numbers.

Reed Warbler

Mid morning from the Screen hide a Little Stint, 2 Spotted Redshanks, Common Redshank, 2 Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 6 Golden Plover, 2+ Garganey, a Black-necked Grebe, 2 juvenile Water Rails, several each of Reed & Sedge Warbler with 1,000+ Sand Martins and 5 the juvenile Swallows still hanging around the hide.

juvenile Water Rail

Sedge Warbler

4 of the 5 juvenile Swallows

2 Little Ringed Plovers on puddles behind the hide

Spotted flycatcher ARC car park

Around the ARC car park a large mixed flock of Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits with several each of Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Sedge and Reed Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Juvenile Lesser black Backed Gull  (V.X6J)

Colour ringed Lesser Black Backed Gull on the beach this afternoon.

Wash Out

07.10-09.30 from The Point and Fishing Boats, all are down channel unless stated:
Balearic Shearwater: 2
Fulmar: 1
Gannet: n/c only small numbers
Teal: 14
Common Scoter: 17
Grey Plover: 2
Bar-tailed Godwit: 6
Whimbrel: 4
Knot: 1
Dunlin: 3
Ringed Plover: 1
Turnstone: 4+ around
Arctic Skua: 6+
Black Tern: 2
Little Tern: 43+
Commic Tern: n/c estimate c200
Arctic Tern: 1 juvenile
Sandwich Tern: n/c estimate c250
Kittiwake: 3 juveniles
Swallow: 100 out
Sand Martin: c200 out
Wheatear: 2 on beach

Rain stopped play for the rest of the day!

Colour Rings

Around Galloways this morning 6 Whinchats, 9 Wheatears, 30+ Yellow Wagtails, 5 Willow Warblers, 4 Stonechats, numerous Common Whitethroats, 2 Sparrowhawks and 2 Common Buzzards.

I stopped off at Cockles Bridge to watch a Hobby chasing the myriads of Hirundines that were mostly very high, whilst doing so I picked up a Honey Buzzard that was even higher heading towards Lade and France no doubt.

At the ARC from Hanson and The Screen, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, a Redshank, 6 Dunlin, 12 Golden Plover, 5 Common Snipe and a Garganey among c200 Lapwing.

I spent the afternoon on the beach in the brilliant company of Mick, Richard, Mark, David and Andy watching, learning and photographing the Gulls that had been lured by numerous loaves of bread and a mixture of fish heads and shellfish. At least 4 Yellow-legged Gulls came in to feed. A 1w Caspian Gull tricked us all by coming onto the beach just to far for good photograhs, thinking it would come much closer attracted by all the food we held back, only to watch it promptly fly off out to sea and not return. A good selection of colour ringed Gulls came in to keep me happy. In the best part of 4 hours on the beach virtually nothing moved off shore. The Red-throated Diver that has been present for several weeks swam by, 2 1w Mediterranean Gulls flew west and 2+ Arctic Skuas were seen beating up the Terns.     

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

Gull melee!

5AA1 Great Black Backed Gull

JP281 Great black Backed Gull

532 Herring Gull

H8FT Herring Gull

R7HT Herring Gull

More of the same!

A late start at The Patch this morning found many Gulls and Common Terns. Of interest among them just 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls and 2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls. Behind the hide a Willow Warbler, a Black Redstart, 2 Clouded Yellows and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

In the bushes at the point only 11 Willow Warblers and 2 Common Whitethroats. Around the trapping area and Long Pits c100 each of Willow Warblers and Common Whitethroats plus a few each of Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Reed Warbler per AJG.  

Reed Warbler from Hanson

Late morning and late afternoon visits to the ARC saw c1,000 Sand Martins, 3 Greenshanks, 1 Spotted Redshank, 5 Dunlin, 7 Common Snipe, 2 Common Redshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Ringed Plover, 5 Garganey, a Black-necked Grebe, a Red-crested Pochard and 2 Avocets one of which was colour ringed. Right Leg: Blue over Red over Black. Let Leg 3 x Yellow.
On the reserve on Burrowes this evening c500 Sand Martins was about the only notable sighting.

Pas de Calais and Dunge!

 Yesterday (19th) we spent the day in the Pas De Calais. The expected NW wind did not materialise so we cot short our Cap Gris Nez sea watch. We looked around the nearby wood but migrants were few and far between, though Spotted flycatcher, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Common Whitethroats were seen. Also a Nuthatch which excited AJG (he doesn't get out much) as it it is the first one he has seen there in many visits over even more years.
Next stop was Tardinghen where the local council have put a view point over the ponds there. The ponds were nearly dry but still held 2 each of Common and Green Sandpiper and 2 Marsh Harriers. While scanning around I picked up 2 large raptors heading straight towards us on very flat wings, as they came towards us they separated, one swooped down and began wing clapping, Honey Buzzards! and displaying in mid August. I swung my scope 180 and I could see Dungeness Power station swing it back Honey Buzzards.
A brief look around Blanc Nez then onto nearby Guinnes boardwalk. Willow Tits were the stars here at least 4 heard and 2 seen plus Kingfisher.
As time was running out a quick visit to Oye Plage saw 7 Garganey, 3 Spoonbills, 4 more each of Green and Common Sandpipers and 2 Kentish Plovers. On the down side the shoreline and the dugouts were manned by many French Hunters. Sadly they do not seem to take much notice of the list of birds they can legally shoot. A list can be found Here    

This morning a plod around The Point, The Desert and part of the trapping area found 23 Willow Warblers, just 2 Common Whitethroats, 1 of the resident Black Redstarts, a juvenile Marsh Harrier spiralled up over The Desert and went out over  the fishing boats and a trickle of Hirundines headed south.
In 2 visits morning and early evening to the ARC, 4 Garganey, a Black-necked Grebe, a Water Rail, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, 4 Dunlin, 2 Ruff, 2 Hobby's, 100+ Sand Martins, 2 Swifts, 11 Willow Warblers, 2 Common Buzzards and 2 Marsh Harriers as well as all the usual wildfowl.  

Monty's again!

When I arrived at The Point AJG and DW were already there. After being told by them that little was moving off shore, I decided to go to the ARC. From Hanson 3 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 5 Garganey and the Red Crested Pochard could be seen, the real highlight was number of Sand Martins which I estimated to number over 1,000. At the Screen 2 juvenile Marsh Harriers were flushing all the wild fowl, 2 Swifts flew through, in the hide the second brood of Swallows must surely fledge in the next couple of days. 

 Checking the fields at Cockles Bridge the juvenile Montagu's Harriers soon appeared, so I spent most of the rest of the morning with it. A short sea watch this afternoon saw a few Terns and Gannets moving but nothing else. As NW winds are forecast tonight and tomorrow morning Cap Gris Nez beckons.

Monty's

Early morning at the ARC 5 Garganey, Black-necked Grebe, Red-crested Pochard(female), 2 Water Rail, 6 Golden Plover, 4 Redshank, 3 Dunlin, a Greenshank, 3 Marsh Harriers and several 100s of Sand Martins.

At the Patch in the company of Mark http://chiddysbirding.blogspot.co.uk/ there were plenty of Gulls and Terns to sift through, Mark picked out the only juvenile Yellow-legged Gull among the masses of juvenile Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. Also there 2+juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 7 Great-crested Grebes and a Grey seal. By the car park 2 Wheatears and a Peregrine.

 At the Scotney complex a pleasant surprise to see a 100+ Yellow Wagtails, on the downside a minimum of 1500 Greylags and Canada Geese, a Ruddy Shelduck and 7 Egyptian Geese.
Between Galloways and Dengemarsh 2  Wheatears and a Whinchat, on Dengemarsh a Great White Egret, it or a second bird was on Burrowes per CT.

 A mid afternoon call from Mick Southcott http://birdingthedayaway.blogspot.co.uk/ and Richard Smith http://mybirdwatchingdaysout.blogspot.co.uk/ to say a Ring Tail Harrier was hunting the fields at Ness farm. A couple of minutes later I was there and saw a juvenile Harrier that was either Montagu's or Pallid. Mick and Richard soon got bored with the Harrier and went to the fishing boats, a bird that doesn't eat fish guts and bread cannot compete loads of gulls and in a particular a pristine 1w Caspian Gull that I'm sure they will have stunning images of. After a bit wait good views of the Harrier were obtained to rule out Pallid and confirm it as a Monty's. Thanks again for the call Mick and Richard.

Bits and pieces

First thing this morning at The Patch a juvenile Black Tern among c200 Common Terns, also at least 2 Arctic Terns, 100s of Black-headed Gulls mainly juveniles and 100s of Herring Gulls. No sign of any Harbour Porpoises or Grey Seals. On the bund 2 Wheatears and a Black Redstart. 

 Around the observatory highlights were 22 Common Whitethroats, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 9 Willow Warblers, 2 Wheatears, a juvenile Cuckoo and 3 Black Redstarts.
On the ARC from Hanson in the company of MH highlights were a Black-necked Grebe, 5 Garganey among the usual Lapwing and many dabblers and Coot. Very few Hirundines there today.
2 visits to Burrowes today paid little return, though 2 Greenshanks were new and a Great White Egret flew over the entrance track towards the ARC this afternoon. The Little Grebes on the dipping pool have a second brood of 3 young. If you sit quietly on the bank they happily feed, giving great views, early mornings best.

 Another dire hour at the fishing boats this afternoon in torrential rain, at least today I had a Wheatear and a Red-throated Diver there to keep me amused.

 This evening at Galloways 6 Common Whitethroats, 2 Stonechat and a Wheatear.

Above is an Orange Swift 1 of 2 males in the plodland trap with another  Jersey Tiger. 

A good start quickly went downhill!

 Reed Warbler basking in the early morning sunshine

06.30 at the ARC, not a breath a wind made spotting the warblers in the sallows alot easier. The sallows along the track to the pines were full of birds, mainly Reed Warblers, Willow Warblers, Common Whitethroats and handful each of Sedge and Lesser Whitethroats, also a Great-spotted Woodpecker. On the lake 3+ Garganey, a Ruff, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Dunlin, 4 Common Snipe, 3 Redshank and several 100s of Sand Martins. In the screen Hide the young Swallows are growing fast so hopefully another successful brood, brief views of a Water Rail there also. This afternoon a female Red-crested Pochard appeared on the lake.

The Patch was disappointing as all the Gulls had been flushed by walkers, even the Black Terns had disappeared. Behind the hide 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Clouded Yellows and Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the perimeter wall.

A look around The Moat saw 2 Wheatears, 4 more Willow Warblers and a juvenile Cuckoo, 3 Black Redstarts were at West beach and 3 more Willow Warblers in the lighthouse garden.

Along the entrance track to the visitor centre 2 more Wheatears and Yellow Wagtail.  

On Burrowes 4 Common Sandpipers and 3 Dunlin, while over the lake several 100s of Sand Martins. 

At Dengemarsh per CT a Great White Egret, a Wood Sandpiper, a Whinchat and a Hobby.

An hour at the fishing boats this afternoon in the company of PT and Barney was dire, the highlight being 5 Common Scoter and a couple of distant Commic Terns, not a single Gannet was seen in that hour.

65 macros of 27 species in The Plodland trap last night including another Jersey Tiger albeit a little past its best, the 12th to date.