Egrets and Corvids!

A very brief look at the sea this morning from a windswept point before moving to the relative shelter of the reserve. Despite looking at all the gulls there I could find none of of note. On Burrowes the Goosander and 2 Smew still also a Kingfisher before the wind and rain forced me home to a late full English.

As the rain cleared I spent the afternoon at the beach with RS and DW, despite copious amounts of fish offal, popcorn and bread the only Gull of note attracted was a colour ringed Great Black Backed Gull.

JT302  Great Black Backed Gull

This evening at the ARC roost 9 Great White Egrets and 19 Little Egrets came in for the night. Of note several 1,000s of Corvids mainly Jackdaws and Rooks came across the ARC and New Diggings to roost in the Oppen Pits.

Late Swallows and more Caspians!

2 relatively quiet sea watches though this afternoons was great enlivened by the arrival of 2 1w Caspian Gulls.                                       

                                               08.00-09.00                             13.30-14.30

Common Scoter:                  1E       5W                                    2 on sea

Red-throated Diver:                                                                  1W

Great-crested Grebe:            44 around                                   N/C            

Gannet:                                 33W                                            19W

Cormorant:                           49 around                                    N/C

Sparrowhawk:                        1 out

Oystercatcher:                        4E

Turnstone:                            16 around                                    N/C

Kittiwake:                              2W                                             56W

Mediterranean Gull:              1 around                                       3W

Caspian Gull:                                                                             2 around

Guillemot:                             3 on sea                                        2 on sea

Razorbill:                              5W                                                1 on sea

Auk sp:                                41W                                             68W

Pied Wagtail:                         5 on beach

Starling:                             120 in                                           105 in

Goldfinch:                            90 over

Grey Seal:                              1

I haven't been drinking there seems to be a problem with the tabs on blogger!!!

1 of 2 Swallows over the return trail

The 2 Black-necked Grebes were still on the New diggings as was a Great White Egret.
On the reserve of note, 2 1w Caspian Gulls came into Burrowes for a wash and a preen, also there 2 red head Smew, a Goosander, and plenty of the common duck species, 2 Great White Egrets, a Kingfisher and 2 Marsh Harriers. Around Dengemarsh 2 more Great White Egrets, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, a Stonechat, Cetti's Warblers, Bearded Tits, Water Rails and 2 Swallows over the the return trail.

Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull

Un-cropped image!

This 1w Caspian Gull put in a brief appearance at The Point this afternoon and declined the bread I through out for it, unlike the Polish bird which greedily filled it's crop.   

Quiet Times!

 Yesterday's Pale-bellied Brent Goose. Honest!

 Tame Lesser-black Backed Gull at The Point

As the sea was unproductive this morning, I walked the shore from The Point to the Lifeboat Station and back:

Brent Goose: 5E   1W
Red-throated Diver: 2W   1 on sea
Great-crested Grebe: 57 on sea
Gannet: 17W
Cormorant: 89 on sea
Marsh Harrier: 1 out
Turnstone: 45 on beach
Kittiwake: 2 on sea
Sandwich Tern: 3
Guillemot: 9W
Auk sp: 17W
Pied Wagtail: 6 on beach
Goldfinch: 90 over
Linnet: 20 over

 Great White Egret from Hanson

On the New Diggings 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Great White Egrets of note still. On Burrowes 2 red head Smew, 3 Goldeneye, a Goosander, 3 Great White Egrets, 8 Pintail among good numbers of the usual wildfowl. Also a Kingfisher and 2 Marsh Harriers.

On the ARC 2 more Great White Egrets, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipe, 2 Bearded Tits, 2 Marsh Harriers, also a party of 67 Gadwall. In the Willow Trail 2 Goldcrests, 2 Cetti's Warblers, a Water Rail, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker.

Red Head Smew

At Scotney little of note though I did count for no particular reason, 113 feral Barnacle Geese, 6 Egyptian Geese, 100s of Greylags and Canada Geese, several 100s of Wigeon, 3 Redshank, 14 Golden Plover among c300 Lapwing. 

Green ringed Caspo!

It was hard work and uncomfortable in the strong winds today at The Point: 

08.00-09.00   + 12.30-15.00:

Brent Geese: 1E

Common Scoter: 2E

Red-throated Diver: 2W   + 1 on sea

Great-crested Grebe: 14 around

Gannet:  163W   + 200+ feeding distantly first thing.

Turnstone: 11 around

Mediterranean Gull: 2W

Caspian Gull: 2 around

Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around

Kittiwake: 78W

Guillemot: 10W    6 on sea

Razorbill: 4W   2 on sea

Auk sp: 58W

Pied Wagtail: 5 around

Meadow Pipit: 6 over

Goldfinch: 70 over

Harbour Porpoise: 2

This afternoon green ringed XMFV 1w Caspian Gull came into the puddles briefly this afternoon. The original red ringed 65P5 was in the roost early morning. 

 XMFV Caspian Gull

On the beach!

Most of today was spent around the fishing boats where this morning Kittiwakes and gannets were streaming by mainly along way out. This afternoon Mick and Richard were there with buckets of fish heads and popcorn drawing in the gulls including a brilliant new Polish ringed Caspian Gull.

Brent Goose: 1W   4E

Common Scoter: 5E

Red-throated Diver: 1 around

Great-crested Grebe: 4+ around

Sooty Shearwater: 2W

Gannet: 200+

Knot: 25W

Turnstone: 22 around

Pomarine Skua: 1W

Mediterranean Gull: 12+ W

Yellow-legged Gull: 1ad around

Caspian Gull: 4+ around

Little Gull: 1W

Kittiwake: 400+ W

Sandwich Tern: 1W

Goldfinch: 1,000+ over

Linnet: 100+ over

65P5 Caspian Gull

A new Polish ringed Caspian Gull 85P5

Yest another 1w Caspian Gull

A distant Sooty Shearwater

Mediterranean Gull over the fishing boats this morning

some of the 36+ Goldfinches frequenting the Plodland feeders

Not a Great Day!

Rain and mist made it a thoroughly miserable day on the peninsular, made worse this morning by the smart entry to system to my car being so smart that it would not let me into the car. When it did unlock all the alarms went off and promptly locked me out again! The engineer told me it was probably an intermittent fault that would resolve its self! What was worse Gannets, Kittiwakes and more were streaming past The Point per SG.

I did manage to get to the beach for hour mid afternoon, visibility was abysmal though a few Gannets and Kittiwakes were feeding close in shore also a single Sandwich Tern moved west. In the Gull roost an adult Caspian gull spotted by DW also an adult Yellow-legged Gull there.

 Caspian Gull

Woodcock Surprise!

 B4 Great Black Backed Gull (probably Dutch ringed)

 Pink billed Herring Gull

Most of my day was spent on the beach looking at Gulls and sea watching. I  don't really know why I enjoy sea watching so much especially on drizzly miserable afternoon like today. 4 hrs on my own staring out to sea counting mainly Kittiwakes, then I spot a dark dot miles out and start to follow it with the scope, it appears to be coming towards the shore but I have no idea what it is, a couple of minutes later it's still coming in but still I have no idea what it is, all I know it's dark and fast, very fast and agile as it easily evades the attentions of Great Black Backed Gull, is it a Merlin? no to big, wrong shape and flight, then it rises briefly above the horizon showing a long bill, the penny drops Woodcock! I grab the camera and fire off some shots, it is approaching the shore quickly, I press the shutter again and hope for the best as it comes ashore, up and over the beach in land towards The Desert. Those few minutes watching it come in trying to identify it, managing a poor record shot made my 4hr vigil worthwhile. Thats why I love sea watching you just never know what will happen.   

                                  07.40-09.00                                       12.10-16.20
Brent Goose:                                                                          17W
Teal:                                                                                         4W
Common Scoter:          2E
Red-Throated Diver:                                                               1W
Great-crested Grebe:   3W                                                      7 on sea
Gannet:                    181W                                                    47W         4E
Curlew:                        3W
Turnstone:          1 on beach                                                    4 on beach
Woodcock:                                                                              1 in
Mediterranean Gull:   1W                                                       7W
Kittiwake:                36W                                                    323W
Sandwich Tern:                                                                       7W
Guillemot:                                                                             38W    2 on sea
Razorbill:                                                                                6W    1 on sea
Auk sp:                   12W                                                       54W
Swallow:                4 out
Pied Wagtail:         3 on beach
Goldfinch:          176 over
Siskin:                4 over
Linnet:              35 over
Harbour Porpoise:                                                                   2
Grey Seal:                                                                               1

Sandwich Tern 1 of 7 this afternoon

This Woodcock was a real surprise coming in off the sea.

A mid morning look at Burrowes found a different 1w Caspian Gull from Makepiece, also of note the 2 red head Smew, Goosander, 3+ Great White Egrets plus the usual Wildfowl.

Scotney held 300+ each of Golden Plover and Lapwing, c400 Wigeon and the usual feral Geese, also a couple of Marsh Harriers hunting the north bank but again no sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard which has presumably moved on.

Brent Geese (no juveniles) past the fishing boats

Caspian Gull again!

 A very poor early morning sea watch, was mercifully cut short when the Polish colour ringed 1w Caspian Gull appeared on the beach in front of me. 

The over night rain had grounded a few migrants, 3 Goldcrests and 2 Song Thrushes that were foraging around the fishing boats. More Goldcrests and 5 more Song Thrushes were flushed from the Broom along with 3 Chiffchaffs. 2 Black Redstarts at Lloyds and another 1 by the research station.

 1w Caspian Gull

 5AA1 Great Black Backed Gull a Dungeness regular

When I got back to my car after photographing the Caspian Gull this Mottled Umber was on the drivers door.

My latest ever Common Whitethroat

Around the trapping area many Goldcrests, 2+ Firecrests, my latest ever Common Whitethroat, a trickle of Siskins and Redpolls. A Long-eared Owl was seen in the area by SG who also saw a Woodlark fly over.

A Great White Egret and 2 Black-necked Grebes were still at the south end of the New Diggings. On Burrowes the 2 red head Smew, Goosander and Goldeneye were still present today. 

1w Caspian Gull

Thick fog and cold S.E breeze this morning at The Point and few birds. When the fog cleared the temperature rose rapidly but still few birds. A Peregrine, 2 Ravens. 2 Black Redstarts around the research station, a few Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests in the Broom and Gorse, 2+ Brambling over, also a few each of Siskin, Redpoll and Skylark, a Lapwing was grounded in The Desert. In the trapping area of note more Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs, 3+ Firecrests, a Blackcap and a Great-spotted Woodpecker.

The new Diggings held of note a Black-necked Grebe and Great White Egret, with another at the south end of the ARC.

 Lunchtime at Plodland basking in the now glorious sunshine, a Mediterranean Gull in the field opposite was following the tractor with 100s of other gulls. A Marsh Harrier cruised through and 2 Common Buzzards were overhead.  

.1 of 2 Common Buzzard over Plodland

 Marsh Harrier from Plodland

Early afternoon at the ARC a walk to The Pines found more Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs, several Cetti's Warblers were shouting, also Water Rails were squealing, a Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker were opposite the Screen hide where 3+ Bearded Tits could be seen and heard in the reed bed. From Hanson a Bittern was seen skulking distantly, also another  Great White and Little Egret.  

 A very slow mid afternoon sea watch from The point was interrupted by the arrival of the Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull which showed very well, taking a Whiting thrown back into the sea by a fisherman.

 65P5 1w Caspian Gull

Bat Rescue!

 Sunrise over Dungeness from Plodland

 Dusky Warbler

As a SE wind was blowing all night I was expecting a good sea watch this morning, unfortunately it was a non event, with a few Brent Geese, Sandwich Terns, Gannets and a Merlin the highlights. At the observatory both Goldcrests and Firecrests were trapped and processed, a Yellow-browed Warbler in the NE corner of The Desert per OL, 4 Woodcock and Continental Coal Tits in The Desert per PT. The Dusky Warbler still present and showing well at times.

 Dusky Warbler

 Dusky Warbler

As Dungeness seemed packed with tourists this afternoon, I opted for a walk from Scotney out to the wind farm and back with Sally. Walland Marsh was windless and warm which is unusual, it was also very quiet avian wise.

On the walk out the low sun made seeing anything in front of us very difficult, consequently little was seen, though a White Wagtail in the sheep paddock was a surprise. Around the wind turbines 3 Common Buzzards were soaring around with a Marsh Harrier. Coming back 2 Tree Sparrows, several Reed Buntings and a couple of Stonechats were seen. I found a Bat impaled on the barbed wire fence. Having never handled a Bat before I was unsure as how to release it with out injuring it. I managed to gently hold it, while unhooking its wing from the barbs, having done that I released it, only to find one of its claws was jammed in the wire, taking hold of it again I unrolled the barb releasing the claw and getting bitten for my trouble, I then released the Bat which flew off strongly. As we walked through the farm yard a Barn Owl flew out landing briefly on a post before heading off towards Bretts. 

 Bat sp???

 Barn Owl

 White Wagtail

A fairly busy night in the Plodland trap with 5 Feathered Thorns which are new for the trap, a Vestal, Large Wainscots, Angle shades etc.