Should have gone to France!

Polish 65P5 still present this afternoon

A reasonably good sea watch today at Dungeness, though it seems north Kent did very well. Just 27 miles from Dungeness as the Crow flies, Cap Gris Nez had another brilliant day, 7,000 Little Gulls yesterday only 2,400 today along with many Auks and Skuas and more, see HERE these numbers are by no means exceptional there.
08.30-10.00 & 13.45-15.15
Brent Goose: 74 SW
Pintail: 2 NE
Wigeon: 2 NE
Teal: 35 SW
Goldeneye: 2 SW  both drakes
Common Scoter: 20 SW   9 NE
Red-breasted Merganser: 7 SW
Red-throated Diver: 11 SW   1 NE
Gannet:  1,000+
Common Snipe: 1 in
Kittiwake: 200 + NE
Mediterranean Gull: 8 SW
Guillemot: 8 SW
Auk sp: 1,000+ SW
Skylark: 1 in
Starling: 3,500 + in

A few Little Gulls at last!

With the weather continuing stormy and wet sea watching was the only option.
08.00-10.30 & 14.30-15.45 with MH & DW & BW
Brent Goose: 11 SW
Wigeon: 2 SW
Common Scoter: 32 SW
Red-breasted Merganser: 2 SW
Red-throated Diver: 6 SW
Black-throated Diver: 2 SW
Great Northern Diver: 2 SW
Great-crested Grebe: 41 around
Sooty Shearwater: 1 SW
Gannet: 77 SW
Cormorant: 250+ around
Turnstone: 23 around
Oystercatcher: 1 SW
Grey Plover: 1 SW
Great Skua: 3 SW  1 NE
Mediterranean Gull: 3 SW
Kittiwake: 298 SW
Little Gull: 27 SW
Guillemot: 6 SW
Razorbill: 1 SW
Auk sp: 61 SW
Goldfinch: 64 over
Linnet: 9 over
While having a cup of tea in the VC a 1w Caspian Gull came into Burrowes to Bathe. Great White Egrets could be seen on the New Diggings from the causeway.

Divers!

The strong winds this morning meant that looking into bushes for a skulky Dusky Warbler was not an option for me. I'd rather be staring out to sea for what might come past and duly went to the fishing boats and did quite well there.
07.45-09.15 & 12.30-15.00 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 6 SW
Shelduck: 1 SW
Common Scoter: 36 SW
Velvet Scoter: 1 SW
Red-throated Diver: 2 SW  1 on sea
Black-throated Diver: 1SW
Great Northern Diver: 2 SW  (very scarce at Dungeness)
Gannet: 217 SW
Grey Plover: 2 SW
Dunlin: 3 SW
Great Skua: 3 SW
Kittiwake: 81 SW
Mediterranean Gull: 1 SW
Guillemot: 5 SW
Auk sp: 21 SW
Stock Dove: 1 SW
Goldfinch: 132 over
Greenfinch: 1 SW
Linnet: 22 SW

A mid morning visit to the reserve looking for Caspian Gulls was unsuccessful indeed I couldn't find Smew or Goosander either today, though both were present yesterday also 2 2w Caspian Gulls. The Dartford Warbler was seen again on the return trail by BB and the Dusky Warbler was reported as still being present by others.

Great Northern Diver!

2 hrs sea watching this morning at the boats 08.00-10.00 was somewhat unproductive, but with the strong winds and rain it was the only viable option.

Common Scoter: 17W

Great-crested Grebe: 29 around

Gannet: 272W

Cormorant:76 around

Turnstone: 4 on beach

Kittiwake: 3W

Guillemot: 1 on sea

Auk sp: 19W

Goldfinch: 35W

Linnet: 24W

An hour or so chatting in the comfort of VC where an adult Caspian Gull came in to bathe, a Goosander swam by and 10 Knot flew through.

Back on the beach this afternoon a 3w Caspian Gull was in the roost. The sea was still very quiet but a Great Northern Diver flying west was a nice surprise.  

 3w Caspian Gull 

Adult Caspian Gull on Burrowes. Taken through the VC window.

Blustery!

After yesterdays impressive totals at Cap Gris-Nez I was expecting at least a Sooty Shearwater or two at the fishing boats this morning, unfortunately it was not to be, just a few each of Gannets, Auks, Kittiwakes, Great-crested Grebes and Cormorants, the only notable bird was Peregrine which coasted west.

On the reserve from Makepiece hide a 3w Caspian Gull was joined briefly by an adult bathing out among the islands, an adult Yellow-legged Gull also dropped in. From Scott a Smew and Goosander were sheltering under the Sallows.

This afternoon I joined Mick and Richard at the beach, it wasn't long before there Popcorn and fish offal pulled in the Polish ringed 1w Caspian Gull 65P5. For some of superb images of it please look at http://birdingthedayaway.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://mybirdwatchingdaysout.blogspot.co.uk/

 Where is it???

 There it is!! (Mick and Richard getting head shots of the Caspo)

 65P5 1w Caspian Gull

 A slow, probably painful death awaits this Great black Backed Gull due to careless fisherman

JZ235 Great Black Backed Gull

Late afternoon at the airport Harrier roost just 2 Marsh Harriers came in. 12 Little and a Great White Egret flew over the airport from New Romney presumably heading for the ARC roost, also of note a party of 24 Pied Wagtails over along with a Common Buzzard and many Corvids.   

Miserable Day!

1 of 2 Black-necked Grebes on The New Diggings this morning

08.45-10.15 from the fishing boats.
Brent Goose: 3W
Common Scoter: 3W
Red-breasted Merganser: 2W
Red-throated Diver: 1W
Great-crested Grebe: 117 on sea (my first 3 figure count this winter)
Sooty Shearwater: 1W
Gannet: 66W   13E
Cormorant: 27 on sea
Turnstone: 8 on beach
Mediterranean Gull: 9W  (incl.party of 5)
Kittiwake: 12W     4E
Guillemot: 1 on sea
Razorbill: 6W       1 on sea
Auk sp: 36W
Grey Seal: 1

Goosander in the rain on The New Diggings as I went home for breakfast.

Another sea watch this afternoon in appalling conditions 13.30-15.00 

Red-breasted Merganser: 4W

Great-crested Grebe: N/C

Gannet: 141W   17E

Cormorant: N/C

Turnstone: N/C

Kittiwake: 31W

Guillemot: 4W

Auk sp: 34W

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