Little Gulls & Divers

 An hour at the fishing boats first thing this morning with AJG, in gloomy virtually windless conditions, seemed a very long hour with little moving. We did not take much persuading to retire to the observatory for a cup of tea. On the way 3 Black Redstarts were performing by the track to the obs. A short walk out to the trapping area was cut short by the arrival of the rain though we did see a few Goldcrests, Chiffchaffs, 4 Fieldfares and lots of Robins. After a cup of tea and putting the world to rights, the wind picked up and the rain eased, AJG went back out into the trapping area while I drove down to the fishing boats. On arrival the rain became torrential for a few minutes. As the rain cleared I let the car window down and the first bird was a Great Northern Diver flying high c200 yds off shore, then the sea seemed full of birds. I watched with AJG and DW till 12.10 when I had to attend an appointment but was back at 14.05 til 16.00 joined by MH and AJG. 

 1 of 3 Black Redstarts by the track to the observatory this morning

Dark-bellied Brent Goose: 12 W
Pale-bellied Brent Goose: 1 W
Teal: 2 E      2 on sea drifting west
Eider: 1 drake on sea then flew W
Common Scoter: 20 W   2 E
Red-breasted Merganser: 3 W
Red-throated Diver: 27 W    2 on sea
Black-throated Diver:  7 W
Great Northern Diver: 1 W
Gannet: 91 W
Great Skua: 5 W
Mediterranean Gull: 2 W
Little Gull: 402 W
Kittiwake: 201 W
Auk sp: 22 W

On the reserve at least 1 Cattle Egret, 3 Great White Egrets and 2 Slavonian Grebes per MH.

November Gloom!

A typical gloomy November day with a light south easterly breeze which did not produce much movement at sea. In 2 vigils today from the fishing boats 07.30-09.00 & 14.15-15.45 in the company of AJG who kept the log. The majority of of todays sightings were in the morning session:

Common Scoter: 16 W

Gannet: 245 W

Black-throated Diver: 2 W

Red-throated Diver: 5 W

Merlin: 1 in

Oystercatcher: 4 E

Great Skua: 2 W

Pomarine Skua: 2 W

Mediterranean Gull: 9 W

Kittiwake: 7 W

Guillemot: 4 W

Auk sp: 15 W

Goldfinch 15 down

Pintail from Hanson

On the ARC from Hanson 2 Slavonian Grebes and the red head Smew still, 6 Goldeneye and the usual wildfowl. A wander around the Willow Trail found of note 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 fly over Redpolls, 2+ calling Cetti's Warblers and several calling Water Rails.

Around the pines a Firecrest, 10+ Song Thrushes, Sparrowhawk and c200 Golden plover were seen flying distantly.

From Springfield Bridge 2+ Cattle Egrets could be seen distantly, also a Great White Egret and several Bearded Tits in the ditch. By the chicken sheds 2 Black Redstarts.

Cattle Egrets

A half hour sea watch this morning produced of note:

Red-throated Diver: 1 W + 1 on sea

Gannet: 45+ fishing off shore

Pomarine Skua: 1 W

Kittiwake: 5 W

A wander around the sea containers looking for passerines found just 2 Wrens.

On the ARC from the causeway a Smew, a Slavonian Grebe, 3 Godeneye, a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier.

From Dennis's hide 5 Great White Egrets could be seen in front of the visitor centre and 2 Marsh Harriers over the Oppen Pits. From the entrance track at Boulderwall c150+ Golden Plover in the fields with c250 Lapwing. 

A wander up to the pines in the rain found 4 Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff and several calling Cetti's Warblers. By the time I got back to the car the rain had really set in, so I went home for breakfast.

2 of 3 Cattle Egrets present in the hay fields

This afternoon a plod from Boulderwall to Springfield Bridge and back saw 2 Stonechats and a Common Buzzard by the coral, a Kingfisher at Hookers, also a Firecrest in the Tit flock there. On Dengemarsh another Great White Egret, 2 Little Egret and 2 more Marsh Harriers. In the Hayfields 3 Cattle Egrets unfortunately flushed as the farmer moved the cattle. Also a Pipit flushed that I thought was a Water Pipit appeared to drop into the bottom of Hayfield 3 but couldn't be found again.

Late afternoon another look for the Pipit drew a blank but 2 late Swallows flew through.    

A short day!

Due to domestic stuff I didn't get out till 11.00  and had to finish early. When I got out I went straight to the ARC Hanson hide where the smart Slavonian Grebe was still present as was the red head Smew and a Great White Egret along with usual wildfowl. In the Willow Trail a Firecrest, 5+ Goldcrests and 4+ Chiffchaffs with the Tit flock.

12.00-14.45 from the concrete road with AJG:
Brent Goose: 5 W
Shelduck: 4 W
Shoveler: 2 W
Common Scoter: 31 W   2 E
Red-breasted Merganser: 15 W
Red-throated Diver: 3 W
Gannet: 653 W
Dunlin: 93: W
Knot: 1 W
Grey Plover: 8 W      8 E
Great Skua: 1 W
Arctic Skua: 1 W
Pomarine Skua: 1 W
Mediterranean Gull: 1 E    1 W
Kittiwake: 154 W
Little Gull: 10 W
Guillemot: 1 W
Razorbill: 1 W
Auk sp: 11 W
It seems moments after we left a Grey Phalarope appeared per NG http://theshadoxhurstgarden.blogspot.co.uk/ and PT.

The sea produces the birds again!

Due to internet problems no post yesterday, but apart from being a 5 Grebe day(Little, Black-necked, Slavonian, Red-necked and Great-crested Grebe) it was fairly quiet.

 Grey Phalarope off the fishing boats today

Sea watching today produced as follows. Thanks to AJG and MH for helping to collate the numbers.

Brent Goose: 6 W  8 E
Velvet Scoter: 7 W single flock
Red-breasted Merganser: 8 W
Red-throated Diver: 8 W
Gannet: 207 W
Sparrowhawk: 1 out
Curlew: 2 W
Grey Phalarope: 1  settled on sea for a minute or so then flew back east
Pomarine Skua: 7 W
Mediterranean Gull: 30 W
Common Gull: 168 W counted in first hour
Little Gull: 15 W
Kittiwake: 192 W
Sandwich Tern: 1 W
Guillemot: 3 W
Razorbill: 12 W
Auk sp: 30 W
Wood Pigeon: 16 W
Skylark: 1 in  7 out
Meadow Pipit: 4 W
Goldfinch: 1,510 W
Linnet: 15 W
Grey Seal: 1

Juv. Pomarine Skua past the fishing boats today

While I was watching 2 Great White Egrets at the south end of the ARC today DB was watching 5 on Burrowes Pit making at least 7 around the reserve. From Hanson the 2 Slavonian Grebes still present, also the red head Smew.

While on Burrowes the Black-necked Grebe still and the 2 Cattle Egrets still with the cattle in the Dengemarsh area.

Egrets!

With a brisk SE wind blowing this morning hopes for a good sea watch were high, unfortunately it was not quite as lively as hoped.

07.05-08.05 from the fishing boats with BM and AJG who also collated the numbers:

Shelduck: 1 W

Wigeon: 2 W

Teal: 3 W

Common Scoter: 3 W

Gannet: 61 W

Fulmar: 1 W

Dunlin: 6 W

Great Skua: 2 W

Mediterranean Gull: 2 W

Kittiwake: 32 W

Auk sp: 56 W

Razorbill: 1 W

Starling: 160 in

Stock Dove: 6 W

A wander around the sea containers towards the lifeboat station found A Black Redstart, a Robin and a Wren.

At the south end of the ARC a Black-necked Grebe and a Great White Egret, also another Great White egret on the New Diggings from the causeway.
At Scotney c250 Golden Plover by the double bends and the usual flock of feral Barnacle Geese but little else of note. In the fields by Dengemarsh Road another flock of c250 Golden Plover and 2 Egyptian Geese.

 A visit to Dengemarsh with MH saw 2 brief flights of a Bittern, a Great White Egret dropped in and a Marsh Harrier but little else, on the way out by the coral we spotted the 2 Cattle Egrets which then flew towards Dengemarsh. From Dennis's Hide 2 more Great White Egrets, 4 Little Egrets and 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull of note.

An hour in Hanson with MH this afternoon saw the 2 Slavonian Grebes, 6 Goldeneye, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Black-tailed Godwit of note. By the hide 4 Goldcrests and a Water Rail.

Thunderstorms bring in the Slavonian Grebes!

After a night of non stop thunderstorms I arrived at the fishing boats at c08.45, it was still raining, just not quite so hard. After 15 minutes I'd logged just a handful of Gannets and Kittiwakes tooing and froing, when yet another thunderstorm rolled in from the channel cutting visibility to zero.

  

 Goldcrest Dengemarsh Gully

After another breakfast the rain had eased a little. I drove down the rough track which is now a lake to Dengemarsh Gully. In the Gully a single Goldcrest and several Blackbirds and Robins also a small flock of Linnets.

 Scruffy Slavonian Grebe ARC

I went onto the reserve this afternoon to check out the Gull roost which I found to be non existent, My hope of checking the roosting Gulls from Makepiece were dashed when I went into Dennis's hide and could see that the islands in front of Makepiece were just about submerged.

Late afternoon over the road on the ARC from Hanson a scruffy looking Slavonian Grebe was showing quite well in the gloom. Scanning the wildfowl flock which was constantly being harassed by 2 Marsh Harriers, I found another Slavonian Grebe, a much smarter looking individual, also 5 Goldeneye and on the margins 2 Great White Egrets. I was just about to leave as it was now almost dark, when presumably yesterdays Red Head Smew swam out of the reeds. 

 Smart Slavonian Grebe ARC

Red Head Smew at dusk ISO 2000

Another learning curve!

 Pomarine Skua

 Pomarine Skua

07.10- 11.00 AJG,DW and Paul thanks to AJG for collating the numbers:

Brent Goose: 4 W
Wigeon: 3 W
Shoveller: 13 W
Common Scoter: 22 W
Red throated Diver 1 down

Gannet: 758 W

Great Skua: 11 W

Pomarine  Skua: 6 W

Arctic Skua: 4 W

Mediterranean Gull: 2 W

Kittiwake: 247 W

Sandwich Tern :1 W

Auk sp: 21 W

Razorbill: 9 W

Guillemot: 1 W

Goldfinch: 208 W

Due to domestic stuff the sea watch was all I managed today.

What I believed at first to be an abherrant Long-tailed Skua is probably an Arctic Skua. When the photo is zoomed right in on the tail the central tail feathers are in fact pointed making it an Arctic. Many thanks to DW for his research.

4 Skua Day!

A day of torrential rain at times and strong southerly veering to Westerly winds, meant that sea watching was the only viable birding to be done. Although there was not a huge passage of sea birds, there was definitely enough quality to keep me entertained, with a Grey Phalarope, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua and some Pomarine Skuas and more besides.  

Gannet

Grey Phalarope at the fishing boats

08.00-10.45 and 13.10- 16.05 from the fishing boats with DW,AJG,MH,BM,PT

 

Brent Goose: 151 W   4 E

Shelduck: 2 W

Wigeon: 23 W

Teal: 6 W

Shoveler: 10 W

Pintail: 24 W

Common Scoter: 167 W

Red-breasted Merganser: 3 W

Red-throated Diver: 1 W  1 E

Gannet: 614 W

Sanderling: 2 W

Knot: 1 W

Bar-tailed Godwit:  3 W

Grey Plover: 10 W

Grey Phalarope: 1+ lingering

Great Skua: 5 W   1 E

Pomarine Skua: 5 W

Long-tailed Skua: 1 juv  W  at 14.55

Arctic Skua: 1 w

Mediterranean Gull: 2 W

Kittiwake: 193 W

Little Gull: 2 W

Guillemot: 7 W

Razorbill: 12 W

Auk sp: 103 W

Grey Phalarope at the fishing boats

Red-rumped Swallow

A flat calm sea with some mist at the fishing boats this morning when I arrived. AJG and BM were already there and had had a fly over Snow Bunting but little passage at sea.

AJG and BM decided to bird around the Long Pits while I wandered around The Point just in case yesterdays Great Grey Shrike was still around. In the lighthouse garden just a couple of Robins chasing each other and 2 Blackbirds, also an adult male Sparrowhawk flashed through the garden across the road seemingly leisurely putting out 1 leg and plucked a House sparrow from the air. I saw a Swallow land on the wires at West Beach, because of the relatively late date and the light was good I decided to take a couple of pictures of it, it allowed me to creep more or less underneath it. While snapping away at it 2 House Martins appeared and then a Red Rumped Swallow alighted on the wires right above me. I quickly took a couple of images of the bird then started making phone calls, all the time aware of just how close I was to it and trying not to spook it. I then took a few more images then tweeted it. While tweeting it, it flew off towards the observatory with the 2 House Martins and 2 Barn Swallows, losing my chance of a flight shot. Fortunately at least 6 of the local birders manged to see it. 

A wander around the boats and sea containers found another Robin and Black Redstart.

 Red-rumped Swallow

  Red-rumped Swallow

  Red-rumped Swallow

 Red-rumped Swallow

With the wind getting up another watch from the fishing boats with MH 13.50-14.55 joined by PT and SM:

Brent Goose: 107 W
Common Scoter: 11 W
Velvet Scoter: 1 W
Red-throated Diver: 1 W
Gannet: 37 W
Mediterranean Gull: 7 around
Kittiwake: c30 around
Little Gull: 3 W
Auk sp: 32 W
Late afternoon on the reserve from Makepiece Hide , a 1w Caspian Gull, at least 5 Yellow-legged Gulls, 4 Great White Egrets and 8 Dunlin. The 2 Cattle Egrets were still around today.