Raining Shags!

 Slow with the camera as this Shag gave us a very close fly by (my first at Dunge since April 2014)

MH joined me at the fishing boats this morning despite the frequent rain and hail storms.

08.15-11.00

Brent Goose: 27
Teal: 11W
Common Scoter: 6W
Eider: 1W  as drake
Red-throated Diver: 11W
Great-crested Grebe: 72 around
Fulmar: 11W
Gannet: 299W
Cormorant: c200 around
Shag: 1W
Oystercatcher: 6E
Dunlin: 2W
Grey Plover: 4W
Little Gull: 19W
Kittiwake: 60W
Guillemot: 169W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 18W

 Little Gulls passing the boats this morning

At Scotney I was still unable to find the Tundra Bean Goose among the Greylags. 4 brent Geese among the 100+ Barnacle Geese, a flock of 10 Redshank was notable there, but I found nothing else of note there in horrendous conditions.

Shag from Dennis's hide

As I arrived at very wet RSPB reserve, DB told me that a Shag had been seen on Burrowes but had gone missing. When the rain eased a little I made a dash for the shelter of the Visitor Centre, shortly after I settled myself in there PK spotted the Shag in front the centre, I dashed to Dennis's hide where I had excellent views of the bird as it swam by. I returned to the visitor centre where a red head Smew flew by while I was waiting for the rain to abate, BB joined me as he had come to see the Shag, we went back to to Dennis's to look for it and to my astonishment there were 2 Shags there, after waiting nearly 2 years to see a Shag at Dungeness I see 3 in a day! Also on Burrowes a Kingfisher and a Great White Egret and the drake Smew was seen again by DB.
On the first pool past Boulderwall Farm a Slavonian Grebe, presumably yesterdays bird from Burrowes also another Great White Egret with another on the New Diggings.

2 Shags on Burrowes

3 of 21 Little Gulls past the boats this afternoon

This afternoon at the fishing boats with MH & DW:

14.00-15.40

Brent Goose: 4W
Teal: 37E   14W
Eider: 1W  adult fem
Red-throated Diver: 3W
Great-crested Grebe: N/C
Gannet: 65W
Cormorant: N/C
Little Gull: 21W
Kittiwake: 29W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1  3w feeding along shore line
Caspian Gull: 1 1w by the fish shack
Guillemot: 96W
Razorbill: 6W
Auk sp: 9W

The 1w Caspian Gull by the fish shack this afternoon

Deluge!

Eider past the fishing boats this morning

08.00-10.30 from the fishing boats with OL & AJG who collated the numbers.
Brent Goose: 2E
Teal: 12W
Common Scoter: 24W
Eider: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 48W
Great-crested Grebe: 57 around
Fulmar: 8W
Gannet: 140W
Cormorant: c200 around
Oystercatcher: 2E
Dunlin: 9W
Turnstone: 5 around
Mediterranean Gull: 1E
Little Gull: 10W
Kittiwake: 46W
Guillemot: 168W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 61W
Grey Seal: 1 around

Slavonian Grebe from Dennis's Hide

By 10.30 the weather had deteriorated to a mere monsoon, despite plenty of bread being deployed there was no sign of the 1w Caspian Gull.
At Scotney the geese were hunkered down, so once again I was unable to find the Tundra Bean Goose among the 100s of Greylags.
As I arrived on the reserve a Slavonian Grebe flew in to Burrowes Pit which seemed to disappear as quickly as it arrived. I made my way to Scott hide, stopping to admire the Long-eared Owl on the way, and glimpsing a Chiffchaff at Firth. I spent a couple of hours in Scott mainly because the rain was so heavy I couldn't leave, although I did see 2 red head Smew, and plenty of dabbling ducks.

Stonechat at Christmas Dell

In a brief respite in the rain I walked to Dengemarsh seeing a Stonechat and a Great White Egret at Christmas Dell. I met MH in Dengemarsh Hide where we sat out another rain storm seeing 3 Marsh Harriers and another Great White Egret, fortunately MH had his car outside the hide and kindly ran me back to the visitor centre where we had a cup of tea as darkness fell.

Rained Off!

The rain held of till about 09.45 but has been relentless ever since, at 10.00 myself and DW called time on this mornings watch from the fishing boats.
08.00-10.00
Common Scoter: 4W
Red-throated Diver: 21W
Great-crested Grebe: Min. 47 present
Fulmar: 10W
Gannet:426W
Cormorant: N/C
Great Skua: 1E
Caspian Gull: regular 1w bird around
Little Gull: 8E
Kittiwake: 38W
Guillemot: 87W
Razorbill: 2W
Auk sp: 42W
As I drove past the fish shack the 1w Caspian Gull was hunkered down beside the road. Driving back across the causeway 2 Great White Egrets at the south end of the ARC and a Marsh Harrier that missed my car by inches as the gale force wind buffeted the Harrier back and forth across the road.

Kittiwake at the Fishing Boats

08.10-10.00 from the fishing boats:

Brent Goose: 26E

Pintail: 4W

Shoveler: 4W

Teal: 8W

Red-breasted Merganser: 2W

Red-throated Diver: 14W

Great-crested Grebe: C20 on sea

Fulmar: 2W

Gannet: c50 

Cormorant: N/C

Great skua: 2W

Mediterranean Gull: 1W

Caspian Gull: 1 the regular 1w bird around

Little Gull: 4W

Kittiwake: N/C

Guillemot: c50 around

Razorbill: 1 on sea

The regular 1w Caspian Gull

At Scotney I was unable to locate the Tundra Bean Goose among the 100s of sleeping Greylags, nor the Black-necked Grebe. There were 3 Great White Egrets on Brett's Marina. A drive around Walland Marsh in ever deteriorating weather failed to find the Bewick Swans, a party of c60 Fieldfares was seen before the weather forced me to call it a day.

Happy New Year!

Eider past the boats early afternoon

08.00-09.30 From the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 28E
Shelduck: 1W
Shoveler: 6W
Teal: 40E
Common Scoter: 41W
Red-throated Diver: 142W
Great-crested Grebe: c50 around
Fulmar: 3W
Gannet: 83W
Cormorant: c150 around
Oystercatcher: 4E
Turnstone: 3 around
Great Skua: 1W
Mediterranean Gull: 4W
Kittiwake: 186W
Guillemot: c100 on sea

The Long-eared Owl was posing nicely for it's many admirers today, on Burrowes the first drake Smew of the year along with at least 2 red head Smew and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. A Chiffchaff at Firth with another by Dennis's hide. Several Marsh Harriers could be seen, Great White Egret at Boulderwall, also on the ARC and New Diggings, Tree Sparrows showed well at Boulderwall.

Early afternoon back at the fishing boats:

Brent Goose: 27E

Teal: 6 on sea

Wigeon: 6W

Common Scoter: 8W

Eider: 2W

Red-throated Diver: 22W

Great-crested Grebe: N/C

Gannet: 72W

Cormorant: N/C

Turnstone: 3 around

Great Skua: 1W

Mediterranean Gull: 3W

Caspian Gull: 1 the regular 1w bird showing well in the roost.

Little Gull: 4W

Kittiwake: 125W

Guillemot: N/C

At Scotney the Tundra Bean Goose was among the 100s of Greylags and a Black-necked Grebe at the Kent end.

Another Brilliant Sea Watch!

Arctic Skua & Guillemot

After an early morning dental appointment I arrived at the fishing boats to find a small expectant gathering. With gale force southerlies no one was disappointed: Many thanks to MH,CP,OL,BM,RP for all the help collating the numbers:

08.10-12.30 & 13.30-15.30:

Brent Goose:1165E
Shelduck: 14W
Wigeon: 10E  4W,
Common Scoter: 1W
Red-throated Diver: 51W
Great-crested Grebe: c100 on sea
Fulmar: 21W
Sooty Shearwater: 3W
Gannet: 1,163W
Cormorant: c200 around
Oystercatcher: 9E
Sanderling: 1W
Dunlin: 5W
Turnstone: 2 around
Great Skua: 17W
Arctic Skua: 1W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 adult around
Caspian Gull:  regular 1w bird
Little Gull: 12W
Kittiwake: 574W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot: 1,104W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 63W
Grey Seal: 1
Driving back across the causeway 3 Great White Egrets sheltering on the New Diggings. The Long-eared Owl still behind the dipping pool today per PT.

Little Gull

Distant Bonxie with Guillemot

The regular 1w Caspian Gull cruising along the shore line

Shelduck

Busy Sea Watch!

Great Skua past the fishing boats this morning

The wind this morning was southerly with a touch of east as forecast, so it was no real surprise that we had an excellent few hours sea watching 08.10-11.10:
Brent Goose: 408E       5W
Shelduck: 2W
Pintail: 15E
Wigeon: 88E      38W
Teal: 4E
Common Scoter: 9W
Red-throated Diver: 61W       9E
Great Northern Diver: 2W
Great crested Grebe: 50 around
Fulmar: 2W
Sooty Shearwater: 10W
Gannet: 269W      16E
Cormorant: c300 around
Sanderling: 3W
Turnstone: 6 around
Dunlin: 25W
Great Skua: 4W
Mediterranean Gull: 47W
Caspian Gull: 2 x 1w around
Kittiwake: 223W
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Guillemot:146W         43E
Razorbill: 14W
Auk sp: 136W     27E
Siskin: 14 out

Velvet Scoters!

Nice drake Velvet Scoter past the fishing boats this morning

09.00-10.00 from the fishing boats:
Velvet Scoter: 3W   (2 + 1)
Red-throated Diver: 6W
Great-crested Grebe: 17 present
Gannet:  142W
Cormorant: c200 present
Turnstone: 2 present
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 adult present
Caspian Gull: 1 regular 1w bird
Kittiwake: 18W
Guillemot: 351W
Auk sp: 72W

Another 2 Velvet Scoters past the fishing boats this morning

In 2 visits to the reserve of note, the Long-eared Owl was showing on its chosen perch, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was bathing on Burrowes as was a 1w & 2w Caspian Gull, 3+ red head Smew on Burrowes, 5+ Great White Egrets, but wildfowl numbers seemed to have decreased, passerines are hard to find in the strong winds though the Tree Sparrows have been very obliging at Boulderwall also in the visitor centre car park.

The regular 1w Caspian Gull still showing well near the the fishing boats today will undoubtedly be a popular bird on the 1st.

14.20-14.50

Red-throated Diver: 4W

Gannet: 71W

Kittiwake; 17W

Guillemot: 48W  13E

Sooty for Xmas!

A distant Sooty Shearwater

An interesting Christmas sea watch with MH and CP from the fishing boats:
08.30-10.00
Brent Goose: 2W
Shelduck: 2W
Red-throated Diver: 16W
Great-crested Grebe:  37 present
Fulmar: 1W
Sooty Shearwater: 1W   Was an excellent Xmas present!
Gannet: 341W
Cormorant: c250 present
Dunlin: 4W
Grey Plover: 6W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 ad on beach
Kittiwake: 54W
Guillemot: 295W
Auk sp: 27W

 Gannets and a Guillemot

Guillemots

Fishing Boats Again!

1w Caspian Gull

Another day of gales sunshine and showers:
08.40-10.05 from the fishing boats:
Brent Goose: 7E
Shelduck: 1W
Pintail: 6W
Red-throated diver: 17W
Great-crested Grebe: 24 present
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 421W
Cormorant: 745 around
Turnstone: 16 around
Great Skua: 1W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 adult on beach
Kittiwake: 112W
Guillemot: 178W
Auk sp: 131W

1w Caspian Gull

14.20- 14.50
Red-throated diver: 8W
Great-crested Grebe: N/C
Gannet: 59W
Cormorant: N/C
Kittiwake: 16W
Caspian Gull: regular 1w on beach
Guillemot: 20W
Razorbill: 3W
Auk sp: 9W

1w Caspian Gull