Southerly Blow!

1w Iceland Gull past the sea watch hide this morning.

05.45-09.45:

Brent Goose: 620E

Shoveller: 6E

Common Scoter: 429E

Velvet Scoter: 1E

Red-throated diver: 52E

Great-crested Grebe: 6E       13 on sea

Fulmar: 27E      6W

Gannet: 204E    11W

Cormorant: present

Oystercatcher: 5E

Arctic Skua: 3E

Kittiwake: 25E

Mediterranean Gull: 12E

Iceland Gull: 1 o/s

Yellow-legged Gull: 1   2w o/s

Sandwich Tern: 19E   1W

Guillemot: 6E

Auk sp: 6E

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

After an entertaining 4hrs in the hide I was numb with cold, so I went home for a warming cooked breakfast and coffee then promptly nodded off for an hour.

Early afternoon at Boulderwall the remaining Spoonbill was awake and had a little fly around, 6 Smew there including 2 drakes and 2 Little Egrets.

 Firecrest in the lighthouse garden.

In the lighthouse garden Firecrests were showing well, it seemed every bush or piece of scrub around the peninsula held at least 1 Firecrest. A text from BM telling of a Common Tern at The Patch, I arrived at the hide shortly after seeing 2 Common Terns there.

Another sea watch mid afternoon 15.45-16.45:

Brent Goose: 6E
Common Scoter: 10E
Red-breasted Merganser: 2E      1W
Red-throated Diver: 5E
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 65E
Great Skua: 1E
Kittiwake: 5E
Little Gull: 1E
Auk sp: 2E
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Late afternoon 2 Black-necked Grebes and 2 Slavonian Grebes were on the New Diggings. A Tundra Bean Goose was in the fields behind Dengemarsh with 7 Barnacle Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese and several Greylag Geese.  

Early Grey from the Plodland MV this morning.

More Migrants!

 A bit of a lay in this morning as a light northerly wind was forecast. My first stop was the Boulderwall Pools to see if the Spoonbill was still present, as I scanned the pools I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 adult Spoonbills at the far end of the second pool, 5 Smew including 2 drakes(the first time I have seen 2 drakes here this winter) were swimming around in front of the Spoonbills. On the banks of the pools a Great White Egret and 3 Little Egrets also c40 Wigeon, 12 Curlew, a Common Buzzard was sitting on a fence post and 2 Marsh Harriers were hunting the ditches.
On the New Diggings 2+ Black-necked Grebes still.

 Firecrest feeding on the grass

In the lighthouse Garden 4+ Firecrests, 3 of which were feeding on the grass with 3 Chiffchaffs.

 Chiffchaff in the lighthouse garden

 Continental Coal Tit

While watching the Firecrests and Chiffchaffs 2 Continental Coal Tits appeared, stayed for a short while before apparently flying off south. In the lighthouse area 4+ Black Redstarts mainly around the research station. Around the rest of the scrub another 12+ Firecrests, 6 Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests and another 2 Black Redstarts.

 Firecrest at Lloyds

A text from SO had me twitching my first Wheatear of the year, a female on the beach near Jarmans. The Gorse and Broom beside the entrance road held at least another 5 Firecrests and 2 more Black Redstarts. While wandering around the beach c270 Brent Geese flew east.

My first Wheatear of the year (picture for Steve Gale)

At Scotney still 2 Black-necked Grebes still and the Little Owl showed briefly otherwise very quiet there.

A scan of the fields in front of Plodland put Spoonbill on the house year list as it had a little fly around, also Great White Egret, 3 Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzard, Peregrine, Raven and 2 Red Legged Partridges.

A mid afternoon sea watch was very slow, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Gannets flew east in 30 minutes.

Late afternoon at the pines 2 more Black Redstarts but no sign of the male Wheatear seen by SO.

A few Migrants!

Sea watching today 07.20-09.30
Brent Goose: 1,165E
Teal: 8E
Gadwall: 2E
Common Scoter: 43E
Eider: 1E
Red-throated Diver: 24E       1W
Great-crested Grebe: 4E          5 on sea
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 33E     3W
Cormorant: present
Oystercatcher: 5E
Kittiwake: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 1W
Auk sp: 2E
Carrion Crow: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3+

1 of 3 Woodcocks flushed from the scrub

In the scrub and bushes around The Point some migrants at last, 12+ Firecrests, 5+ Goldcrests, 6+ Chiffchaffs and 3 Woodcocks. Several Wheatears were reported, I managed to miss them all.
2 Black-necked Grebes still on the New Diggings. On Dengemarsh a Great White Egret, a Bittern briefly and the usual Marsh Harriers, in the fields 7 Barnacle Geese and 2 Egyptian Geese and no sign of any of the Wheatears reported there.
This afternoon sea watch was very slow:
14.00-16.00 from the turning circle: with a merciful break to twitch a Spoonbill on Boulderwall Pool where 2 Peregrines were seen along with a red head Smew.
Brent Goose: 360E
Red-throated Diver: 4E
Gannet: 3E
Guillemot: 1E
The Plodland MV caught 6 Hebrew Characters and 4 Common Quakers.

Across the Channel!

Sea watching from the top of Cap Gris Nez.

Another brilliant day out in northern France with MH,CP and PT. We started with a surprisingly good sea watch at Cap Gris Nez in hazy, still, warm conditions.

Brent Goose: c150N

Garganey: 1N

Common Scoter: c100N

Red-breasted merganser: 7N

Red-throated Diver: 204N

Great-crested Grebe: c25 on sea
Fulmar: c30N

Gannet: c100N

Cormorant: present N/C

Curlew: 4N

Dunlin: 8N

Kittiwake: c100N

Mediterranean Gull: 5N

Little Gull: c30N

Sandwich Tern: 6N

Razorbill: 1N

Auk sp: 9N

Rock Pipit: several present

Yellowhammer: several present.

Harbour Porpoise: 4+

Grey Seal: 1

Several Grey Partridges seen in nearby fields.

Our next stop was Guinnes where in now gloriously warm sunshine we saw several each of Short-toed Treecreepers, Nuthatches, Marsh Tits, Long-tailed Tits a couple of Common Buzzards soared over the wood and Chiffchaffs were singing but woodpeckers were notable by there absence. Also 2 Hawfinches were seen by one of us, not me.  Nearby a Kingfish, Great-white Egret and more Short-toed Treecreepers and Chiffchaffs singing, a Water Rail scuttled along a ditch and others were calling. The ditches around the board walk held plenty of Toads and Frogs.

Next stop was Oye Plage, around the car park 5+ Chiffchaff, from the hide 5 Garganey and plenty of Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, and Mallard, c30 Common Snipe, 15+ Golden Plover, many Lapwing and Little Grebe. At The Escardines c70 Avocet, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Spoonbills, c100 Pintail and more Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck.

 Another good day out in great company with a total of 100 species seen today.

Very little change in the birds around Dungeness in the last couple of days. The first Sand Martin appeared at the ARC this afternoon per BH, also this afternoon a Spoonbill flew around Dengemarsh being seen from the ramp by TH and from Springfield Bridge by RW. A Garganey was seen from the ramp per RO.

Slavonian Grebes and Black-necked Grebes can still be seen on the New Diggings,  5 Smew were on the Boulderwall Pools, also 2 Hares there and 3+ Great White Egrets could be seen. Yesterday by hayfield 3 7 Rock Pipits (4 Littoralis) a surprisingly scarce bird on the ground at Dungeness were feeding by the track. Bitterns, Bearded Tits and Cetti's warblers have been seen frequently around Dengemarsh, even some half hearted booming being heard. By Scott hide 4 Redpolls. 

While walking around Dengemarsh and Scotney today c500 Brent Geese moved east along the coast, 2 more Black-necked Grebes were on Scotney with 48 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshanks and a Curlew.

Rock Pipit, Dengemarsh

This mornings sea watch 08.00-0845:

Brent Goose: 475E

Tufted Duck: 1E

Common Scoter: 36E   3W

Red-throated Diver: 21E

Great-crested Grebe: present N/C

Gannet: 16E    2W

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

Black-necked Grebe, New Diggings

Yet another cold dull occasionally drizzly day in a brisk NE wind.
Still 2 Slavonian and 1 Black-necked Grebe on the New Diggings as I made my way to the beach this morning.
07.00-09.00 from the sea watch hide:
Brent goose: 1E
Common Scoter: 43E
Red-throated diver: 151E
Great-crested Grebe: present N/C
Fulmar: 12E  1W
Gannet: 64E
Cormorant: present N/C
Oystercatcher: 5E
Black-tailed Godwit: 7E
Mediterranean Gull: 1 around
Sandwich Tern: 4E
Auk sp: 5E
Starling: 1 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
After spending a few hours doing domestic stuff I joined SO at the fishing boats for another sea watch.
Probably the worst sea watch I have had at Dungeness:
14.00-15.30
Red-throated Diver: 1E
Great-crested Grebe: present N/C
Cormorant: Present N/C
Gannet: 7E
Oystercatcher: 3W
100+ Brent Geese moved east just before I arrived.

Black-necked Grebe on the New Diggings this morning

A walk this morning from the ARC car park to The Pines produced my first Bittern booming of the year near the water tower albeit half heartedly. A Great White Egret from the screen and 2 Marsh Harriers but no migrants.

On The New Diggings a single Black-necked Grebe, a single red head Smew and a single Slavonian Grebe(2 were present later in the morning).

I joined AJG and DC in the sea watch hide. They'd had quite a good session before I arrived, details can be seen on the DBO web site. We saw a male Black Redstart in the power station compound as we went back to the car park.

At Scotney 4 Black-necked Grebes on the main lake along with c100 Wigeon and few each of Tufted Duck and Pochard. On the sward 33 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, Curlew and a Redshank.

Another sea watch from the Point this afternoon with AJG:

14.00-15.30

Brent Goose: 103E
Common Scoter: 4E
Red-throated Diver: 36E        3W
Great-crested Grebe:  18 on sea
Gannet: 40E
Cormorant: present
Kittiwake: 3E
Sandwich Tern: 1E
Guillemot: 1E      1 on sea
Meadow Pipit: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3
Grey Seal: 1

Crecy and Le Crotoy!

This morning I met up with MH,CP and AJG then we caught the 05.45 chunnel train to Calais then drove straight to Crecy Forest. Although it was only 2C the sun was shining and just a mere zephyr of a breeze. Several Short-toed Treecreepers were seen, as were Nuthatches, many Marsh Tits, several Firecrests, Jays, a couple of Common Buzzards and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls flew over. At least 3 Middle Spotted Woodpeckers were heard as well as Green and Great spotted Woodpeckers, Redwings and Chaffinches were moving through the tree tops and Blackbirds were positively abundant. Unfortunately we were a little early for Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

We then drove through Sailly Braie seeing several Great White Egrets, 2 Avocets on a small pool, a flock of c70 Black-tailed Godwits put on a superb aerial display, also several more Common Buzzards, Mistle Thrush, Skylarks and 2+ Brambling among a flock of Chaffinches were seen. Great White Egrets were numerous in a scan of the Somme estuary from the sea wall, also 2 White Storks with another sitting on its nest.

In Le Crotoy harbour a flock of 171 Avocets, c100 Redshank c20 Dunlin, several Great-crested Grebes and 2 Little Grebes.

 Garganey at Le Crotoy pools

At Le Crotoy pools a gorgeous drake Garganey was sleeping, also there  Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard, more Redshank, several Snipe, a Mediterranean Gull, several White Wagtails, a Water Pipit, 4 more White Storks, Several Great White Egrets, Little Egrets, 2 Cattle Egrets and superb pale Common Buzzard. Once again I found myself wishing I had my DSLR.

The pale Common Buzzard also had completely white breast and white underwing with dark trailing edges. The photograph does not do it justice.

Great White Egret Le Crotoy pools

Crested Tit, Marquanterre

We moved on to Marquanterre for lunch where a Crested Tit performed for us and a Siskin flew over.

Making our way back towards the A16 we came across some Grey Partridges. A real treat to see these days.

Many thanks to CP for doing the driving, also to MH for supplying the transport and entertaining us with loads of jokes that we've only heard a couple of times before, also to AJG for just being there, he knows what I mean.  All in all excellent day out in great company with a respectable 89 species. 

Another day of cold north easterlies blasting across the Dungeness peninsula today. Before having my annual check up with the doctor I had a quick look at the New Diggings,where the 3 Black-necked Grebes were associating with c25 Tufted Duck and Coots, a single Slavonian Grebe was feeding under the bushes at the south end. At the south end of the ARC c100 each of Shoveler and Gadwall, c50 each of Tufted Duck and Pochard, a few Teal and 3 Goldeneye, also a Marsh Harrier hunting the railway line.
At Scotney 2 more Black-necked Grebes, the feral flock of Barnacle Geese still on the sward along with 2 Curlew and 3 Ringed Plover. Around the lakes c250 Wigeon with smaller numbers of Teal, Tufted Duck and Pochard.
Late morning at Cockles Bridge a Common Buzzard hunched on a post, 2 Red-legged Partridges, c100 Golden Plover and 200 Lapwing running around the fields and flock of 20 Stock Doves all being harassed by a couple of Marsh Harriers, also 2 Great White Egrets sheltering from the wind in the ditches.
From the visitor centre a drake Smew still, 4+ Goldeneye along with 100s of Shoveler and Gadwall sheltering under the far bank. From Dennis's a red head Smew.
A sea watch this afternoon from The Point in the comfort of my car:
14.20-15.50
Brent Goose: 281E    (flock of 250 at 14.40)
Common Scoter: 6E
Red-throated Diver: 5E
Great-crested Grebe: 12 on sea
Gannet: 44E    9W
Cormorant: present N/C
Dunlin: 1E
Snipe: 2E  (along the beach)
Auk sp: 1E   2W
Stock Dove: 2 in
Harbour Porpoise: 3+
   

 The strong bitter cold easterly yesterday made the peninsula virtually unbirdable so I gave up and got on with some over due decorating finishing it off this morning.
A midday wander around the hayfields and Dengemarsh failed to find any of the Garganey, though I dare say I will bump into them soon. A lone Black-tailed Godwit on hayfield 3 with 3 Ringed Plovers, 6 Lapwing, 4 Shelduck, 4 Teal, and 2 Gadwall. Around Dengemarsh 7 Barnacle Geese of unknown origin, 2 Great White Egrets, 3 Marsh Harriers, a Bittern. c150 Wigeon and c30 Gadwall. Plenty of Reed buntings seen but no Bearded Tits today.

3 Black-necked Grebes late afternoon

2 Slavonian Grebes early afternoon

I stopped at the south end of the New Diggings on my way to Greatstone and saw the 2 Slavonian Grebes and a red head Smew. Opposite Greatstone  caravan park, c150 Knot, c100 Dunlin, 20+ Sanderling, 9 Bar-tailed Godwits(my first this year) also several 100s of Oystercatchers all of which were showing well on the incoming tide.

A short sea watch this afternoon from the car was poor.
14.45-15.15

Common Scoter: 3E
Red-throated Diver: 3E
Great-crested Grebe: 26 on sea
Gannet: 4E
Kittiwake: 1E

As I drove back across the causeway I spotted 3 Black-necked Grebes tucked under the bank of the New Diggings. By the time I got the happy snapper onto them they were heading out to the centre of the lake. Apparently my DSLR and lens will take another 2 weeks to repair, so it was just as well I put them in for service early, otherwise I might not have had them for my up coming Moroccan trip.