Red-backed Shrike

As I was emptying the Moth trap this morning 1,000s of House Martins were streaming over the fields in front the house, a superb spectacle.

From the observatory I walked out into The Desert and along the southern edge of the trapping area. There were still fair numbers of common migrants, Blackcaps and Common Whitethroats being most numerous, followed by Chiffchaffs/Willow Warblers, 4 each of Redstart and Whinchat, 6 Wheatears, 2 Spotted and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

A short visit to a very busy reserve to twitch the juv Red-backed Shrike, while there at least 15 Common Buzzards came through. 

As this afternoon was taken up with domestic stuff. This evening I went back to the reserve to see the Shrike which showed quite well.

A quick look at the ARC from the causeway saw a Spotted Redshank from the south end and 5 Black Terns.

 Juv.Red-backed Shrike

Some of last nights Moths

 Vestal

 Small Ranunculus

Old Lady

Nightjar a dungeness Mega!

Another great day at Dungeness today. There was still lots of common migrants about, Pied Flycatchers 7+, Spotted Flycatchers 12+, Redstarts 8+, Whinchats 8+, Wheatears 10+, 2 Tree Pipits lots of Sylvia's and Phyloscs and a Wryneck which I dismally failed to see let alone photograph. Brilliant compensation though when I virtually trod on a Nightjar roosting at the eastern end of the trapping area. A patch mega tick bringing this years patch total to 208. In my panic I just lifted the camera and fired, the settings were all wrong, the image below is the only one that was reasonably sharp. 

 Late afternoon SB found a Red-backed Shrike on the reserve, which flew from beside the entrance track towards the ARC Pit, although we searched the area it could not relocate it, hopefully it will reappear tomorrow.

 Sparrowhawk eyeing up the Heligoland Trap

Below a couple of Moths from last nights catch. 

 Evergestis Limbata

Feathered Gothic

A brilliant days birding at Dungeness!

Grasshopper Warbler. Thanks to DW for posing with the bird.

 A superb day started at the Lighthouse garden with a Spotted Flycatcher (first of 22), Pied Flycatcher(first of 28), Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. A walk into the desert was curtailed when
 DW and OL caught in a Grasshopper Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher in the trapping area along some Phyloscs and Sylvia's. On the way back to the observatory I saw another Pied Flycatcher and DW heard more  OL bought in another Pied Flycatcher from the Heligoland trap(at least 9 were trapped today) and another was in the Moat Sallows.
With BM I walked back to the lighthouse garden seeing another Pied Fly near West beach along with more Phyloscs, by the red and white gates 5 Whinchats could be seen. I then went to The Patch seeing 3 more Pied Flys (8) on the razor wire, along with 3 more Phyloscs, 2 Wheatears and a Clouded Yellow. At The Patch just the usual Gulls and Terns.
Walking back to the observatory there was another Pied Fly in the experimental station and a Redstart, at West beach another Redstart and a Black Redstart and another Pied Fly in The Moat and 3 Whinchats on the fence.
The North end of the Long Pits held another 4 Pied Flycatchers(14), 16 Spotted Flycatchers and many Sylvia's and Phyloscs.
Dengemarsh Gully held another 5 Pied Flycatchers, with another on the watch tower at the bottom and 1 out on Penn Bar (21). Also around the Gully c20 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Wheatears, 6 Whinchats, 2 Redstarts and more Sylvia's and Phyloscs.
At Galloways another Pied Fly by the sea on the fort along with 4 Wheatears, another Pied fly in the Elder by the gate along with a Spotted flycatcher, another Pied Fly by the brick wall(24). 10 more Whinchats and 6 more Wheatears there. A walk along the Galloways bridal path opposite Brett's Marina produced another 4 Pied Flycatchers(28), 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, 2 Whinchats and 2 Wheatears and yet more Sylvia's and Phyloscs. A huge gathering of Hirundines (c2,000 but probably more) over the Marina and Dengemarsh contained at least 2 Swifts.
The Pied flycatchers I saw were probably just a small part of the real total on the peninsular, as so much land is inaccessible and I ran out of time.  

One of 3 Pied flycatchers on the razor wire

Pied Flycatcher in Dengemarsh Gully

Pied flycatcher Galloways bridal path.

Sunshine birding!

06.30-08.00 from the concrete road. Totals collated by AJG:

Gannet: 34 down

Fulmar: up to 6 around

Teal: 18 down

Common Scoter: 5 down

Bonxie: 1 down

Arctic Skua: up to 7 around

Greenshank: one heard calling over

G S Woodpecker: 1 in off the sea.

Swallow: 25 out

Harbour Porpoise: 2+ off shore

 By the power station perimeter wall 2 Hummingbird Hawkmoths and Clouded Yellow, At The Patch many Gulls and few Commic Tern but nothing of note. In the lighthouse Garden " Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Fycatcher. West Beach,the station gorse and the Desert were virtually birdless.
At the south end of ARC 2 Spotted Redshanks, 2 Ruff, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Garganey and the 3 Egyptian Geese.
On the reserve the Great White Egret still at Dengemarsh, 4 Whinchats and a Spotted Flycatcher behind Christmas Dell, a Black-necked Grebe, 2 Ruff and 2 Common Sandpipers on Burrowes.

Pied flycatcher Dengemarsh Gully

 This afternoon in Dengemarsh Gully a Pied Flycatcher, 2+ Common Whitethroats and 21 Yellow Wagtails.
A walk around the hayfields which now have a little water in them found 6 more Whinchats, 200+ Greylags on hayfield 3 and 4 Little Egrets, hopefully some waders will start to drop in.
Late afternoon from Hanson where the volunteers have made an excellent job of cutting back the reeds in front the hide today, 3 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Garganey, the Glossy Ibis and 2 Common Sandpipers of note.

dark morph Orange Swift.

Sunshine and a few moths.

I over slept this morning, missing this mornings sea watch, which apparently was a good move as nothing was moving at sea.

When I did get to the observatory it soon became apparent that passerine migration was also non existent with just a Dunnock and a Robin being trapped in the moat whilst I was there.

At the south end of the ARC 4 Black-tailed Godwits, a Ruff and 3 Egyptian Geese including the leucistic individual.

In 2 visits today from Hanson and The Screen the Glossy Ibis spent the day wandering around the back islands, at least 3 Garganey could be seen, a Black-necked Grebe, 3 Redshank and a Dunlin hidden among the many Dabbling duck. In the bushes 2 spotted flycatchers and a handful each of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warblers and a couple of Cetti's Warblers. At least 1 Swift was among the Hirundines over the lake and A Kingfisher flew across the track to the pines into the Tower Pits.

On Burrowes early afternoon 4 Common Sandpipers were the pick of very poor selection.

A pleasant hour this afternoon in the shelter of fishing boats enjoying the warm autumn sunshine seeing very little, just 1 Arctic Skua chasing a Sandwich Tern and another Sandwich Tern which came right overhead.  

Sandwich Tern

A better night in the Plodland moth trap last night. A few images below. 

A worn Bordered Straw. A migrant.

Scalloped Hook-tip

Barred Red (Hylaea fasciaria prasinaria) probably a migrant.

Common Wainscot one normal and one very small.

Large Thorn

Sitting on the Fence!

First thing this morning I went to the concrete road, AJG had been there a while seeing very little, we spent another half hour there seeing a handful of Arctic Skuas tooing and froing, a few Terns, the star bird was a Tufted Duck flying down channel which is quite unusual here.

 AJG went round the trapping area and Long pits while went to The Patch. On the perimeter fence behind the hide a Redstart, 2 Common Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers. The Patch held plenty of the usual Gulls and c50 Common Terns but nothing unusual.

 Another Redstart was at the lighthouse area, with 6 Common Whitethroats, 5 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Wheatears and c100 Yellow Wagtails.

At the North end of the Long Pits many Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats and 6 Spotted Flycatchers.
The south end of the ARC 2 Spotted Redshanks, a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a Redshank.
From the Screen 3 Garganey, a Water Rail, 30+ Golden plover and 4 Common Snipe of note.
Around the car park 4 more Spotted Flycatchers and more warblers and a Kingfisher through. 

Not a bad day!

 07.00 at The Point, I walked round most the bushes there and the Desert. 29 Willow Warblers, 3 Chiffchaffs, 17 Common Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Nightingale, 3 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, c1,000 Hirundines through and 2 Sparrowhawks of note.
The south end of the ARC held 4 Black-tailed Godwits and a Ruff of note.
From Hanson 2 Spotted Redshanks, 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Redshanks, 4 Garganey, the duck Red-crested Pochard, a mixed flock of c500 Hirundines and a Swift of note.
Dengemarsh Gully was virtually birdless compared to recent days, with 2 Wheatears, 2 Common Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat. There was a sprinkling of Willow Warblers beside Dengemarsh Road.

2 of the 3 at the ARC car park

 A wander up to the pines at the ARC this afternoon saw 30+ Yellow Wagtails there, a Swift still with the Hirundines, just a handful of warblers in the Sallows but 3 Spotted Flycatchers at the car park.

60+ Golden Plover over the track to the VC late afternoon, on Burrowes the Glossy Ibis on a vegetated island picked out by CT and 6 Ruff, also 15 Pintail and 19 Wigeon were new in. As we left a Redstart was round the car park picnic tables. 

A Day of Birds!

 As I left home a text from AJG at the fishing boats informing of a Montagu's Harrier coasting gave a hint of what might be today.
I decided to do the ARC and Tower Pits and surrounds. The track from the car park to the pines were alive with warblers, Reed, Sedge, Willow Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, as I approached the screen hide a ring tail Hen Harrier flew low across the railway disappearing behind the bushes. Perched around the rim of the Water Tower 200+ House Martins, over the lake c1,000 Sand Martins and 3+ Swifts. At the pines a large Tit flock containing 30+ Long-tailed Tits, with smaller numbers of Great and Blue Tits, and Warblers. Beside the railway 2 Common Redstarts, a Spotted Flycatcher many more Warblers, 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Hobby. The shingle at the back of airport pits were covered in Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and a few Whinchats.

Long-tailed Tit at The Pines

Yellow Wagtail airport pits

At Scotney many more Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears but little else of note.

The bushes and fields by the track to Dengemarsh Gully were full of birds, more Warblers, Wheatears, Whinchats also another Spotted flycatcher and Redstart.

In The Gully 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2+ Garden Warblers, 3+ Blackcaps, many Common Whitethroats including a leucistic individual. 2+ Sparrowhawks made brief forays into the gully, a Common Buzzard over, a Raven over Penn Bars and many more Wheatears and yellow Wagtails there. A Wryneck was also seen there per FC.

I walked The Galloways bridal path seeing 2 more Common Redstarts, many more warblers, several Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 2 more Common Buzzards and 2 Hobbys. 

 At Galloways 2 Wrynecks showing distantly, several more Whinchats and Wheatears, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, a Hobby and another Common Buzzard and Raven.

One of the two Wrynecks at Galloways always distant.

A call from DB to say the Glossy Ibis was on Dengemarsh, minutes later I joined him and there, shortly after the Ibis had a fly around. Another Hobby put in an appearance there.

Hopefully better pics of the Glossy Ibis in the next few days.

Late afternoon at the north end of the Long Pits another Pied Flycather, a Spotted Flycatcher a Common Redstart, more Willow Warblers and at least 2 Chiffchaffs and a Kingfisher.

Hirundines behind the screen hide

 Early evening at the ARC still many Hirundines, 4+ Garganey, a Ruff, a Little Stint, Water Rail, smaller numbers of warblers and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Archers Dart the best of last nights catch

Another good day at Dungeness!

06.50-07.30 from the fishing boats was very quiet just 2 Arctic Skuas, and a handful each of Gannet, Sandwich Terns and Commic Terns. On the beach 100+ Yellow Wagtails and 300+ Hirundines out.

Next stop the ARC where the Red-necked Phalarope was still performing distantly along with 4+ Garganey and myriads of Sand Martins. The Willow Trail held just 1 Willow Warbler of note. 

BH and myself then went to Dengemarsh Gully, on arrival just a handful of birders were present with no sign of the Melodious or the Wryneck. We made our way along the eastern side of the Gully and soon located the Melodious Warbler and I took yet more images, shortly after BH found the Wryneck, which was extremely elusive and camera shy while we were there. Around the Gully several Common Whitethroats and Wheatears were present. 

Along Galloways 16 Whinchats, 20+ Wheatears and 4 Common Whitethroats, also a steady stream of Hirundines westwards.

13.00-15.15 from the fishing boats joined by MH. A busy watch until the sun came out and passage dried up. 

All down channel unless stated:

Fulmar: 7

Manx Shearwater: 1 up

Gannet: 87

Great-crested Grebe: 4 off shore

Common Scoter: 9     4 up

Turnstone: 2 on beach

Great Skua: 1

Arctic Skua: 13

Mediterranean Gull: 1

Kittiwake: 4

Sandwich Tern: 185

Commic Tern: 376

Swift: 22 out

Swallow/Sand Martin: 200+ out

Late afternoon early evening back at the Gully the Wryneck showed just long enough to get a very poor image. The Melodious was far more obliging, so yet more images were taken. The last image I took today, is the one below of the Melodious Warbler asleep on its roost branch in the Elder on the seaward side of the sluice. Certainly not the clearest or sharpest shot of the day but may well be the very last image of it.

Melodious revisited and Black-necked Grebe demise!

I aborted the early morning sea watch today as I could barely see the shore line through the drizzle. Though when it cleared 5 Balearic Shearwaters and some Arctic Skuas and Bonxies came past.

At Galloways 9 Whinchats, 14 Wheatears, 2 Stonechats and 4 Common Whitethroats, but no sign of the Wryneck.

In Dengemarsh Gully I virtually trod on a Wryneck which promptly disappeared though it was seen again on number of occasions through the day. The Melodious Warbler was still present and showed very well most the day, also there 2 Redstarts, 2 Garden Warblers, 6 Wheatears and Pied Flycatcher was reported. 

This afternoon an adult summer plumage Black-necked Grebe appeared in the Gully above the sluices showing extremely well, though it appeared to be a little sickly. As myself and some others present were photographing it a large Pike grabbed it, the Pike took it under and resurfaced with it briefly before taking it back under. Although eventually the Grebe did get away flailing into the reeds I cant honestly see it lasting long.

In the image below you can see the disturbed water behind the Grebe which is the Pike about to strike. 

 More shots of the Melodious Warbler

 On the ARC the Red-necked Phalarope was still present though distant, at least 3 Garganey and a Little Stint were the other highlights there.
A plod form the north end of the Long Pits down the east side to the Desert and back found 17 Common Whitethroats and 6 Willow Warblers with a trickle of south bound Hirundines over.

 Redstart Dengemarsh Gully